Pitta History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Pitta is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from Paeda the first Christian King of Mercia. The surname Pitta referred to the son of Paeda which belongs to the category of patronymic surnames. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early Origins of the Pitta family

The surname Pitta was first found in Somerset where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Pitta family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pitta research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pitta History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pitta Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Pitta include Pidcock, Piddock, Pidocock, Pitcock, Pittock and others.

Early Notables of the Pitta family

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

Pitta migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Pitta Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Marceline Pitta, aged 22, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1836 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Pitta (post 1700) +

Dennis Gregory Pitta II (b. 1985), American NFL football tight end for the Baltimore Ravens
Eduardo Pitta (1949-2023), Portuguese poet, fiction writer and essayist
Miguel Athie Pitta (b. 1986), Caymanian football goalkeeper who represented the Cayman Islands during World Cup qualifying matches in 2011

The Pitta 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: Seigneur, je te prie, garde ma vie
Motto Translation: Lord, I beseech thee, save my life.

Citations +

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)