5,727 Global Tallent Family Members

Tallent Family History

Recorded in the spellings of Tallard, Tallant, Taillard, Taillant, and Tallent, this is a surname of French origins. It is occupational and describes either a professional swordsman, or possibly a skilled tailor. The origin is from the early pre 7th century word 'tailant' meaning to cut, from the even older Roman (Latin) word 'taliare', which curiously itself derives from 'talea', a word meaning 'to take a cutting (of a plant)'. Probably the largest group of European surnames originate from a nickname, and this is a good example.