Mytton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Mytton family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Mitton, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Their name, however, is a reference to Moutons, in Calvados, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. 1

Early Origins of the Mytton family

The surname Mytton was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire, but partly in Lancashire. The parish of Little Mitton in Lancashire played an important role in the family's lineage. "It gave name as early as the time of Richard I. to a knightly family, of whom Sir Ralphe de Little Mitton is mentioned in the Townley MSS." 2

"Aighton [in Lancashire], under the name of Halghton, was granted by Ilbert de Lacy, prior to 1102, with other lands, to a family who is supposed to have taken the surname of Mitton." 2

Literally the place name of Mitton means "farmstead where two rivers join," from the Old English words "mythe" + "tun." Great Mitton and Little Mitton collectively date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where they were first listed as Mitune. 3 Today, they are both in Lancashire, but historically they were in Yorkshire.

One of the first records of the family was Alan and Jordan de Mitton who were listed in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219 and then again in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246. 4

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Adam de Mytton and Johannes de Mytton, sutor. 5

Early History of the Mytton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mytton research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1373, 1558, 1565, 1570, 1586, 1597, 1604, 1615, 1616, 1624, 1629, 1637, 1656, 1666, 1796 and 1834 are included under the topic Early Mytton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mytton Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Mytton, Mutton, Myreton, Myrton, Mouton, Myttins, Mitton and many more.

Early Notables of the Mytton family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Sir Peter Mutton (1565-1637), an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1604 and 1624; and Thomas Mytton (c.1597-1656), a parliamentarian general of the English Civil Wa...
John Mytton (1796-1834), was an English sportsman and eccentric, the only son of John Mytton of Halston, Shropshire, by his wife Harriet, third daughter of William Mostyn Owen of Woodhouse in the same...

Mytton migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Mytton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

George Allen Mytton, English Convict from Hereford, who was transported aboard the "Aboukir" on December 24, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 6
Mr. Albert Mytton, (b. 1865), aged 22, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Dacca" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 14th December 1887 7

Mytton migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Edward Mytton, aged 36, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
Martha Mytton, aged 36, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
Thomas Mytton, aged 12, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
Henry Mytton, aged 9, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
John Mytton, aged 6, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mytton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Edward Mytton, aged 36, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" in 1850
Martha Mytton, aged 36, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" in 1850
Thomas Mytton, aged 12, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" in 1850
Henry Mytton, aged 9, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" in 1850
John Mytton, aged 6, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" in 1850
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Mytton (post 1700) +

John Mytton (1796-1834), British eccentric, who inherited a family seat at Halston Hall near Shrewsbury, and eventually ended up in debtor's prison, where he died
David Mytton (b. 1987), Managing Director of Olate Ltd
Mytton Devereaux (1924-1989), Australian competitive sailor and Olympic medalist

Citations +

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)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 18) Aboukir voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Norfolk Island. [These convicts appear to have all landed in Van Diemen's Land], Australia in 1851 with 280 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/aboukir/1851
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf