Abbate History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Italy

The name Abbate is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It was a name given to a superior of a monastery, an Abbot. The name Abbate may also be a nickname applied to someone who played the part of an abbot in a medieval pageant, or to a person thought to be particularly pious and devout. 1

Early Origins of the Abbate family

The surname Abbate was first found in the counties of Oxfordshire, Huntingdon, Bedfordshire and Cambridge from very ancient times. The family was in this area before the Norman Conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy in 1066 AD.

Alfwoldus Abbas (1111-1117) is one such example of a man who was a holder of the monasterial office of Abbot. It is also assumed that the name may have been a source of several more surnames at a later date. Walter Abbott was recorded in the year 1200, in the City of London. 1

Walter Abat was recorded in The Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219. Peter le Abbot (the Abbot) of Essex is documented in the records of the Hornchurch priory, and is also mention of Ralph Abbod in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1272. 2

The Abbotson and Abotson variants date back to 1200 when Walter Abbottson was recorded in London at that time. 2

Early History of the Abbate family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abbate research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1306, 1379, 1560, 1562, 1565, 1577, 1588, 1603, 1612, 1617, 1623, 1633, 1642, 1648, 1662, 1720 and 1912 are included under the topic Early Abbate History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abbate Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Abbate include Abbott, Abbot, Abbotts, Abbett, Abbet, Abott and others.

Early Notables of the Abbate family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Maurice or Morris Abbot (1565-1642), was an eminent merchant, Governor of the East India Company, and Lord Mayor of London, the fifth and youngest son of Maurice Abbot, a clothworker of Guildford. George Abbot (1562-1633), Archbishop of Canterbury, the fourth Chancellor of Trinity College, Dublin, between 1612 and 1633. He was one of the translators of the Bible. "His father, Maurice Abbot, was a clothworker of the town. Abbot's parents were staunch Protestants; they had first 'embraced the truth of the Gospel in King Edward's days, and were persecuted for it in...
Another 142 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Abbate Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abbate Ranking

In the United States, the name Abbate is the 7,560^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Abbate family to Ireland

Some of the Abbate family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abbate migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Abbate were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Abbate Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Antonio Abbate, who arrived in New York, NY in 1893
Bemigia Abbate, who settled in New York, NY in 1893

Contemporary Notables of the name Abbate (post 1700) +

Jon Abbate (b. 1985), American football fullback
Peter Abbate Jr. (b. 1949), American Representative for District 49 in the New York State Assembly
Peter J. Abbate Jr. (b. 1949), American Democratic Party politician, Member of New York State Assembly 49th District, 1987-; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 2000, 2008 4
Mario Abbate (1927-1981), Italian singer, famous as an exponent of Neapolitan songs
Lirio Abbate (b. 1971), Italian journalist and correspondent in Sicily
Janet Abbate, American author of the book "Inventing the Internet"

The Abbate 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: Deo patria amicis
Motto Translation: A friend to God and my country.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"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, September 30) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html