Show ContentsKyte History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Kyte comes from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was a name for a person who had acquired the nickname of the kite, which was originally derived from the Old English word cyta, referring to the "kite" the bird of prey. [1] [2] In this case the original bearer of the surname earned this name due to their wild, and high-spirited nature.

Early Origins of the Kyte family

The surname Kyte was first found in Norfolk where Richard Kete was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166. Years later, Richard Kyte was listed in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1243; William Ket in the Hundredorum Rolls for Norfolk in 1275; Peter le Kyte in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327; and John Kette in the Subsidy Rolls for Cumberland in 1327. Ralph atte Kete was found in the Pipe Rolls for Kent in 1292. [3]

In Yorkshire, Hugo Kyte was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. [4] Again in Norfolk, but much later, John Kyte, was Rector of Wolferton in 1507. [5]

Early History of the Kyte family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kyte research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1483, 1485, 1507, 1513, 1521, 1524, 1526, 1534, 1535, 1537, 1540, 1547, 1549, 1589, 1616, 1632, 1638, 1660, 1662, 1668, 1688, 1702, 1710, 1713, 1714, 1724, 1725, 1739, 1741, 1745, 1755, 1761, 1766, 1783, 1784 and 1790 are included under the topic Early Kyte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kyte 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 Kyte has undergone many spelling variations, including Kyte, Kite, Keyt, Keyte, Kight, Kyteson and others.

Early Notables of the Kyte family

Distinguished members of the family include Robert "Ben" Kett, an English yeoman farmer in Norfolk who joined rebels as their leader in what was later to be known as Kett's Rebellion on July 8th 1549; he was later tried for treason and hanged from the walls of Norwich Castle on 7 December 1549. He "was a member of an old Norman family...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kyte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kyte Ranking

In the United States, the name Kyte is the 16,471st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [6]

Ireland Migration of the Kyte family to Ireland

Some of the Kyte family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 165 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Kyte migration to the United States +

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 Kyte were among those contributors:

Kyte Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Kyte, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1679
Kyte Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • J. Kyte settled in San Francisco, California in 1850

Contemporary Notables of the name Kyte (post 1700) +

  • George Kyte (1846-1900), American politician, Mayor of Fanwood, New Jersey, 1898-1900 [7]
  • Francis Kyte (1710-1745), English engraver and portrait painter; in 1725 he was convicted of forging a bank note and sentenced to the pillory
  • Mr. Richard Kyte, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1538 to 1539

HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Frederick John William Kyte, British Leading Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking [8]


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  8. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html


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