Turner (surname)

Turner is a common surname originating from Normandy, and arriving in England after the Norman conquest with the earliest known records dated in the 12th century. The origin of the name comes from Old French "Le" meaning "The" and "etourneau" meaning "starling", thus giving us LeTourneau (pronounced le turner). Over time the "Le" or "L'" was dropped and in nearly all cases the spelling of the remaining tourneau became Anglicised. Turner is the 28th-most common surname in the United Kingdom.

Contents

• List of people with surname Turner
• Common combinations of given name and surname Turner
• Fictional characters
• References

Early recordings of this surname include Ralph le Turner in the late 12th century. The earliest recorded spelling of this family name dates from 1180 for "Warner le Turnur".

Other claims for the origin of the name Turner which have turned out to be incorrect are Tornai, which is another Norman family, and Tournoire, which is claimed to have come from "The Black Tower" of Normandy, which is yet to be located. The claims of Turner, a lathe worker, and Turnhare, to be as fast as a hare, appear to be happenstance at best and most likely the result of shallow research.