Durrant
A surname of Norman-French origin, ultimately from a personal name meaning “enduring.”
The #9,854 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 94,072 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Durrant is usually taken from the Old French personal name Durand or Durant, from Latin Durandus, meaning “to be endured” or more simply “enduring.” In medieval records the name appears in Latinized forms such as Duraudus and Durandus. It began as a personal name before becoming hereditary as a surname.
History
The name was brought to England by the Normans and appears early in medieval records. Lower specifically notes Durrant as an ancient personal name found in Domesday forms, and later writers connect it with Norman Durand/Durant. It has remained a relatively uncommon English surname, with several spelling variants over time.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same name-family gave rise to the famous Italian poet Dante, whose baptismal name was Durante.
From the historical record
“DURNFORD. A parish in Wiltshu-e. DURRANT. An ancient personal name, in Latin Duraudus, under which form it occurs in Domesday. An early Norman proprietor of this name founded Duran- ville (called in charters Durandi villa) near Bernai, in or before the eleventh century. The name of the immortal author of the…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom