Hemmitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Hemmitt is one of the oldest family names to come from the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the given name Emma. The surname Hemmitt 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 Hemmitt family

The surname Hemmitt 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 Hemmitt family

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

Hemmitt 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 Hemmitt has undergone many spelling variations, including Emmett, Emmet, Emott, Emmitt, Emetts and others.

Early Notables of the Hemmitt family (pre 1700)

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

Migration of the Hemmitt family to Ireland

Some of the Hemmitt 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 Hemmitt family

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 Hemmitt were among those contributors: 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..

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)