Kittrell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Austria
England

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Kittrell is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in or near the settlement of Catteral, which is located between Preston and Garstang in the county of Lancashire. The Domesday Book of 1086 lists this place as Catrehala. 1

Some experts also suggest that the surname Kittrell may be derived from a pet form of the name Caterin; this is a form of the personal name Catharine which became popular following its importation in the 12th century.

Early Origins of the Kittrell family

The surname Kittrell was first found in Lancashire at Catteral, a township, in the parish and union of Garstang, hundred of Amounderness. "The family of Catteral were in possession of this place for a considerable period; from them it passed by marriage to the Sherburnes, and subsequently came to the Banisters, Winckleys, and others." 2

Early rolls for the family include: Robert de Caterell in the Curia Regis Rolls for Hampshire in 1222; John de Caterhale in the Subsidy Rolls for Lancashire in 1332; Lawrence Cattrall in Yorkshire in 1462; Richard Caterall, a Freeman of York in 1500 and William Katerel in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1203. 3

The Lay Subsidy Rolls include an entry for Lorade Caterhale, Lancashire, 1332. 4

"The Catteralls, who are now represented in Preston, derive their name from a Lancashire township. Henry Catterall was guild - mayor of Preston in 1602. In the list of Lancashire Roman Catholics registered after the rebellion of 1715 occurs the name of Catterall, a small estate - holder." 5

Early History of the Kittrell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kittrell research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1562 and 1593 are included under the topic Early Kittrell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kittrell Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Kittrell has been spelled many different ways, including Catterall, Caterell, Catterale, Catterell, Caterale, Cathrell, Catheral, Catherey, Kitrell and many more.

Early Notables of the Kittrell family

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

Kittrell Ranking

In the United States, the name Kittrell is the 6,120^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Kittrell family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Kittrells to arrive in North America: John Catheral who settled in Virginia in 1774; Chris Catherey settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1878. Edward Cathrell who settled in Virginia in 1656 with his wife Mary. Alice Catterall settled in Virginia in 1698.

Contemporary Notables of the name Kittrell (post 1700) +

Kaye Kittrell (b. 1963), American actress and director, known for roles on General Hospital (1963), Betty's Treats (2004) and Seems Like Yesterday (2008)
Flemmie Pansy Kittrell (1904-1980), first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in nutrition
Steve Kittrell (b. 1948), American college baseball head coach
Christine Kittrell (1929-2001), American R&B singer
Richard Kittrell, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Colorado, 1972 7
R. G. Kittrell Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina, 1952 7
R. G. Kittrell, American Democratic Party politician, Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives from Vance County, 1915-16 7
George Kittrell, who with his wife Elizabeth Boswell Kittrell donated land for a Railroad station, which would become the town of Kittrell, North Carolina in 1885
Robert Kittrell Hanger, American lawyer who served in the AEF during World War I

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, 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)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html