Tarbard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Tarbard

What does the name Tarbard mean?

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought the Tarbard family name to the British Isles. Tarbard comes from the Norman given name Terbert.

Early Origins of the Tarbard family

The surname Tarbard was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat. The definition that the name was derived from the name of a fish can be discounted as Victorian historians whimsical nonsense. The family held a family seat in Yorkshire and was a noble name during the time of King Richard 1st (about 1190 A.D.) and all indications are that this was a Norman name which appeared in the Domesday Book, 1 a survey of England taken by Duke William of Normandy in the year 1086 A.D., after his conquest of England in 1066 A.D. and appears as Turbert, a person holding lands.

Early History of the Tarbard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tarbard research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the year 1710 is included under the topic Early Tarbard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tarbard Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Turbutt, Turbott, Turbert, Turbett, Turbot and many more.

Early Notables of the Tarbard family

Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tarbard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tarbard family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Tarbard or a variant listed above: Hannah Turbett who settled in Virginia in 1737; Nicholas and Peter Turbot settled in Plymouth Massachusetts in 1635; Isaac Turbutt settled in Maryland in 1736.

Sources +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)