Show ContentsArnet History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

An ancient Pictish-Scottish family was the first to use the name Arnet. It is a name for someone who lived in the lands of Arnott in the parish of Portmoak in Kinross (now part of the region of Tayside), where one of the first times the name was listed was in 1150 when Michael de Arnoth was mentioned.

Early Origins of the Arnet family

The surname Arnet was first found in the lands of Arnott in the parish of Portmoak, Kinross-shire. The first chief, recorded, Michael Arnott, held those lands about 1150. David, of Fifeshire, his successor was recorded in 1296 when he paid homage to King Edward 1st of England.

Early History of the Arnet family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arnet research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1320, 1400, 1497, 1498, 1502, 1536, 1600, 1608, 1639, 1652, 1680, 1693, 1743, 1744, 1769, 1890 and 1918 are included under the topic Early Arnet History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arnet Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, there was no basic set of rules and scribes wrote according to sound. The correct spelling of Scottish names were further compromised after many haphazard translations from Gaelic to English and back. Spelling variations of the name Arnet include Arnott, Arnot, Arnatt, Arnocht, Arnote, Arnett, Anetts, Arnette, Ernot, Ernott, Annett, Annetts and many more.

Early Notables of the Arnet family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was David Arnot, C.R.S.A., (fl. 1497- c. 1536), Scottish canon regular and bishop from Arnot, Fife, Rector of Kirkforthar, Fife in 1497, Archdeacon of Lothian in 1498; Sir Michael Arnot, 1st Baronet (d. c. 1680) of Arnot in the County of Fife; and his son, Charles Arnot (d. before 1652) represented Kinross in the Scottish Parliament.Further to the south in England, Peter Annet (1693-1769)...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Arnet Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Arnet family to Ireland

Some of the Arnet family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 88 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Arnet migration to the United States +

Scots left their country by the thousands to travel to Australia and North America. Desperate for freedom and an opportunity to fend for themselves, many paid huge fees and suffered under terrible conditions on long voyages. Still, for those who made the trip, freedom and opportunity awaited. In North America, many fought their old English oppressors in the American War of Independence. In recent years, Scottish heritage has been an increasingly important topic, as Clan societies and other organizations have renewed people's interest in their history. An examination of passenger and immigration lists shows many early settlers bearing the name of Arnet:

Arnet Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jacob Arnet, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1727 aboard the ship "James Goodwill" [1]
Arnet Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Arnet, aged 55, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812 [1]
  • William Arnet, aged 43, who arrived in New York in 1812 [1]
  • Pat Arnet, aged 18, who landed in New York in 1849 [1]

Australia Arnet migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Arnet Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Arnet, Scottish convict who was convicted in Ayr, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "David Clarke" on 3rd June 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [2]


The Arnet Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Speratum et completum
Motto Translation: Hoped for and Fulfilled.


  1. 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)
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-clarke


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