In the sixteenth century there were already Turle’s living in Essex, Staffordshire, Suffolk and Somerset, with the largest populations living in Sussex . In Somerset there were Turles living in and around Taunton, one of whom was John who married Margaret Yendol at St Mary Magdalen Church in Taunton on 18 January 1591. They may have been the ancestors of James Turle and John Turle who were convicted at the Taunton Assizes of 1685 and kept in custody until they were deported to Jamaica by Heywood on the "Constant Richard" Nov 12, 1685.

In 1708 two boys were born in Taunton, Richard and Robert. It is not known how they were related, if at all, but both went on to have large families who lived in Taunton for the next two to three hundred years. They had very different lives and successes - one family were gentlemen, merchants and landowners, the other were mainly musicians of various abilities and fortunes. The lives of the musicians and the grocers and their descendants are documented in the linked pages.

There was also a family of Turles living in London; they came from Devonport and were the doctors. They were acquainted with the musicians but it is not known if they were related to the Taunton families.