People, places and journeys across the generations.
Possible Viking roots · Sixteenth century beginnings · England · America · India · Australia
These selected moments come from the family research compiled by David William Storrs. Together, they offer a glimpse of the lives behind the names.
Possible origins Before the records
Where did the name come from? These are possibilities suggested by David’s research and the history of the name, not recorded family events.
Possibility
Late 800s
The Danelaw, England
Scandinavian settlers in the Danelaw
David’s research suggests the Storrs name may be Scandinavian, reaching Britain with Viking Age settlers. Nottinghamshire, where the earliest Storrs in these records lived, became part of the Danelaw: the large area of England where Scandinavian settlers made their homes. Even Lound, in Sutton cum Lound, comes from the Old Norse word for a grove.
A possibility, not a record. No document yet links our family to these settlers.
Family research reference
Storrs, AB21. David’s note says the name arrived with the Vikings “through the islands of the north about 700 AD”. Viking raids on Britain began in the 790s, and Scandinavian settlement in the Danelaw followed in the late 800s, so the timeline places this possibility there.
Possibility
1066
England
With the Normans?
David’s note adds that the name also came with the Normans. The Normans were themselves partly descended from Scandinavian settlers in northern France, so a Norse-sounding name could have arrived by that route too.
Another possibility. The note gives the year as 1064; the Norman Conquest of England was in 1066.
Family research reference
Storrs, AB21.
Possibility
1086–1379
England
The name in early records
Names that look like ours appear long before William Storrs: Stori and Estori in the Domesday Book of 1086, and a Thomas Storre in the Yorkshire Poll Tax returns of 1379.
Interesting leads for surname research, but not evidence of a continuous line to our family.
Where this comes from
Reported by SurnameDB; see The Storrs Name. Not yet checked here against the original documents.
Early records 1500s–1600s
August 1557
Sutton cum Lound, England
The earliest Storrs in these records
The workbook records William Storrs of Sutton cum Lound, married to Dorothea, as dying in August 1557.
His birth year differs between versions of the tree: 1523 and 1529. The earlier lineage includes an unresolved gap.
Family research reference
Storrs, A5–A8; Sheet3, A1–F7. The earlier sheet is labelled “un-substantiated” and mentions a missing 106-year link.
1663
America
A journey across the Atlantic
Samuel Storrs, whose life is recorded as 1640–1719, migrated to America in 1663.
Family research reference
Storrs, A42–A44. The workbook gives the year and destination, but no ship or arrival port.
Life in England 1700s–1800s
Eighteenth century
Cusworth, Yorkshire
A connection with Cusworth Hall
Robert Storrs of Cusworth worked as land agent to G. Wrightson of Cusworth Hall. Through his wife, Mary Clarke, he inherited part of the Clarke estate.
Family research reference
Storrs, A57–A64. The workbook does not give a date for his appointment or the inheritance.
3 September 1800
Doncaster, England
John and Elizabeth
John Storrs of Doncaster married Elizabeth Robertshaw. Their lives are recorded as 1774–1828 and 1777–1804 respectively.
Family research reference
Storrs, G61–G65. Doncaster is given as John's place description; the marriage venue is not specified.
27 February 1827
St Pancras, London
The Storrs and Townsend families
Dr Robert Storrs married Martha Townsend at Old Church, St Pancras. The workbook also preserves a separate Townsend family record drawn from the family Bible.
Family research reference
Storrs, M61–M66; Townsend, B2–B3. Robert's dates are recorded as 23 June 1801–14 September 1847, and Martha's as 4 August 1809–4 August 1876.
Across the world 1850s–1890s
6 October 1856
India
Arrival aboard the Nile
Rev William Townsend Storrs arrived in India aboard the Nile, a few months after his marriage to Sarah Coopland on 15 May 1856.
Family research reference
Storrs, R85–R89. The arrival date and ship name are recorded together in R89.
1893
Australia
A new chapter in Australia
Rev William Townsend Coopland Storrs migrated to Australia. His dates are recorded as 28 October 1863–5 July 1953, with a note associating his birth with India.
Family research reference
Storrs, V93–W95. The workbook gives the migration year but does not identify the ship or arrival port. The placement of “in India” beside his life dates should be confirmed against original records.
1895
Hobart, Tasmania
A marriage in Hobart
Rev William Townsend Coopland Storrs married Adelaide Laura Propsting in Hobart. She is identified as the daughter of Frederick George Propsting of Hobart.
Family research reference
Storrs, S96–W98. The marriage is recorded by year, without a day or month.
Queensland 1930–1964
1 February 1930
Bundaberg, Queensland
William and Phyllis
William Townsend Storrs married Phyllis Parkin Thornthwaite at Christ Church, Bundaberg. Their lives are recorded as 1896–1983 and 1900–1985.
Family research reference
Storrs, AB93–AB97. William's full dates are 21 December 1896–21 November 1983; Phyllis's are 28 March 1900–6 August 1985.
1964
David and Marilyn
David William Storrs married Marilyn Ann Lofts. David later compiled the family research that forms the foundation of this timeline, building on an inherited family Bible and information gathered over many years.
Family research reference
Storrs, AG113–AG118 records David's marriage in 1964. Notes in AA3–AB10 describe David's research and its beginnings in the family Bible. The marriage venue is not specified.