The roots of the Flyte surname reach back to the language of the Viking settlers who populated the rugged shores of Scotland in the Medieval era. The Flyte surname comes from someone having lived in Flet, a place-name found in the Orkney Islands. This was probably derived from the Old Norse word flötr, which meant "stretch of arable land."
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Early Origins of the Flyte family
The surname Flyte was first found in the Orkneys, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. They derived their name from the village of Flett in the parish of Delting in the Shetland Islands. The name is mentioned in the early Viking sagas, and was one of the most prominent names mentioned in those sagas.
"The family was at one time of such importance that, if they had ever been 'of Flett' we should have evidence of it" 1
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Early History of the Flyte family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Flyte research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1427, 1480, 1509, 1516, 1665 and 1767 are included under the topic Early Flyte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Flyte Spelling Variations
Spelling variations are extremely common among Scottish names dating from this era because the arts of spelling and translation were not yet standardized. Spelling was done by sound, and translation from Gaelic to English was generally quite careless. In different records, Flyte has been spelled Flet, Flett, Fletts, Flait and others.
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Early Notables of the Flyte family
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Flyte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Flyte family
Those who made the voyage were greeted with ample opportunity to acquire land and a political climate far away from the oppressive monarchy of the old country. They settled along the east coast of what would become Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence, those who remained loyal to England traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In this century, many Scots living in North America have begun to recover their rich heritage through festivals, highland games, and Clan societies. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Flyte: M. Flett who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the 18th century.
England
Scotland
