Eliot History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The current generations of the Eliot family have inherited a surname that was first used hundreds of years ago by descendants of the ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. The Eliot family 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 Eliot family
The surname Eliot 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 Eliot family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eliot 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 Eliot History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Eliot Spelling Variations
Scribes in the Middle Ages did not have access to a set of spelling rules. They spelled according to sound, the result was a great number of spelling variations. In various documents, Eliot has been spelled Elliott, Elliot, Eliot, Eliott, Ellegett, Ellegot, Ellecot, Ellacott, Ellacot, Ellgate, Ellett, Ellit and many more.
Early Notables of the Eliot 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
- John Eliot (c. 1604-1690), English Puritan missionary to the American Indians from Widford, Hertfordshire
- John Eliot (1612-1685), an English politician, Member of Parliament for St Germans (1640)
Eliot Ranking
In France, the name Eliot is the 3,908th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 2
Migration of the Eliot family to Ireland
Some of the Eliot 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.
Eliot migration to the United States +
The cruelties suffered under the new government forced many to leave their ancient homeland for the freedom of the North American colonies. Those who arrived safely found land, freedom, and opportunity for the taking. These hardy settlers gave their strength and perseverance to the young nations that would become the United States and Canada. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the name Eliot:
Eliot Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- John Eliot, (1604-1690), who arrived in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1631 aboard the ship "Lyon", founder of Roxbury Latin School in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1645. 3
- Philip Eliot, who arrived in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1631 aboard the ship "Lyon" 3
- Jacob Eliot, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1632 3
- Lydia Eliot, (Elliott), aged 4, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Hopewell", bound for Roxbury, MA 3
- Miss Elizabeth Eliot, (Elliott), aged 8, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Hopewell", bound for Roxbury, MA 3
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Eliot Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Enoch Eliot, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1727 3
Eliot migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Eliot Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- David Eliot, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Contemporary Notables of the name Eliot (post 1700) +
- Thomas Stearns "T.S." Eliot (1888-1965), American-born, English poet and dramatist, awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature (1948) and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Charles William Eliot (1834-1936), American academic, 21st President of Harvard University (1869-1909)
- Edward Granville Eliot (1798-1877), 3rd Earl of St. Germans, English diplomatist, was the only son of William, second earl of St. Germans
- Edward Eliot (1727-1804), Lord Eliot, Cornish politician, eldest son of Richard Eliot of Port Eliot, Cornwall
- Peregrine Nicholas Eliot (1941-2016), 10th Earl of St Germans, a British peer and founder of the Elephant Fayre and Port Eliot Lit Fest
- Montague Charles Eliot KCVO, OBE (1870-1960), 8th Earl of St Germans, a British peer and courtier
- Nicholas Richard Michael Eliot (1914-1988), 9th Earl of St Germans, a British peer
- Colonel Francis Perceval Eliot (1755-1818), English soldier, auditor and man of letters
- Edward James Eliot (1758-1797), English politician, Member of Parliament for St Germans (1780-1784) and 1790 and for Liskeard (1784-1797), King's Remembrancer (1785-1797)
- Sir Charles Norton Edgecumbe Eliot GCMG, PC (1862-1931), British diplomat, colonial administrator and botanist, Commissioner of British East Africa (1900-1904), British Ambassador to Japan (1919-1925)
- ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
The Eliot 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.
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- 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)