Twitchen Family History

From Middle English twichen(e) ‘crossroads; place where two or more roads meet’ (Old English twicen(e)). The surname may be topographic for someone who lived in such a place or toponymic for someone from one of various places so named such as Touchen End in Bray (Berks) recorded as Twychene in 1274–75.

Bonsey's Farm in Horsell (Surrey) recorded as Twichen in 1615 and home to the 1317 early bearer below, and Twitchen (Devon) also play a role in the surname's origin. There are at least seven minor places in Devon named with the element.

Six of these are called Twitchen and one is called Tutchenor. The distribution of these names indicates a close relationship between the geographic feature and the surname itself.

Understanding the etymology helps trace the lineage of families associated with these locations. The names reflect the historical significance of local geography in shaping identities.

See also Titchener for further related surnames and their connections to similar geographic origins.