The vast movement of people that followed the
Norman Conquest of
England in 1066 brought the Gyot family name to the British Isles. Gyot comes from
Guyat, a pet form of the Old French given name
Guy.Early Origins of the Gyot family
The surname Gyot was first found in
Sussex where they held a
family seat at early times, after the
Norman Conquest of 1066.
Early History of the Gyot family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gyot research.
Another 333 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1554, 1746, 1813, 1460, 1537, 1503, 1542, 1536, 1521, 1554, 1550, 1623, 1588, 1644, 1616 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Gyot History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Gyot Spelling Variations
Multitudes of
spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the
Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Wyatt, Wyat and others.
Early Notables of the Gyot family (pre 1700)
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Francis Wyatt; Sir Henry Wyatt (1460-1537), an English courtier from Yorkshire; and his son, Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542), an early English language poet and statesman, knighted by Henry VIII in 1536; Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger (1521-1554), an English rebel leader during...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gyot Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Gyot family to the New World and Oceana
Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for
Ireland, North America, and
Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in
England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Gyot or a variant listed above: Sir Francis and Lady Margaret Wyatt, who settled in Virginia in 1621; George Wyatt, who arrived in Virginia in 1662; Christopher Wyatt, who settled in Barbados with his servants in 1680.
The Gyot 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: Duriora virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue tries harder things.