Packett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Packett reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Packett family lived in Oxfordshire. The name, however, is a reference to Pachet, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Some of the family remained in Normandy as seen by this entry: "William Pachet, Normandy 1180." 1

Early Origins of the Packett family

The surname Packett was first found in Oxfordshire and Derbyshire. Mickleover, Derbyshire was an early homestead of the family. "The manor was given, with Findern, Littleover, and Potlac, by William the Conqueror, to Burton Abbey; Henry VIII. granted these manors to Sir William Paget." 2 Presumably the same Sir William was granted estates in Aston-Upon-Trent. "The manor was granted after the Reformation to Sir William Paget." 2

Early History of the Packett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Packett research. Another 172 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1506, 1540, 1547, 1551, 1563, 1572, 1575, 1590, 1609, 1612, 1615, 1617, 1629, 1632, 1637, 1639, 1645, 1647, 1664, 1678, 1679, 1689, 1692, 1701 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Packett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Packett Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Packett family name include Paget, Pagit, Pagitt, Pagett, Pagget, Paggett and others.

Early Notables of the Packett family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Eusebius Pagit (Pagett) (1551?-1617), an English nonconformist clergyman; and his son, Ephraim Pagit (Pagitt) (c.1575–1647), an English clergyman and heresiographer, best known for his Heresiography of 1645; William Paget, 1st Baron Paget of Beaudesert (1506-1563), an English statesman and accountant who held positions in the service of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I; Thomas...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Packett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Packett family to Ireland

Some of the Packett family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Packett migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Packett family to immigrate North America:

Packett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Packett, who arrived in Virginia in 1634 3
Jone Packett, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 3
Phill Packett, who landed in Virginia in 1664 3

Packett migration to Australia +

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

Packett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mary Packett, English convict from London, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on December 14, 1835, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Packett (post 1700) +

Major General Virgil L. Packett II (b. 1948), born in Lincoln, NE, extensive military career spanning 35 years, including Commanding General of U.S. Aviation Center of Excellence; N.A.T.O. Commander Stabilisation Force; “Flying Tigers” 229th Attack Helicopter Regiment; as well as serving on the board for Army War College, and Board President, National Children's Advocacy Center
Kila Packett (b. 1977), American actor born in Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, known for his roles in Hawaii Five-0 (2011-2017), Grey's Anatomy (2016-2017), NCIS: Hawai'i (2021), This is Us (2021), S.W.A.T. (2020), Shooter (2018), 9-1-1 (2022).
Elizabeth Packett (b. 1985), American writer, known for her work on Neighbours, Out of the Blue (2008) and Home and Away (1988)
Howard C. Packett, American politician, Mayor of Salem, Virginia (2006-2008), co-founder of Neathawk Dubuque & Packett, an American advertising, marketing and public relations agency

The Packett 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: Per il suo contrario
Motto Translation: By its reverse.

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, 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)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1835 with 132 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1835