Pitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


The distinguished surname Pitt emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Flemish surnames of this type frequently are prefixed by de la or de le, which mean of the or from the. The Pitt family originally lived in the settlement of Pett in Kent, in the place named Pitt in Hampshire, or in any low-lying area resembling a pit or hollows. 1

The surname Pitt is derived from the Old English words pytt, which means pit. Pitt belongs to both the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads, or other places, and the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

However, one source notes that the family could have been Norman in origin as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae noted "Richard and Turstin Peet are mentioned 1198. "From the [coat of ] arms the well-known family of Pitt is the same as that of Pet or Pette of Kent and Sussex. " 2

Early Origins of the Pitt family

The surname Pitt was first found in Dorset at Blandford (Blandford Forum), a parish, in the union of Blandford, hundred of Coombs-Ditch. "The church [of Blandford], with the exception of the tower, was rebuilt in 1711, by Governor Pitt, ancestor of the Earl of Chatham and of Lord Camelford; it is in the Grecian style, and contains the remains of many of the Pitt family." 3 Thomas Pitt (1653-1726), the famed English merchant and progenitor of the American family of note was born here.

Early History of the Pitt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pitt research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1557, 1559, 1560, 1606, 1614, 1616, 1624, 1625, 1627, 1634, 1636, 1639, 1643, 1653, 1654, 1655, 1658, 1660, 1672, 1679, 1680, 1686, 1694, 1697, 1713, 1726 and 1804 are included under the topic Early Pitt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pitt Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Pitt, Pit and others.

Early Notables of the Pitt family

Prominent in the family at this time was

Pitt World Ranking

In the United States, the name Pitt is the 2,755th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 4 However, in Australia, the name Pitt is ranked the 601st most popular surname with an estimated 6,510 people with that name. 5 And in the United Kingdom, the name Pitt is the 833rd popular surname with an estimated 8,105 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Pitt family to Ireland

Some of the Pitt 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.


Pitt migration to the United States +

Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Pitt were

Pitt Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Pitt Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Pitt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Pitt migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pitt Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Pitt Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Pitt migration to Australia +

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

Pitt Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Pitt 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:

Pitt Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Pitt 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. 16
Pitt Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Pitt (post 1700) +


The Pitt 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 ardua liberi
Motto Translation: Free thro' difficulties.
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