First found in Sussex, where they had been granted lands by King William after the Conquest.

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Bartlett or a variant listed above: Thomas Bartlett who settled in Watertown, Massachusetts from Sussex, England in 1634; John Bartlett settled in Newbury, Massachusetts from Kent, England in 1635.

For more information on the last name Bartlett, the PDF Surname History is available for purchase as well as other products.