Where did your name come from? A short article on the origin of the Turner surname

It really depends on which source you look at, there are several different ideas about where the name Turner originates from. Certainly the short answer is France, and there are records of the name going back to the 12th century.

Suspecting that my ancestors were part of the Norman conquest leads you down the French language path. A couple of possible versions might suggest either Tour Noir, (Black tower) or possibly Tournoi (tournament) could be possibilities.

Taking the view that like many popular surnames ( I think Turner is possibly the 28th most common name in the UK) it is formed on the basis of a profession, that being a Turner or lathe worker who would shape and form wood into bowls or other useful implements.

In reality I expect it could be a combination of both of these, the name denotes the profession or the profession denotes the name. It is an interesting subject. Names are important when writing fiction, often the name can dictate the character type. Dickens was an expert on this, choosing names that reflected the nature of the person. I try to emulate this in my writing and its so great when you can come up with a name that you enjoy the sound of.

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