Monday, February 6, 2017

All Aboutt -tt.

Whaaaat? Two boys' lists in a row? How did that happen?

While perusing my name data, I noticed something interesting regarding final-t sounding names. Boys of course have more than girls (like with pretty much every consonant), but in the girls' case, they're split pretty evenly between __tte and ___t (with the former often being an alternate form of the latter). Boys have almost no ___tte names (as you probably could have guessed); rather, most of their names are ___tt, unrelated to any of the ___t names (although Elliott/Eliott/Eliot is a big exception!).
The difference comes in that the vast majority of ____tt names are English surnames, while ____t names are more mixed.

Because most are surnames, ____tt names for boys are a pretty modern-sounding group. The only ones fitting this pattern that really enjoyed popularity before now were Scott (peaked in the 60s), Brett (peaked in the 70s), and Garrett (peaked in the 90s).
Now of course, we have Wyatt, Everett, Emmett, Bennett, Elliott, Beckett, Garrett, Rhett, Barrett, Jett, and still Scott, just in the Top 500.

Any other worthy surnames we can find? ;)

  • Alcott--prob. from Old English "old cottage". Another form is Elcott
  • Arnott--prob. patronymic from Arnold, "eagle power". Also spelled Arnett or Arnatt
  • Avett--poss. patronymic from Alf-names "elf", or matronymic from Avis. Also spelled Avitt
  • Aylett--matronymic from Ailith, "noble battle". Also spelled Aylott
  • Bellett--matronymic from Isabel. Also spelled Bellott
  • Brevitt--prob. from "brevet". Another form is Breffitt
  • Bryett--poss. from French bruyant, "noisy". Also spelled Bryatt
  • Burchett--prob. patronymic from Burchard, "strong fortress", or poss. from "birch". Also spelled Birchett. Another form is Burkett
  • Burrett--poss. patronymic from Bertred, "bright counsel", Berred, "bear-counsel", Burgred, "fortress-counsel"; or similar Bert/Ber/Burg names. 
  • Carlett--prob. patronymic from Charles/Carl, "freeman"
  • Connett--prob. patro/matronymic from Constant/Constance
  • Corbett--from French "little raven". Also spelled Corbitt
  • Corlett--from Irish patronymic MacCorlett, from Norse Thorljotr, prob. "bright Thor"
  • Corrett--poss. from one of English places named Curry (those poss. from OE "mill" or Celtic "boundary"), or a form of Corey
  • Dennett--patro/matronymic from Dennis/Denise
  • Derrett--prob. patronymic from Derek/Theodoric, "people's ruler". Also spelled Derritt
  • Devitt--prob. from Irish patronymic of David. Another form is Davitt
  • Drewett--patro/matronymic from Drogo/Drueta, prob. "phantom". Also spelled Drewitt or Druett
  • Dyett--matronymic from Denise. Also spelled Dyott.
  • Edmett--prob. patronymic from Edmund, "wealthy protector", or Edmer, "wealthy-famous"
  • Ellett--matronymic from Ellen/Helen
  • Evenett--poss. from Welsh Ednyfed, etymology unknown; or matronymic from Eva. Also spelled Evennett
  • Evett--matronymic from Eva. Also spelled Evitt or Evatt
  • Garnett--patronymic from Guarin/Warin, "guard", or occupational name for a hinge-maker
  • Gillett--patronymic from Giles or matronymic from Gillian. Also spelled Jillett, Gillitt, or Gillatt. Another form is Gilliatt/Gilliett/Gilliott
  • Gwinnett--prob. from the area Gwynedd in Wales, or a matronymic from a Gwen/Gwyn- name.
  • Hallett--prob. from Old English "hall", or patronymic from Alard/Adelard, "noble strength". Also spelled Hallatt. Another form is Allett/Allatt
  • Hawkett--prob. occupational name for a falconer
  • Hewett--prob. patronymic from Hugh. Also spelled Hewitt, Huitt, or Huett
  • Hyatt--prob. from Old English "high gate" or "high road". Also spelled Hiett, HiattHyett, or Highett.
  • Ivatt--patro/matronymic from Ivo/Iva, "yew". Also spelled Ivett
  • Jarrett--patronymic from Gar/Ger-names, "spear". Also spelled Jerrett, Jarrott, or Jarratt
  • Jemmett--patronymic from James 
  • Jennett--matronymic from Jane
