Ellitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The ancestors of the Ellitt family were part of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. They lived in Liddesdale and Teviotdale where the family has a long and distinguished history dating back to the early Middle Ages. The name is actually derived from the Old English personal name Elwald or Aelfwald, but this name is now all but extinct as a personal name.

"A William Aliot came into England with the Conqueror, and the name seems to be connected with Alis and Ellis." 1

Early Origins of the Ellitt family

The surname Ellitt was first found in Liddesdale, and Teviotdale. Although originally from Elliott, a village near Forfar, this Clan was persuaded by the Douglases to move south to help defend the border in 1396. There they became one of the most influential clans. Some of the notable personalities were "Archie Fire the Braes," "Hob of the Park," "Little Jock of the Park," "Jock Half Lugs," "Jock A'God's Name," "Gibbe Wi' the Gowden Gartens."

Early History of the Ellitt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ellitt research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1450, 1490, 1499, 1522, 1546, 1565, 1592, 1604, 1612, 1632, 1636, 1640, 1665, 1668, 1670, 1685, 1690, 1700, 1714, 1726, 1784, 1789, 1797, 1890 and 1898 are included under the topic Early Ellitt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ellitt Spelling Variations

In medieval Scotland, names were more often spelled according to sound than any regular set of rules. An enormous number of spelling variations were the result. Over the years, the name Ellitt has been spelled Elliott, Elliot, Eliot, Eliott, Ellegett, Ellegot, Ellecot, Ellacott, Ellacot, Ellgate, Ellett, Ellit and many more.

Early Notables of the Ellitt family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Sir John Eliot (1592-1632), an English statesman who was serially imprisoned in the Tower of London by King Charles I for advocating the rights and privileges of Parliament; George Elliott (ca. 1636-1668), English surgeon to the Earl of Teviot's Regiment; John Eliot (c. 1604-1690), English Puritan missionary to the American Indians from Widford, Hertfordshire; John Eliot...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ellitt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ellitt family to Ireland

Some of the Ellitt family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ellitt migration to the United States +

In such difficult times, Ireland, Australia, and North America looked like better homes for many Scots. The trips were expensive and grueling, but also rewarding, as the colonies were havens for those unwelcome in the old country. That legacy did not die easily, though, and many were forced to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. The Scottish legacy has resurface in more recent times, though, through Clan societies, highland games, and other organizations. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the old Scottish name of Ellitt:

Ellitt Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Ellitt, who arrived in Maryland in 1676 2
James Ellitt, aged 22, who landed in Virginia in 1683 2

Ellitt 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. 3

Ellitt Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Walter Ellitt, aged 20 who arrived in St. Kitts (St Christopher) aboard the ship "Amity" in 1635 2

The Ellitt 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: Fortiter et recte
Motto Translation: Rightly and Boldly

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies