URCH

I am researching my surname URCH for a One Name Study, which starts from the early 1500's up to the year 2004. At this moment in time the total number of births / baptisms stands about 2,500; not many by any standard but my surname is rare and could originate from the Catalonian area of Spain. My surname is in the book 'Hispanic Surnames & Family History' and has a Spanish Family Crest. The earliest emigrant I believe was around the 1760 period and he was a James URCH from Glastonbury who was followed by a lot more to all parts of the world, especially to the USA, Canada, Australia & New Zealand. The earliest records start around 1540 with I believe two brothers & a sister who arrived in the Wedmore area from Spain but more proof is needed. The whole URCH family spread out from these people and I can trace most URCH families directly back to one brother as the other brother died early.

My own family tree has hit a brick wall with Samuel URCH who was born in 1753 but where I don't know so his parents are unknown. All I know is he resided in the Chelvey area and lived to the ripe old age of 92 years old and died in 1845, so when I could research no further, I set out to record all the URCH's from all over Somerset and beyond in the UK in my quest for more research into my own tree, and it has proved to be very interesting.

Alun URCH