  • Jessett--prob. patronymic from Joseph
  • Jewett--patro/matronymic from Julian [unisex, but more common for girls, in medieval England]. Also spelled Jewitt or Juett. Another form is Jowett/Jowitt
  • Kellett--prob. from Old Norse kelda, "spring, well". Also spelled Kellitt
  • Kennett--from one of the rivers Kennet or Kennett in England, origin unknown. Another form is Kinnett/Kynett
  • Kimmitt--patro/matronymic from Cyn-names, "royal". Also spelled Kimmett. Another form is Kemmett
  • Kinzett--poss. from Old English "royal residence". Another form is Kensett
  • Larrett--patronymic from Laurence. Also spelled Larratt or Larritt
  • Levett--prob. from French "wolf cub" or "yew grove"; or patro/matronymic from Lef-names, "beloved". Also spelled LevittLeavitt, or Leavett
  • Mabbott--matronymic from Mabel/Amabel. Also spelled Mabbett, Mabbatt, Mabbutt, or Mabbitt
  • Marriott--prob. from Old English "boundary gate", or matronymic from Mary. Also spelled Merriott. Another form is Merrett/Merritt/Marratt/Marrett/Marritt/Marrott
  • Millott--prob. patronymic from Miles, or occupational name for millet farmer. Also spelled Millett or Millatt
  • Morritt--patronymic from Maurice/Morris. Also spelled Morrett
  • Myatt--patronymic from Michael. Also spelled Miatt or Myott
  • Ollett--prob. matronymic from Olive or patronymic from Oliver
  • Orrett--poss. patronymic from Wulfred, "wolf counsel", or Wulfric, "wolf ruler", or similar. Also spelled Orritt
  • Pagett--occupational name for, or patronymic from, a page. Also spelled Padgett
  • Phillott--patronymic from Philip
  • Pollett--prob. patronymic from Paul, or from an English place called Pawlett ("pole stream"). Also spelled Pollitt or Pawlett
  • Prescott--from Old English "priest cottage". Other forms include Preskett and Priscott
  • Prevett--from Old English "copse". Other forms include Privett and Previtt
  • Prewett --prob. from French preu, "brave". Also spelled Prewitt, Pruitt, or Pruett
  • Quinett--prob. from French patronymic of Jacques/Jacob, or poss. matronymic from an English Quin/Quen-name, "queen". 
  • Revett--prob. from "rivet". Also spelled Revitt. Another form is Rivett/Rivitt
  • Rylett--poss. from one of many Ry- place names, "rye", or a patronymic from Roland or Rolf. Also spelled Rylatt, Rilett, or Rilatt
  • Sharrott--from one of many Sher/Shir- place-names, "bright". Also spelled Sherrett, Sherritt, Sharrett, Sharratt, or Sherratt
  • Sinnett--poss. patronymic from Sigenod, "victory-desire", or another similar Sigi-name. Also spelled Sinnott, SinnattSynnott, or Synnett. Another form is Sennott/Sennett
  • Stennett--patronymic from Old English/Norse Stan/Sten-names, "stone". Another form is Stannett/Stanett
  • Tamsett--prob. patronymic from Thomas. Also spelled Tamsitt
  • Trevett--prob. from Cornish Tre- place-names, "farm". Also spelled Trevitt
  • Tillett--matronymic from Matilda. Also spelled Tillott or Tillitt
  • Tollett--prob. patronymic from Thorleifr, "Thor-heir", or Thorleikr, "Thor-battle"; or poss. matronymic from Matilda. Also spelled Tollitt
  • Trewitt--prob. from Old English Tre- or Tru- place-names, "tree", "brush". Also spelled Truett, Truitt, Trewhitt, or Trewett
  • Tullett--prob. occupational name for a tile-maker or armorer. Also spelled Tulett
  • Werrett--prob. patronymic from Guarin/Warin, "guard". Also spelled Wherritt
  • Wescott--from Old English "west cottage". 
  • Wilcott--prob. Old English "streamside cottage"
  • Willett--patronymic from Will-names, "will". Also spelled Willatt or Willott
  • Wilmott--patronymic from William. Also spelled Willmott. Other forms include Willimott and Wilmett/Willmett
  • Winnett--patronymic from Welsh Wyn, "white, blessed", or Old English Wine, "friend". 
  • Winscott--from Old English "Wine's cottage". Another form is Wincott
  • Winslett--from Old English "Wine's spring"
  • Witt--patronymic from Witta, "white". Also spelled Whitt

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