Emmit History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Emmit

What does the name Emmit mean?

The history of the name Emmit begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the given name Emma. The surname Emmit is one of the few names in England that derived their name from a female first name. In this case bearers of the surname were referred to as the son of Emma. 1 This surname also has origins in the place-name Emmett (Emmott), which was in Lancashire.

Early Origins of the Emmit family

The surname Emmit was first found in Lancashire near the village of Laneshawbridge, Colne.

Emmott Hall was a country house located there and possibly dates back to the 14th century. It is thought the family lived there possibly as early as the Norman Conquest. We do know that Christopher Emmott (died 1745), a successful London cloth merchant modernised the existing house in 1737 to give it a Georgian appearance and made several extensions. Upon his death, his nephew changed his name to Emmott in order to inherit the estate. In 1939, the hall was used as military barracks but was later left empty and had to be demolished in 1967.

Frequently seen in early records as a personal name, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Emmote Kneyt, Buckinghamshire; and Emmete de Fur, Cambridgeshire. 1

One source goes back further claiming that the family was Norman in origin from Amiot or North Amiota of Normandy, 1195. The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae also lists Robert and Roger Amiot 1198. 2

Early History of the Emmit family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Emmit research. Another 152 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1379 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Emmit History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Emmit Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Emmit has been recorded under many different variations, including Emmett, Emmet, Emott, Emmitt, Emetts and others.

Early Notables of the Emmit family

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

Migration of the Emmit family to Ireland

Some of the Emmit family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Emmit family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Emmit or a variant listed above: John Emmett who landed in Virginia in 1654. Josias Emmett and his family purchased land in Barbados in 1663; and other Emmetts settled mainly in Pennsylvania over the next two hundred years..

Contemporary Notables of the name Emmit (post 1700) +

Emmit King (1959-2021), American track and field sprinter, who twice was a member of the American Relay Team for the Summer Olympics (1984 and 1988)

Sources +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)