Babbit History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Babbit

What does the name Babbit mean?

The Babbit name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in Suffolk. The surname Babbit refers to a person who came from Babe, which may refer to an area known as the Hundred of Babegh in the county of Suffolk. The place-name literally means Babba's enclosure. Babba is a personal name meaning protector. 1 2

Le Babbe is a nickname from babe, a Middle English word used c. 1230 meaning 'infant, young child'. 3

Early Origins of the Babbit family

The surname Babbit was first found in Suffolk where Alwinus Babbe was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1198. A few years later, Richard Babbe was found in the Pipe Rolls for Devon in 1203. Ralph le Babb(e) was found in Wiltshire in 1199 and Walter le Babbe in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327. 3

Early History of the Babbit family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Babbit research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Babbit History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Babbit Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Babbit has undergone many spelling variations, including Babe, Babb, Babbs, Babbe and others.

Early Notables of the Babbit family

More information is included under the topic Early Babbit Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Babbit family to Ireland

Some of the Babbit family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Babbit migration to Canada +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Babbit were among those contributors:

Babbit Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Daniel Babbit U.E. who settled in Gagetown, Queens County, New Brunswick c. 1783 4

Sources +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X