Hello Casper - Interesting question. I will immediately "pass the paper sideways" to Private, who is curating this profile.
Many of the SA French Huguenot's surname spellings changed - some because spelling wasn't an exact 'science ' in those days, and especially prone to clerical error when they fled across the borders of other countries.
My guess would actually be something more modern - to do with an attempt at entrenching a more 't' pronunciation of the 'd' that perhaps the name was becoming prone to being pronounced with. Perhaps during the British colonization period? - as, in English, the default sound would rhyme with 'and' rather than 'aunt'.
Private User has commented on this in http://www.geni.com/projects/South-African-Genealogical-Reference-C...
I see the Durand/ t family project is not especially well developed. It would be great if you wanted to add stuff to it.
(Just use the drop down options at the top right of the page to request to be added as a collaborator)
I posted your question on our Geni SA Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/groups/243811932355680/
As to whether you're a descendant - that seems highly likely if your family has been in SA for a long time: Click on the progenitor profile: Jean Durand, SV/PROG and, if your tree is developed enough - it should show your relationship.
For instance, he is my 7th great grandfather through my paternal grandmother's line:
You
→ Dion Andre Doubell
your father → Johanna 'Joey' Elizabeth Doubell (Botha)
his mother → Willem Christiaan Botha
her father → Jacoba Christina Maria Botha (Pienaar)
his mother → Jacoba Maria Viljoen b3c4d11e1f7
her mother → Henning Johannes Viljoen b3c4d11e1
her father → Albertus Viljoen b3c4d11
his father → Susanna Durandt B2
his mother → Jean Durand, SV/PROG
her father
Hi, my son is a Durandt - he recently did his Y-DNA test through FtDNA and is showing up as R-M269 which is quite common to Europe - I was wondering if anyone else has done this or done their DNA to compare - he is also on GEDmatch - Blake kit number - A751670. I am stuck on his grandfather's family tree and cannot get further back so hoping to use DNA to link back to the progenitor, Jean Durand from France.
Thanks,
Ruth