Brief Life History of Nancy
When Nancy Purviance was born about 1746, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States, her father, John Purviance II, was 36 and her mother, Margaret McKnight III, was 31. She died before 1779.
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World Events (2)
1776
Thomas Jefferson's American Declaration of Independence endorsed by Congress. Colonies declare independence.
1776
The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. The liberty bell was first rung here to Celebrate this important document.
Name Meaning
French and Irish (of Norman and Scottish origin): nickname from Anglo-Norman French purveiance ‘foresight, providence, wisdom’, also ‘provision of royal or monastic household supplies’ (compare Purvis ). The surname Purveyance has apparently died out in Scotland, where it is recorded in Glasgow in 1505 and Ayr in 1623. In the form Purviance it was brought to North America from Ireland, where it came from France. The name Purviance is virtually non-existing in France. In the US, it is also found among African Americans. Compare Provine and Purvines , and also Provance .
History: The majority of the Purviances trace their origin to Jon De Purvaiance born c. 1590 in Royan, Charente-Maritime, France (he was, according to various sources, of Scottish ancestry), whose son (or grandson) Jacques (De) Purv(a)iance fled with his family from France to Donegal, Ireland, where he died c. 1697. This Jacques Purviance is listed in the (US) National Huguenot Society's register of qualified Huguenot ancestors. It were one of his sons, two of his grandsons, and four of his great grandsons who emigrated from Ireland to North America in the 17th and 18th centuries; their descendants also bear altered forms of the surname, such as Provine and Purvines.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
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