Emott History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Anglo-Saxon name Emott comes from the given name Emma. The surname Emott 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 Emott family

The surname Emott 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 Emott family

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

Emott Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Emott has appeared include Emmett, Emmet, Emott, Emmitt, Emetts and others.

Early Notables of the Emott family

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

Migration of the Emott family to Ireland

Some of the Emott 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 Emott family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Emott arrived in North America very early: 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 Emott (post 1700) +

William Emott, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Dutchess County, 1799-1800 3
James Emott, American politician, Mayor of Poughkeepsie, New York, 1854-56; Justice of New York Supreme Court 2nd District, 1856 3
James Emott (1771-1850), American politician, Member of New York State Assembly, 1803-04, 1813-15, 1816-17; U.S. Representative from New York 4th District, 1809-13 3

Citations +

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html