MacKeat History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The origins of the name MacKeat are from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from Kit, a diminutive of the name Christopher. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, Old English personal names declined in popularity to be replaced by the new Christian names that they brought with them. One of these was Christopher.

Early Origins of the MacKeat family

The surname MacKeat was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the MacKeat family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacKeat research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1270, 1359, 1485, 1520, 1540, 1835, 1907 and 1911 are included under the topic Early MacKeat History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacKeat Spelling Variations

Sound 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 MacKeat family name include Kitson, Kidson, Kydson, MacKett, MacCeit and others.

Early Notables of the MacKeat family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacKeat Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacKeat family to Ireland

Some of the MacKeat 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.

Migration of the MacKeat family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, 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 MacKeat surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Marmaduke Kitson, who settled in Virginia in 1639; along Merma; Mary Kitson, who settled in Virginia in 1768; as well as George, James, Nathan and Thomas Kitson, who all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..