Tottan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Tottan family

The surname Tottan was first found in Middlesex, where they were Lords of the manor of Tottenham in that shire from ancient times. "This place, written in Domesday Book Toteham, and now sometimes called Tottenham High Cross, is a genteel village, consisting chiefly of one long street formed by houses irregularly arranged, on the road from London to Cambridge." 1 Literally the place name means "homestead or village of a man called Totta," from the Old English personal name + "ham." 2

Early History of the Tottan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tottan research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1685, 1727, 1731, 1737, 1758, 1890 and 1959 are included under the topic Early Tottan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tottan Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Totten, Totton, Todden, Todenham, Tottenham and others.

Early Notables of the Tottan family

Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tottan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tottan family to Ireland

Some of the Tottan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 280 words (20 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tottan family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Adam, Christopher, Edward, James, Mathew, Stevens, Thomas and William Totten arrived in Philadelphia between 1824 and 1866; E. J. Totten arrived in San Francisco in 1850.

The Tottan Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ad astra sequor
Motto Translation: I follow to the stars.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)