Hyett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the name Hyett date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Hyett family lived in the village of Ayott in the county of Hertfordshire. The surname Hyett can be translated as at the high-gate, a gate that led into a protected enclosure. 1 2

However, two other sources claims the name was "derived from a geographical locality. 'Of High-gate,' corrupted to Hy-yate, and finally Hyett. Probably Highgate in London is referred to as the instances are mostly found in that locality." 3 4

Early Origins of the Hyett family

The surname Hyett was first found in Hertfordshire at Ayot(t), of which there are two villages: Ayot(t) St. Lawrence, a parish, in the union of Welwyn, hundred of Broadwater; and Ayot(t) St. Peter, a parish, in the union of Welwyn, hundred of Broadwater. The Ayot(t) St. Lawrence "parish during the heptarchy, formed part of the possessions of the last of the Saxon monarchs; and a spot in the immediate vicinity, still called Dane End, commemorates a signal defeat of the Danes by King Ethelwulph." 5 Collectively the place names were listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Aiete. 6

The first record of the family was actually found in Somerset, where John atte Hagheyate was listed 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 7

From this entry we found James Hyet listed in London in 1514, John Hyett in Worcester in 1539, and William Hiatt in Leicestershire in 1599. 4

Early History of the Hyett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hyett research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1583, 1601, 1608, 1618, 1628, 1641, 1651, 1658, 1677, 1681, 1698, 1722, 1727, 1730, 1738, 1859 and 1943 are included under the topic Early Hyett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hyett Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Hyett are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Hyett include: Hyatt, Huyet, Hyett, Hyat, Hyet, Hytte and others.

Early Notables of the Hyett family

Distinguished members of the family include

Charles Hyett (c. 1677-1738), of Painswick House, near Gloucester, Gloucestershire, was an English politician, Member of Parliaments for Gloucester from 1722 to 1727. He built Painswick House in the 1...
Years later, Willoughby Hyett Dickinson, 1st Baron Dickinson (1859-1943), was raised to the peerage as Baron Dickinson of Painswick in the County of Gloucester

Hyett migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Hyett or a variant listed above:

Hyett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Hyett, who landed in Virginia in 1652 8
John and Thomas Hyett, who settled in Virginia in 1663
Margaret Hyett, who arrived in Maryland in 1671 8

Hyett Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Bertram Hyett, originally from Swansea, Wales, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Yantgtsze" from Liverpool, England 9
George Hyett, aged 34, who arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "New York" from Southampton, England 9
Allyn Geoffrey Hyett, originally from Cheltenham, England, who arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "New York" from Southampton, England 9
Bertram Hyett, aged 35, originally from Swansea, Wales, who arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Caronia" from Liverpool, England 9

Hyett migration to Australia +

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

Hyett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Robert Hyett, English convict from Gloucester, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 10
Miss Eliza Hyett who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 25th October 1850, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Hyett (post 1700) +

William Henry Hyett (1795-1877), English politician, Member of Parliament for Stroud in 1832
Jack Hyett (1915-2001), Australian teacher, broadcaster, author and naturalist; he was awarded the Australian Natural History Medallion in 1985
Francis William "Frank" Hyett (1882-1919), Australian politician, trade unionist and first-class cricketer

The Hyett 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: Fac et spera
Motto Translation: Do and hope.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
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)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
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)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Andromeda voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1826 with 147 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1826
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia