Polito History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Italy
Ireland

When the ancestors of the Polito family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in Pawlett, a small village 4 miles (6 km) north of Bridgwater, in the Sedgemoor district of the English county of Somerset. The Polito family claim descent from Hercules de Tournon but "he appears to be a mythic personage." 1 This reference continues: "it is really descended from the Norman house of D'Aunou. Baldric Teutonicus, living c. 900 was ancestor [of this family]. 1

Early Origins of the Polito family

The surname Polito was first found in Somerset, at Pawlett (Paulet.) It was here that "in the reign of Henry I, Fulco de Alnou had a grant from the Crown of Grandon. He had two sons: 1. Walter de Poeleth, who in 1203 paid a fine in Somerset [and] 2. Robert de Polet, mentioned in Buckinghamshire 1198. " 1

A later descendant was William de Paulet who was Lord of Paulet, Stretchill and Walpole, Somerset in 1316. Another reference claims the first record of the name was Sir William de Paulet who died in 1242. 2 This may have been a descendant of the aforementioned William de Paulet but Shirley contends that this latter William was actually "of Leigh in Devonshire." 2

The parish of Peverell Sampford in Devon had a house with an infamous history. "This place is distinguished as having been the residence of Margaret, Countess of Richmond, mother of Henry VII. The house in which she lived, subsequently belonged to Sir Amias Poulett, who had the custody of Mary, Queen of Scots, at the time of her execution; it was a castellated building, erected in 1337, and taken down in 1775." 3

Early History of the Polito family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Polito research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1483, 1532, 1539, 1550, 1551, 1562, 1572, 1585, 1588, 1600, 1606, 1608, 1610, 1615, 1621, 1625, 1649, 1661, 1665, 1699, 1722 and 1794 are included under the topic Early Polito History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Polito Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Polito has been recorded under many different variations, including Paulet, Paulett, Paullet, Pawlet, Pawlett and others.

Early Notables of the Polito family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir William Paulet (1483-1572), English politician, Lord Treasurer of England, created Baron St John (1539), Earl of Wiltshire (1550), and Marquess of Winchester (1551); Sir Hugh Paulet (died ca. 1572), an English military commander and governor of Jersey; Sir Amias Paulet (1532-1588), an English diplomat, Governor of Jersey, and the gaoler for a period of Mary, Queen of Scots; Anthony Paulet (1562-1600), Governor of the Isle of Jersey from 1588 until his death...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Polito Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Polito Ranking

In the United States, the name Polito is the 9,407^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Polito family to Ireland

Some of the Polito family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 282 words (20 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 Polito family

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Politos were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America: Chidock Paulett settled in Virginia in 1637; Thomas Paulett settled in Virginia in 1623; Francis Paullet settled in New Orleans, La. in 1823; Thomas Pawlett settled in Virginia in 1624.

Contemporary Notables of the name Polito (post 1700) +

Robert Polito (b. 1951), American academic, critic and poet
Eugene "Gene" Emmanuel Polito (1918-2010), American Primetime Emmy Award nominated cinematographer, mechanical engineer and academic, son of Sol Polito
Jon Polito (b. 1950), American actor and voice artist
William P. Polito, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 28th District, 1992 5
Karyn E. Polito (b. 1967), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 2004, 2008 5
Vincenzo "Enzo" Polito (b. 1926), Italian bronze medalist water polo player at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Lina Polito (b. 1954), Italian actress
Ciro Polito (b. 1979), Italian footballer
Salvatore "Sol" Polito A.S.C. (1892-1960), Sicilian Academy Award nominated cinematographer who has worked on over 160 films

The Polito 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: Aymez loyaulté
Motto Translation: Love Loyalty.

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)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, 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 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html