Abott Surname History

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Abott is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was taken on by someone who worked as a superior of a monastery, an Abbot. The name Abott may also be a nickname applied to someone who played the part of an abbot in a medieval pageant, or to a person thought to be particularly pious and devout. 1

Early Origins of the Abott family

The surname Abott was first found in the counties of Oxfordshire, Huntingdon, Bedfordshire and Cambridge from very ancient times. The family was in this area before the Norman Conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy in 1066 AD.

Alfwoldus Abbas (1111-1117) is one such example of a man who was a holder of the monasterial office of Abbot. It is also assumed that the name may have been a source of several more surnames at a later date. Walter Abbott was recorded in the year 1200, in the City of London. 1

Walter Abat was recorded in The Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219. Peter le Abbot (the Abbot) of Essex is documented in the records of the Hornchurch priory, and is also mention of Ralph Abbod in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1272. 2

The Abbotson and Abotson variants date back to 1200 when Walter Abbottson was recorded in London at that time. 2

Early History of the Abott family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abott research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1306, 1379, 1560, 1562, 1565, 1577, 1588, 1603, 1612, 1617, 1623, 1633, 1642, 1648, 1662, 1720 and 1912 are included under the topic Early Abott History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abott Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Abott include Abbott, Abbot, Abbotts, Abbett, Abbet, Abott and others.

Early Notables of the Abott family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Maurice or Morris Abbot (1565-1642), was an eminent merchant, Governor of the East India Company, and Lord Mayor of London, the fifth and youngest son of Maurice Abbot, a clothworker of Guildford. George Abbot (1562-1633), Archbishop of Canterbury, the fourth Chancellor of Trinity College, Dublin, between 1612 and 1633. He was one of the translators of the Bible. "His father, Maurice Abbot, was a clothworker of the town. Abbot's parents were staunch Protestants; they had first 'embraced the truth of the Gospel in King Edward's days, and were persecuted for it in...
Another 142 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Abott Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Abott family to Ireland

Some of the Abott family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abott migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Abott Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jon Abott, who arrived in Virginia in 1633 3
Michael Abott, who landed in Maryland in 1658 3

Abott migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Abott Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Albert Abott, (b. 1855), aged 44, Cornish smith traveling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 22nd October 1899 en route to London, Ontario, Canada 4
Mr. William Abott, (b. 1832), aged 67, Cornish farmer traveling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 22nd October 1899 en route to London, Ontario, Canada 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Abott (post 1700) +

Jacinta Titialii Abott, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from American Samoa, 2008

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf