The history of the Huittson family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Huet, near Evreux, in Normandy, France. [1] The name is extended to denote "son of," as in "son of Huet." [2]
The surname Huittson was first found in Yorkshire, where Henry Hwetsone was listed as a Freeman of York in 1363. A few years later, Richard Huetson was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. [2]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Huittson research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1489 and 1544 are included under the topic Early Huittson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Hewitson, Hewartson, Hewetson and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Huittson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Huittson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Huittson or a variant listed above were: Thomas Hewitson, who came to Jamaica in 1724; Rowland Hewetson, a bonded passenger, who arrived in America in 1733; William Hewison, who came to Georgia in 1775.