Torance, Torrence, or Torrance? Their family name is spelled three ways and spans from the Scots Irish who immigrated through Philadelphia, PA, USA. to Mecklenberg County and Winston-Salem, NC to as far west as California. The story behind these similar, yet different, spellings is a rather interesting story!

Brothers Hugh and Albert Torance, Irish immigrants who made their way down the Great Wagon Road to Rowan County, spelled their surname with only one “R”. While Albert stayed in Rowan, Hugh traveled slightly further southwest and settled in Huntersville at the site of the historic Hugh Torance House and Store.

Hugh had only one son, James of Huntersville’s Cedar Grove, who later added an “R” to his surname to become Torrance to distinguish his Torrance family line.

Albert’s sons also added an “R” but changed the “A” to an “E” to become Torrence.

Further adding to the confusion of present-day historians, researchers, and descendants alike, this surname was misspelled often throughout the centuries on legal documents, as well as on letters and family genealogies prepared by family members themselves!

The Torrance and Torrence families were well connected to other plantation families in the Catawba Valley region, with nearly all of the region’s prominent plantation patriarchs’ sons and daughters marrying and producing offspring, forever connecting these families’ genealogies. These marital connections also affected some of the enslaved people, who were favorites of the bride or groom or were chosen specifically for their skills to help in the home of the newlywed couple. Connections to the Davidsons, Caldwells, Alexanders, Wilsons, Lattas, Gastons, Grahams, Kerns, and many more can be found in the Torance family tree.