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Looking for any information at all on the Nattriss family in London. We think all are descended from a John Nattrass, baker, who came to London from Co.Durham in the 1750s. Branches of the family in W, N, S, and E London. We have a lot of information about the E.London Nattriss family, but nothing about how they are related to the others, or about the northern origins.

Have you checked the trees on here using the quick search box at the top of the page?

Otherwise you could have a google to see if anyone else in this family have a tree online or you could go through all the freebmd looking for instances of the name and recording them and checking out ancestry census for all instances?

It will come down to buying a lot of certificates to connect the branches.

This is interesting, if correct?

This unusual name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a topographical surname, found chiefly in the Northern counties of England, used in the first instances to denote residence near brushwood or on the edges of a wood. The name derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century "aet thaem trus", translating as "at the brushwood", which in Middle English became "atten trus"; gradually the preposition "atte" was dropped and the surname became, by misdivision, Natrus(s), Natris(s) and Natras(s). Other English surnames formed by a similar misdivision include Nash, from "atten ash", and Noke(s), from "atten oak". The Olde English term "trus" was often used of the undergrowth in and around woodland, thus coming to indicate also "fallen leaves and humus". Topographical surnames were among the earliest created, since both natural and man-made features in the landscape provided easily recognisable distinguishing names in the small communities of the Middle Ages. The surname development has included: Nateris (1578); Natris (1588); Natrise (1591); Nattris (1614); and Nattrisse (1625). In Durham, the marriage of John Nattriss and Jane Charlton was recorded in Houghton le Spring, on July 29th 1627. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Margret Nattresse, which was dated September 24th 1570, christened at Gainford, County Durham, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

I Have a Charles William Nattrass Maughan in my family tree born in Monkwearmouth Shore Co Durham in 1841 I wonder if there is a connection going further back. I have hit a brick wall though and can't go back any further than 1841. I know that quite often the mothers maiden name was included in childrens names as a 'middle' name. Maybe there is a Nattrass surname further back but I doubt I will ever know :(