where does the name porteous come from?

Answer 1

The earliest records for members of the Porteous family in Peeblesshire date back to the early part of the fifteenth century.

The earliest possible reference, according to Lord Lyon King of Arms in Edinburgh, is to a Guillaume Porteuse (later William Porteous), who arrived from Normandy c 1400 under the patronship of the wealthy Fraise family (later to become the Frasers). They had already settled in parts of lowland Scotland, having been granted lands by the King.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porteous_family
hope this helps :)

Answer 2

Porteous
This interesting name may have derived from either of two possible origins. The most likely derivation is that it is a topographical name for
someone who lived in the lodge at the entrance to a manor house, from the Middle English words "port", gateway, entrance, and "hous",
house. Alternatively, though less likely, the name may have originated as a nickname for a hard-working man, from the Old French
"porteo(u)r", a man who carried loads. The name is first recorded in the late 13th Century (see below). Robertus de Porterhouse appears in
the Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire, in 1379. The name is found widespread in Scotland, where it first appears in 1443, when one John
Pertus is recorded as owning lands in Fife. On November 7th 1597, Agnes Porteous and John Gray were married in Edinburgh,
Midlothian. A Coat of Arms granted to the Porteous family of Craig Lockhart, Edinburgh, in 1672, is blue with a thistle between three
gold bucks' heads erased, the Crest being a turtle dove with an olive branch in her beak. The first recorded spelling of the family name is
shown to be that of
Robert Portehors, which was dated
1273, in the "Hundred Rolls Records", during the reign of
King Edward 1st, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307.

Answer 3

Just some possibles....'porter' in French is to carry, or porte means door...and this itself may have stemmed from latin...but I know very little Latin...

Answer 4

entered the word on yahoo -- should be able to find what you need.