The name Hibbitts was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. It comes from the Norman personal name Hildebert, which is composed of the Germanic elements hild, which meant battle or strife, and berht, which meant bright or famous. One of the first records of the name was Hygbert, the Anglo-Saxon bishop of Lichfield. [1]
The surname Hibbitts was first found in Cheshire where the Hibberts of Marple and Boirtles claim descent from Paganus Hubert, who accompanied King Richard I of England (Richard the Lionheart) in the Crusade of 1190. [1]
The Hibberts of Marples and Birtles in Cheshire claim descent from Hubert of Curzon in Calvados, a Norman noble who was granted land in Cheshire and Nottingham.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hibbitts research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1190, 1775, 1783, 1629, 1600, 1678, 1600, 1618, 1622, 1757, 1837, 1770, 1849 and 1642 are included under the topic Early Hibbitts History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Hibbitts family name include Hibbert, Hibart, Hibbard, Hibbart, Hibbet, Hibbets, Hibbett, Hibbotts, Hubert, Hubbert, Hubbard and many more.
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Francis Hubert (d. 1629), English poet, probably son of Edward Hubert, one of the six clerks in chancery. [2]
Henry Hibbert (1600?-1678), English divine, born in Cheshire about 1600. In 1618 he...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hibbitts Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the United States, the name Hibbitts is the 14,598th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3]
Some of the Hibbitts family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Hibbitts family to immigrate North America: