| ![Show Contents]() Abbitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The saga of the name Abbitt follows a line reaching back through history to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for someone who worked as a superior of a monastery, an Abbot. The name Abbitt 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 Abbitt familyThe surname Abbitt 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 Abbitt familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abbitt 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 Abbitt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Abbitt Spelling VariationsBefore the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Abbitt were recorded, including Abbott, Abbot, Abbotts, Abbett, Abbet, Abott and others. Early Notables of the Abbitt familyNotables 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 Abbitt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Abbitt family to Ireland
Some of the Abbitt 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.
| Abbitt migration to the United States | + |
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Abbitt family emigrate to North America:
Abbitt Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Elizabeth Abbitt, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 3
- Robert Abbitt, who landed in Watertown, Massachusetts in 1634 3
| Contemporary Notables of the name Abbitt (post 1700) | + |
- Watkins Moorman Abbitt Jr. (b. 1944), American politician, Member of Virginia State House of Delegates 59th District, 1986- 4
- Watkins Moorman Abbitt (1908-1998), American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for Virginia, 1944; Delegate to Virginia state Constitutional Convention, 1945; U.S. Representative from Virginia 4th District, 1948-73; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1964, 1972 4
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.
- 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)
- 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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, September 30) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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Abbitt migration to the United States 
England
Ireland
