Show ContentsPeyto History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Peyto

What does the name Peyto mean?

The Peyto surname is a habitational name for someone from Poitou. This French region was Peitow in Anglo-Norman French.

Early Origins of the Peyto family

The surname Peyto was first found in Warwickshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century when they held estates in that shire at Chesterton.

Early History of the Peyto family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peyto research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1095, 1110, 1167, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1558, 1563, 1599, 1600, 1603, 1611, 1612, 1624 and 1711 are included under the topic Early Peyto History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peyto Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Peto, Peyto, Petoe, Peytoe, Petow, Peytow, Petto, Pettoe, Pitto, Pitoe, Pito, Peytoe, Peytot and many more.

Early Notables of the Peyto family

  • William Petto (died 1558), English cardinal whose name is variously written Petow, Peytow, and Peytoo. "He was of obscure parentage, simply because his parents are unknown." 1

Migration of the Peyto family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Humphrey Petoe, who came to Maryland in 1670; Thomas Peto, a bonded passenger, who came to Virginia in 1774; and Mary Peto, who settled in New York, NY in 1821..



  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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