Show ContentsTaite History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Taite surname is generally thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "teitr," meaning "cheerful." According to the Venerable Bede, Tate was used as a nickname for Ethelberga daughter of Ethelbert, king of Kent. 1 Some sources suggest that its origins are quite distinct from the Old English roots of Tate.

Early Origins of the Taite family

The surname Taite was first found in Berwickshire an ancient county of Scotland, presently part of the Scottish Borders Council Area, located in the eastern part of the Borders Region of Scotland, where they held a family seat from early times. One of the first records of the name was Thomas dictus Tayt in 1329 who was listed as having a debt to the king at that time. There are several recorded instances of payments to a John Tayt, clerk of the hospital of Montrose, between 1362-70. Alexander Tayt was burgess of Edinburgh in 1381. Adam Tayte had a safe conduct to travel in England in 1424. 1

Early History of the Taite family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Taite research. Another 164 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1381, 1424, 1432, 1490, 1492, 1531, 1567, 1575, 1597, 1605, 1626, 1652, 1666, 1692, 1715 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Taite History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Taite Spelling Variations

Scribes in the Middle Ages, and simply spelled according to sound. The result is an enormous number of spelling variations among names that evolved in that era. Taite has been spelled Tait, Tate, Tayte, Taite and others.

Early Notables of the Taite family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Princess Tait of Kent; Faithful Teate (c.1626-1666) Irish Protestant clergyman and poet from County Cavan, Ireland, sometimes known as Faithful Tate or Faithfull Teate; and...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Taite Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Taite family to Ireland

Some of the Taite family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Taite migration to the United States +

Most of the Boernician-Scottish families who came to North America settled on the eastern seaboard of what would become the United States and Canada. Families who wanted a new order stayed south in the War of Independence, while those who were still loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, the ancestors of these families have gone on to rediscover their heritage through Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Taite or a variant listed above:

Taite Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Taite, who settled in New York in 1820


  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)


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