Genealogy Chat

Hi I've got a couple of surnames in my tree (one of which is my mums maiden name) and I think they could be Huguenot. Does anyone know how I could find out the origin of these names:- Burden Vallance Thanks very much for your help. Kind regards Angela

Hi there. Try http://huguenot(.)ws/ (take out the bracket). and good hunting. Roger GC in Chard

Angela - 'Burden' is probably from the French 'bordoun' (pilgrim's staff), though whether there's a Huguenot connection I know not! It also has a less common form as an Old English name from 'burdegn' ('chamberlain') but this is very rare. Vallance is also French, again, no further info!! Sheila

Hi Angela, don't know if this is helpful to you but found this on houseofnames.*com VALANT Origin Displayed: Scottish Spelling variations include: Vallance, Vallancey, Valance, Valancey, Valens, Valomes, Valeignes, Vallant and many more. First found in Kent where they arrived soon after the Norman Conquest, and were descended from Roger Vallance. Some of the first settlers of this name or some of its variants were: Charles Vallance settled in Philadelphia in 1866; Archibald Vallance settled in Philadelphia in 1820; William Vallance settled in Philadelphia in 1848. Christine

try http// huguenot.picard.free.fr/donnees site its in french but very basic, whole alphabet of surnames and records.

Angela, I have a CD that I bought from the Family Records Office about a year ago called "Foreign Protestants and Aliens in England" It's a list of Huguenot refugees and their decendants living in London during the reign of King James ll. These are the closest I can find to Vallance and Burden. PAUL VAILLANCE and Mary Magdalena his wife. FRANCIS VAILLANT, Jaqueline his wife, Paul, Francis, Isaac, Susanna and Mary their children. PETER BURD, a silkweaver, born in Southwark Hope this is of some help, Brenda

Hi Thanks for all your replies, they are a great help. Like you all have said previously, it gets much harder to trace and track your ancestors down pre-1800s. Brenda, I am extremely interested in the cd that you have bought, can you remember how much it cost? Thanks again for all your input Kind regards Angela

Hello Angela, The cd comprises of two books "Foreign Protestants and Aliens" and "Protestant Exiles from France in the Reign of Louis XlV". It still contains the price tag, £18.99, but when I last visited the FRC, I couldn't find any cd's, so don't know if they still sell them. It was published by Jenifer Edmonds, The Family History Shop, Row C, Norwich Market, Norwich, Norfolk. It also gives a web address, though I haven't checked it out myself, www(.)digitise-it(.)com I wish you luck with your search Brenda

Thanks Brenda