The
Norman Conquest of
England of 1066 added many new elements to the already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Kerth name is derived from refined or educated person. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old French word
curteis, which means
refined or
accomplished. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.Early Origins of the Kerth family
The surname Kerth was first found in
Warwickshire but the name was scattered throughout Britain since early times. By example, the
Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: William le Curteis in Cambridgeshire; Walter Curteys in Oxfordshire; Osbert le Curteys in Essex; Henry Corteys in Devon; and Richard le Corteys in
Oxfordshire.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6) Over one
hundred years later, the
Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists Adam Curtase and Johannes Cartas.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Early History of the Kerth family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kerth research.
Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1130, 1168, 1531 and 1534 are included under the topic Early Kerth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Kerth Spelling Variations
A multitude of
spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to
England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Curtis, Curtiss, Curtyss, Curtys, Curtess, Curtes, Cortes, Cortis and many more.
Early Notables of the Kerth family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Kerth Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Kerth family to Ireland
Some of the Kerth family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in
Ireland is included in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Kerth family to the New World and Oceana
Many English families left
England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Kerth or a variant listed above:
Kerth Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Joseph Kerth, who arrived in Long Island in 1781 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8) - Carl Kerth, who landed in America in 1783 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Contemporary Notables of the name Kerth (post 1700)
- Thomas Kerth (1829-1898), American politician, Member of Indiana State Senate, 1889-91 [4]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Fred L. Kerth, American politician, Mayor of Clayton, Missouri, 1915-22 [4]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Alfred H. Kerth, American Republican politician, Mayor of Clayton, Missouri, 1940-46; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1948 [4]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html