Turval History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
Turval is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Turval family lived in Leicestershire. Their name, however, is a reference to Turville-la-Champagne, Normandy and from Turville (one of nine Seigneuries that bear the name in Normandy) near Pont-Audemer. The name is "derived from Torf de Torfville, from whom descended Geoffrey de Turville 1124, who had grants from the Earl of Leicester and Mellent in England." 
"Raoul de Tourneville is on the Dives Roll; and Roger de Turville held Weston-Turville, Bucks, of Bishop Odo . Another manor in the county is called from him Turville. In Leicestershire they are 'one of the ancientest families in the shire'; seated at Normanton-Turville from the time of Henry II., and still flourishing in a junior branch at Husbands Bosworth in the same county." 
However, some believe the name is Anglo Saxon in origin, and meant 'dry field'. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle the name was recorded in 796 as Thyrefeld. Regardless of the origin, Ralph Turvill, a benefactor of the abbey of Leicester was the first record of the name in 1297.
Early Origins of the Turval family
The surname Turval was first found in Leicestershire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Herdebere, Pailington, Bedworth, Chelmscote, Fulbrooke, and Nuneaton. Normanton Turvile was their main seat. William de Turvile, a companion in arms of Duke William at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, was the first settler. William was descended from the Turville-la-Champagne, seated at Eure, at Amfreville-la-Champagne.
Another source has a slightly more romantic understanding of their origin: "from which of the ten Seigniories of Tourville in the Duchy of Normandy the English Turviles came, cannot now he ascertained. Certain it is that William de Tourville accompanied Duke William to Hastings, and that soon after the Conquest, the Tourvilles became extensive proprietors in the counties of Warwick and Leicester, giving in the latter their name to the manor of Normanton Turvile." 
In Buckinghamshire, the manor of Turville once belonged to the abbey at St Albans, but was seized by the Crown in the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1547. The manor house has since been rebuilt as Turville Park, a fine stately home in the village of Turville.
Early History of the Turval family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Turval research. Another 196 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1235, 1297, 1400, 1296, 1315, 1288, 1291, 1293, 1277, 1289, 1250, 1122 and 1177 are included under the topic Early Turval History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Turval Spelling Variations
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Turval are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Turval include Turvile, Turville, Tourville, Tourvile, Turvell, Turvill, Turvil and many more.
Early Notables of the Turval family (pre 1700)
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William de Turvile, of Weston Turville, Buckinghamshire, High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire in 1288 and later in 1291. Later Nicolas de Trimenel or de Turvile was High Sheriff in 1293. Robert Turvile was a Knights Templar and was Master of the Temple of...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Turval Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Turval family
Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Turval, or a variant listed above: Ann Turvel who landed in North America in 1771.
Related Stories +
The Turval 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: Virtus semper eadem
Motto Translation: Virtue is always the same.
- ^ The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- ^ Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- ^ Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
- ^ Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.