Show ContentsTee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Tee family

The surname Tee was first found in Nottingham where they were known as the Barons Tyes and even before the Conquest were a family great significance in that shire and in the county of Rutland.

However, one of the first records of the name was found much further to the south at Mousehole in Cornwall. "This place, which is also called Port Enys, is situated on the western shore of Mount's bay in the English Channel; and though at present only a large fishing-village, was formerly of considerable importance. In 1293, Henry de Tyes obtained for it the grant of a market on Tuesday, to which was afterwards added a fair on the festival of St. Barnabas." [1]

In the reign of Edward I. the manor of Alwarton in the parish of Madern, Cornwall belonged to the baronial family of Tyes, from whom it passed by female heirs successively to the Lisles and Berkeleys. [2]

Over in the town of Penzance, "a fort was built by one of the family of Tyes, in whose manor of Alwarton the town now stands. It was one of this family who obtained a market for Mousehole in the reign of Edward I. Yet the existence of this fort is only known from the name of its site, and from the aspect of the site itself. So early as 1292 a market was procured for it by Henry de Tyes; this was then held on Tuesdays, and to this was added a fair for three days, held on the festival of St. Barnabas." [2]

Early History of the Tee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tee research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1299, 1313, 1321, 1324, 1342, 1350, 1505, 1572, 1620 and 1655 are included under the topic Early Tee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tee Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tye, Tee, Tyes, Tigh and others.

Early Notables of the Tee family

Notables of the family at this time include Christopher Tye (c.1505-c.1572), an English composer and organist; and Robert Tighe (died 1620), an English cleric and linguist, Archdeacon of...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tee Ranking

In the United States, the name Tee is the 18,418th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3]

Ireland Migration of the Tee family to Ireland

Some of the Tee family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Tee migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Tee Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Abigail Tee, who arrived in Virginia in 1665 [4]
Tee Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Tee, who arrived in America in 1811 [4]
Tee Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Ben Tee, who landed in Mississippi in 1901 [4]

Canada Tee migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Tee Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Australia Tee migration to Australia +

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

Tee Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Michael Tee, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Buckinghamshire" in 1839 [6]
  • George Tee, aged 30, a shepherd, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Gloucester" [7]

Contemporary Notables of the name Tee (post 1700) +

  • O. C. Tee, American Republican politician, Delegate to Missouri State Constitutional Convention 8th District, 1943-44
  • Willie Tee (1944-2007), American keyboardist, songwriter, singer, and producer
  • Brian Tee (b. 1977), American actor
  • Larry Tee (b. 1959), American DJ, club promoter, and music producer
  • Richard Tee (1943-1993), American pianist, studio musician, singer, and arranger
  • Elsa Tee (1917-2006), British actress
  • Wyatt Tee Walker (1929-2018), American pastor, national civil rights leader, theologian, and cultural historian, Chief of Staff for Martin Luther King, Jr
  • Tee Jay Mixson, American actor, best known for his role in The Trace (2012)

HMS Royal Oak
  • James George Tee (1912-1939), British Petty Officer with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking [8]


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Buckinghamshire.htm
  7. South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) GLOUCESTER 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/anglia1852.shtmL
  8. 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


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