Show ContentsWyatt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Wyatt is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Wyatt family when they emigrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Wyatt comes from Guyat, a pet form of the Old French given name Guy. [1]

Early Origins of the Wyatt family

The surname Wyatt was first found in Sussex though the name "has gone through the various forms of Wyat, Wiat, Wyot, and Guyot, or Guiot. The last-named three are used indifferently in the time of King John, and clearly prove the derivation of the name as a diminutive, from the Norman-French personal name Gui or Guido, which we have also received in the form of Guy. The name Guyatt is still found in West Sussex." [2]

Another noted source provides early entries for the name as a forename: Wiot de Acham in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1192; Wioth de Cratella in Northumberland (no date given); Gwiot in the Curia Regis Rolls for Gloucestershire in 1203; and Wyot in the Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1219. [3] Rolling back to earlier spellings as a surname, Reaney notes Thomas Guyot in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1295 and Henry Guyot in the Subsidy Rolls for Somerset in 1327.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 proved the widespread use of the name both as a forename and surname: Ayote uxor Wyot, Shropshire; Henry Wyot, Cambridgeshire; Wyott le Carpentier, Buckinghamshire; and Wyot de Dudelebury in Shropshire. [4]

There are scat records of the name in Scotland as Black notes "Maucolum Wyet of county Anegos rendered homage, 1296. Nothing more is known of him. James Vyot, Wyot, or Wyat, [was] burgess of Arnbroath, in record 1461-1468." [5]

Early History of the Wyatt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wyatt research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1460, 1503, 1506, 1509, 1513, 1521, 1536, 1537, 1542, 1543, 1550, 1554, 1588, 1616, 1623, 1624, 1644, 1663, 1685, 1731, 1746 and 1813 are included under the topic Early Wyatt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wyatt Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Wyatt were recorded, including Wyatt, Wyat and others.

Early Notables of the Wyatt family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Sir Henry Wyatt (1460-1537), an English courtier from Yorkshire; and his son, Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542), an early English language poet and statesman, knighted by Henry VIII in 1536; Sir Thomas Wya...

Wyatt World Ranking

In the United States, the name Wyatt is the 565th most popular surname with an estimated 52,227 people with that name. [6] However, in Australia, the name Wyatt is ranked the 669th most popular surname with an estimated 5,863 people with that name. [7] And in New Zealand, the name Wyatt is the 563rd popular surname with an estimated 1,256 people with that name. [8] The United Kingdom ranks Wyatt as 531st with 12,392 people. [9]


United States Wyatt migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Wyatt arrived in North America very early:

Wyatt Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Sir Francis Wyatt, (1588–1644), English nobleman, knight, politician, and government official. He was the first English royal governor of Virginia. He sailed for America on board the "George".
  • Lady Margaret Wyatt, who landed in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship "George" with husband Sir Francis Wyatt [10]
  • John Wyatt, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1631
  • Thomas Wyatt, who settled in Virginia in 1642
  • George Wyatt, who arrived in Virginia in 1662
Wyatt Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Miss Elizabeth Wyatt, aged 28, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863

Australia Wyatt migration to Australia +

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

Wyatt Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • James Wyatt, English convict from Berkshire, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia [11]
  • Mr. John Wyatt, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 [12]
  • Mr. James Wyatt, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 20th July 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [13]
  • George Wyatt, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "John Renwick" in 1837 [14]
  • Sarah Wyatt, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "John Renwick" in 1837 [14]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Wyatt migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Wyatt Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Benjamin Wyatt, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "New Era" in 1855
  • Mr. William Wyatt, (b. 1832), aged 23, British joiner travelling from London aboard the ship "Grasmere" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th May 1855 [15]
  • Mr. Michael Wyatt, (b. 1840), aged 15, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Grasmere" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th May 1855 [15]
  • Mr. James Wyatt, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Martaban" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th October 1856 [15]
  • Col. Wyatt, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sandford" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 9th July 1856 [16]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Wyatt 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. [17]
Wyatt Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Christopher Wyatt, who settled in Barbados with his servants in 1680

Contemporary Notables of the name Wyatt (post 1700) +

  • Bray Wyatt (1987-2023), ring name of Windham Lawrence Rotunda, an American professional wrestler, best known for his tenure in WWE
  • Christopher Aaron "Chris" Wyatt (b. 1975), American film producer, writer, and second unit director
  • Christopher J. Wyatt, American executive vice president and president of Blockbuster Inc
  • Jane Waddington Wyatt (1910-2006), American three-time Emmy Award winning actress in films and television, best remembered for her role in Frank Capra's "Lost Horizon" (1937) and as the housewife and mother on Father Knows Best
  • Victoria Wyatt (b. 1956), American ethnographer and art historian
  • John Francis Minford "Jack" Wyatt (1917-2008), American advertising executive and television host
  • David K. Wyatt (1937-2006), American historian
  • Brad Wyatt, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 2008 [18]
  • Bill Wyatt, American Republican politician, Candidate for Republican nomination for President, 2004 [18]
  • Barton Wyatt, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from West Virginia 5th District, 1934 [18]
  • ... (Another 57 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Halifax Explosion
  • Master Arch  Wyatt, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) [19]
HMAS Sydney II
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Jeffrey A F Wyatt (b. 1920), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Wimborne, Dorset, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking [21]
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Harold Walter William Wyatt, British Musician, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking [22]


The Wyatt 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: Duriora virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue tries harder things.


Suggested Readings for the name Wyatt +

  • The Wiatt Family of Virginia by Alexander Lloyd Wiatt.
  • A Research Report About Our Wyatt-Mitchell & Allied Families by E. Myrtle Mitchell.

  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  8. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  9. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  10. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  11. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th February 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1837
  14. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) JOHN RENWICK 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837JohnRenwick.htm
  15. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  16. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  18. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  19. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  20. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  21. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  22. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html


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