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Show ContentsAbbott History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The surname Abbott, comes from the Old English word "abbod," which in turn comes from a Latin and a Greek root, and means "priest." The celibacy of the clergy makes it unlikely that this name is actually an occupational name for a priest, but rather was likely a name first used by someone who employed by the church, or someone thought to resemble an abbot in some way.

Early Origins of the Abbott family

The surname Abbott was first found in the counties of Oxfordshire, Huntingdon, Bedfordshire and Cambridge from very ancient times, before the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Abbott family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abbott research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1306, 1577, 1611 and 1912 are included under the topic Early Abbott History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Abbott Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Abbott, Abbot, Abbotts, Abbett, Abbet, Abott and others.

Early Notables of the Abbott family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • Sir John Abbott, Dean of Fife

Abbott World Ranking

In the United States, the name Abbott is the 463rd most popular surname with an estimated 62,175 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Abbott is ranked the 652nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,929 people with that name. 2 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Abbott is the 24th popular surname with an estimated 732 people with that name. 3 Australia ranks Abbott as 375th with 9,823 people. 4 New Zealand ranks Abbott as 493rd with 1,382 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Abbott as 330th with 18,550 people. 6

Ireland Migration of the Abbott family to Ireland

Some of the Abbott 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.

United States Abbott migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Abbott Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • George Abbott, who emigrated with his three sons and settled in Rowley Massachusetts in 1630
  • Daniel Abbott, from Cambridge sailed into Salem, and settled in Providence, Rhode Island in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" 7
  • Arthur Abbott, who settled in Marblehead but moved to Ipswich Massachusetts and joined Winthrop in 1634
  • Christopher Abbott, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 7
  • Richard Abbott, aged 25, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Globe" 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Abbott Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Robert Abbott, who landed in New York in 1797 7
Abbott Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Edmund Abbott, aged 16, who landed in Georgia in 1812 7
  • A Abbott, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1855 7
  • William C Abbott, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1879 7
  • Mr. Alfred Abbott, (b. 1871), aged 22, Cornish labourer traveling aboard the ship "Britannic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 27th February 1893 en route to Montanta, UA 9
Abbott Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Andrew Abbott, (b. 1866), aged 35, Cornish labourer, from Callington, Cornwall traveling aboard the ship "Majestic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 29th November 1901 en route to Telluride, Colorado, USA 9
  • Mrs. Elizabeth S. S. Abbott, (b. 1864), aged 40, Cornish housekeeper traveling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 27th March 1904 en route to East Bangor, Pennsylvania, USA 9
  • Mr. Albert Abbott, (b. 1879), aged 26, Cornish stone mason, from Gunnislake, Cornwall traveling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 2nd Arpil 1905 en route to Barre, Vermont, USA 9

Canada Abbott migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Abbott Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Abbott Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Miss. Margaret Abbott, aged 18 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Jessie" departing 18th April 1847 from Limerick, Ireland; the ship arrived on 26th June 1847 but she died on board 11

Australia Abbott migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Abbott Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Mr. James Abbott, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
  • Mr. William Abbott, English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Abbott Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • James Abbott, English convict from Kent, who was transported aboard the "Agamemnon" on April 22, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 13
  • Henry Abbott, English convict from Leicester, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia 14
  • George Abbott, English convict from Somerset, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on July 3, 1822, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 15
  • Benjamin Abbott, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on April 1st, 1822, settling in New South Wales, Australia 16
  • William Abbott, a brewer, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Abbott migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Abbott Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Abbott, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • Frederick Sedwick Abbott, who landed in Ahuriri, New Zealand in 1840
  • J Abbott, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841
  • Edward M. E. Abbott, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • Edward Abbott, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship "London"
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Abbott migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 17
Abbott Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Richard Abbott, (b. 1615), aged 20, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Peter Bonaventure" arriving in Barbados and St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 18

Contemporary Notables of the name Abbott (post 1700) +

  • Margaret Ives Abbott (1878-1955), American Olympian who won gold for individual golf during the 1900 games, the first American woman to win an Olympic event
  • Rudy Abbott (1940-2022), American college baseball coach who served as head coach of the Jacksonville State Gamecocks baseball team from 1970 to 2001, TAAC Coach of the Year in 1997
  • Norman Abbott (1922-2016), American television director, nephew of comedian Bud Abbott
  • Shirley "S.L." Abbott (1924-2013), American businessman, rancher, politician, and United States Ambassador to Lesotho
  • William Alexander "Bud" Abbott (1895-1974), American comedic actor, best known for his work with Lou Costello 19
  • George Francis Abbott (1887-1995), American playwright, producer and director, who received the Pulitzer Prize for "Fiorello" 20
  • Joseph Carter Abbott (1825-1881), Union general during the American Civil War and a Republican United States Senator from the state of North Carolina between 1868 and 1871 21
  • Jacob Abbott (1803-1879), American writer of children's books
  • Alfred N. Abbott, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1928 22
  • Alfred J. Abbott (b. 1844), American Republican politician, Member of Dakota Territorial House of Representatives, 1868-69; Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 4th District, 1889-90 22
  • ... (Another 149 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Empress of Ireland
  • Mr. Frank Ernest Abbott (1872-1914), Canadian First Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who survived the sinking on the Empress of Ireland 23
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Kenneth Abbott (b. 1913), English Ordinary Coder serving for the Royal Navy from Leeds, Yorkshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 24
  • Mr. Frederick Abbott (b. 1922), Welsh Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Canton, Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 24
HMS Royal Oak
  • Stanley Eric Abbott (1918-1939), born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England, British Engine Room Artificer 5th Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 25
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Ernest Owen Abbott (1891-1912), aged 21, English First Class Lounge Pantry Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 26
  • Mrs. Rhoda Mary Abbott, (née Hunt), aged 39, American Third Class passenger from East Providence, Rhode Island who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking in collapsible A 26
  • Mr. Rossmore Edward Abbott (d. 1912), aged 16, American Third Class passenger from East Providence, Rhode Island who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 26
  • Mr. Eugene Joseph Abbott (d. 1912), aged 14, American Third Class passenger from East Providence, Rhode Island who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 26
SS Caribou
  • Mr. Fred J. Abbott (b. 1923), Newfoundland passenger who was Royal Navy from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, he survived the sinking
SS Newfoundland
  • Mr. Arthur Abbott (b. 1899), Newfoundlander from Bonavista, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he survived
  • Mr. Philip Abbott (b. 1873), Newfoundlander from Doting Cove, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he survived
  • Mr. David Abbott (1896-1914), Newfoundlander from Doting Cove, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he died during this time
Victoria steamboat disaster
  • Hodson Abbott, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881

The Abbott 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.

Suggested Readings for the name Abbott +

  • The Abbotts of West Virginia by David A. Turner.
  • An Abbott Family: A brief Account of the Antecedents and Descendants of Norman and Martha (Tidwell) Abbott by Ruth Marcum Lind.
  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  7. 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)
  8. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  9. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  10. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  11. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 64)
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
  13. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Agamemnon voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1820 with 179 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/agamemnon/1820
  14. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
  15. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 155 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1822
  16. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1822
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  18. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's. Retrieved 23rd September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  19. William Abbott. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) William Abbott. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Abbott
  20. George Abbott. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) George Abbott. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Abbott
  21. Joseph Abbott. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Joseph Abbott. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Carter_Abbott
  22. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  23. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  24. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  25. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
  26. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
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