Kites Surname History

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Kites is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Kites was a name used for a person who had acquired the nickname of the kite, which was originally derived from the Old English word cyta, referring to the "kite" the bird of prey. 1 2 In this case the original bearer of the surname earned this name due to their wild, and high-spirited nature.

Early Origins of the Kites family

The surname Kites was first found in Norfolk where Richard Kete was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166. Years later, Richard Kyte was listed in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1243; William Ket in the Hundredorum Rolls for Norfolk in 1275; Peter le Kyte in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327; and John Kette in the Subsidy Rolls for Cumberland in 1327. Ralph atte Kete was found in the Pipe Rolls for Kent in 1292. 3

In Yorkshire, Hugo Kyte was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 4 Again in Norfolk, but much later, John Kyte, was Rector of Wolferton in 1507. 5

Early History of the Kites family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kites research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1483, 1485, 1507, 1513, 1521, 1524, 1526, 1534, 1535, 1537, 1540, 1547, 1549, 1589, 1616, 1632, 1638, 1660, 1662, 1668, 1688, 1702, 1710, 1713, 1714, 1724, 1725, 1739, 1741, 1745, 1755, 1761, 1766, 1783, 1784 and 1790 are included under the topic Early Kites History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kites Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Kites include Kyte, Kite, Keyt, Keyte, Kight, Kyteson and others.

Early Notables of the Kites family

Distinguished members of the family include Robert "Ben" Kett, an English yeoman farmer in Norfolk who joined rebels as their leader in what was later to be known as Kett's Rebellion on July 8th 1549; he was later tried for treason and hanged from the walls of Norwich Castle on 7 December 1549. He "was a member of an old Norman family...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kites Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kites family to Ireland

Some of the Kites family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 165 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kites family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Kites were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Ann Kite who settled in Virginia in 1660; John Kite settled in Virginia in 1656; Patience Kite settled in Charles Town, South Carolina in 1718; Charles and James Kite settled in Pennsylvania in 1773.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print