Show ContentsKittle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Kittle is an ancient Viking-Scottish name derived from the old Norse personal name of Ketill or from the old Danish personal name of Ketil. 1 2

"The personal name Chetell occurred in the Domesday Book of 1086." 3 4

Early Origins of the Kittle family

The surname Kittle was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland.

"'Kettles were weavers at Muthill, Perthshire, and gun-makers at Doune in the same county' in the eighteenth century. The name of the gun-makers is spelled Kettell and Caddell, and they were probably relations of the Kettells, weavers in Muthill. Ketell de Perth was burgess there in the reign of Alexander II. James filius Ketel witnessed a composition between the Priory of May and Duncan de Inchesireth (now Inchyra), c. 1250." 1

Further to the south in England, one of the first records of the family was William Ketel (fl. 1100), a medieval English writer and clergyman. Little is known of him other than he wrote a work containing miraculous stories about Saint John of Beverley. He is presumed to have been clerk of Beverley Minster at that time.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included entries for the family as both a forename and surname: Emma filius Ketel, Cambridgeshire; Kettle le Mercer, Cambridgeshire; and Reyner Ketel, Norfolk. 5

The Feet of Fines for Essex listed Adam Keterch(e) in 1317 and the same rolls included Roger Keterch(e) at Colchester in 1379. 2

Early History of the Kittle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kittle research. Another 152 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1513, 1524, 1576, 1583, 1612, 1676, 1689 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Kittle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kittle Spelling Variations

Scottish names from the Middle Ages vary enormously in their spellings. This is a result of the fact that there were no universal standards like dictionaries for scribes to judge by. The recorded spelling variations of the name Kittle include Kettle, Ketley, Kettles, Ketill and others.

Early Notables of the Kittle family

More information is included under the topic Early Kittle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kittle Ranking

In the United States, the name Kittle is the 7,965th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Ireland Migration of the Kittle family to Ireland

Some of the Kittle 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.


United States Kittle migration to the United States +

Settlers found farms all along the eastern part of what would become the United States and Canada. They provided a base and a backbone that would strengthen two great nations in the making. In the 20th century, the ancestors of those brave Scots have rediscovered their heritage through highland games and Scottish historical societies. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Scottish name Kittle or a variant listed above, including:

Kittle Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Peter Kittle, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1755 7
Kittle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • George Kittle, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1854 7
  • Mary Kittle, aged 36, who landed in America, in 1893
  • Sam'l. P. Kittle, aged 50, who immigrated to the United States, in 1893
  • John C. Kittle, aged 13, who immigrated to America, in 1896
  • J. O. Kittle, aged 19, who settled in America from London, in 1896
Kittle Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • John Kittle, aged 44, who landed in America from Liverpool, in 1904
  • Arthur Kittle, aged 29, who landed in America from Clacton, England, in 1909
  • Arthur J. Kittle, aged 33, who settled in America from Clacton-on-Sea, in 1914
  • Cecil Kittle, aged 29, who landed in America from Cowes, Isle-of-Wight, England, in 1914
  • James Kittle, aged 41, who immigrated to the United States from Plymouth, in 1918
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Kittle migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kittle Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Kittle Jeremiah Sr., U.E. who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1784 8

Australia Kittle migration to Australia +

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

Kittle Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Robert Kittle, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1846 9
  • Sarah Kittle, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1846 9
  • George Kittle, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Lady Macdonald" 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Kittle (post 1700) +

  • Katrina Kittle, American novelist from Dayton, Ohio
  • George Krieger Kittle (b. 1993), American football tight end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League
  • Hubert Milton "Hub" Kittle (1917-2004), American baseball pitcher, manager and front office executive in the minor leagues
  • Les Kittle (1894-1965), former Australian rules footballer
  • Ronald Dale "Ron" Kittle (b. 1958), former Major League Baseball left fielder and designated hitter


The Kittle 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: Bono vince malum
Motto Translation: Overcome evil with good.


Suggested Readings for the name Kittle +

  • Some Descendants of Four Pioneer Families by Eleanor R. Lewis.

  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. 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)
  8. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  9. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HOOGHLY 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Hooghly.htm
  10. South Australian Register Monday 9th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Lady Macdonald 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/ladymacdonald1855.shtml


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