|
![Show Contents]() Byat History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Byat surname derives from the Old English words "bi," meaning "beside" and "yerd," meaning "enclosure." Thus the name is thought to have been originally used to describe someone who lived near a closed in yard. 1 The Byatt variant has a slightly different derivation, "dweller by the gate," from the Old English "geat" or Middle English "yat, gate." 1 Early Origins of the Byat familyThe surname Byat was first found in Sussex, where Thomas Byerd, was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, 1296. 1 Byard's Leap is a small hamlet, west of Cranwell in Lincolnshire, which is associated with various legends. The hamlet is associated with the activities of the Knights Templar. Bayard is a magic bay horse in the legends from 12th century Europe derived from the chansons de geste. He is renowned for his strong spirit and is able to adjust his size to his riders. Nicholas Byate was found in Colchester, Essex in 1297 and later in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 1 Early History of the Byat familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Byat research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1557, 1561, 1570, 1574, 1602, 1625, 1638, 1642 and 1643 are included under the topic Early Byat History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Byat Spelling VariationsSound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Byat family name include Byart, Byard, Biard, Byatt and others. Early Notables of the Byat familyNotables of this surname at this time include: Libius Byard, who was a Canon of the 3rd prebend of Worcester (1561-1570).
John Biard was a London bookseller in 1643. This name...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Byat Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Byat familyFor political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Byat surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Adam Byard, who arrived in Baltimore in 1736; Ann Byard, who arrived in Virginia in 1652; Edward Byard, who came to Virginia in 1658; Peter Byard, who settled in Maryland in 1684.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
|
England
Scotland
