Show ContentsPackitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Packitt reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Packitt family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Packitt family lived in Oxfordshire. The name, however, is a reference to Pachet, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Some of the family remained in Normandy as seen by this entry: "William Pachet, Normandy 1180." 1

Early Origins of the Packitt family

The surname Packitt was first found in Oxfordshire and Derbyshire. Mickleover, Derbyshire was an early homestead of the family. "The manor was given, with Findern, Littleover, and Potlac, by William the Conqueror, to Burton Abbey; Henry VIII. granted these manors to Sir William Paget." 2 Presumably the same Sir William was granted estates in Aston-Upon-Trent. "The manor was granted after the Reformation to Sir William Paget." 2

Early History of the Packitt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Packitt research. Another 172 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1506, 1540, 1547, 1551, 1563, 1572, 1575, 1590, 1609, 1612, 1615, 1617, 1629, 1632, 1637, 1639, 1645, 1647, 1664, 1678, 1679, 1689, 1692, 1701 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Packitt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Packitt Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Paget, Pagit, Pagitt, Pagett, Pagget, Paggett and others.

Early Notables of the Packitt family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Eusebius Pagit (Pagett) (1551?-1617), an English nonconformist clergyman; and his son, Ephraim Pagit (Pagitt) (c.1575–1647), an English clergyman and heresiographer, best known for his Heresiography of 1645; William Paget, 1st Baron Paget of Beaudesert (1506-1563), an English statesman and accountant who held positions in the service of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Mary I; Thomas...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Packitt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Packitt family to Ireland

Some of the Packitt family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Packitt family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Packitt name or one of its variants: David Paget settled with his wife Maudlin and children in Maryland in 1711; Antony Pagett settled in Maryland in 1711; Jonathon Pagett settled in Boston in 1767.



The Packitt 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: Per il suo contrario
Motto Translation: By its reverse.


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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