Surname Amyott - Meaning and Origin

Amyott: What does the surname Amyott mean?

The surname Amyott is believed to be of French origin, and is likely ultimately derived from the medieval French personal name “Amiot”. This origin suggests it was brought to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when William the Conqueror and his Norman followers invaded England and fought the Anglo-Saxon forces.

The name is likely thought to be derived from a very old French word, “amye”, which roughly translates to "a friend", making “Amiot” the French equivalent of the English given name “Amey”.

From there, the “-ot” ending would have been used to denote a patronym, making Amyott a variant of the name Amiot.

Given this origin, the surname Amyott likely served as a hereditary name denoting a person descended from the original Amiot. It may have also been used as a locational surname denoting the birthplace of the bearer or obtained from a place-name; in this case it could refer to the village of Amiots, located in north-west France.

There are some records of the name Amyott dating back to the late 16th century, during the period of Elizabeth I ruling in England. Most entries in databases of records around this period are found in the English Midlands and further south in Essex and Kent.

Amyott: Where does the name Amyott come from?

Today, the last name Amyott is most commonly found in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It may also be found in English-speaking countries across the world due to centuries of migration caused by the British Empire.

In the United States, the first known record of the last name Amyott was in 1710, where a William Ammiot of Long Island, New York was mentioned in of the Colden trading House ledger. Subsequent records indicate that the family had spread to the Carolinas and Massachusetts, as well as western Pennsylvania. In Canada, the first record of the last name appeared in Nova Scotia in 1819. Later records indicate that the family had spread to Ontario and Quebec.

In Australia, the first record of the last name Amyott was in 1816 in the state of New South Wales. Later records indicate that the family had spread throughout Australia, including into Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Western Australia.

Today, the Amyotts are scattered throughout all these areas, and communication networks have made it easier than ever for new generations to stay in touch with their distant relatives. As families are reconnected, so too are the bonds of the Amyott family across the English-speaking world, tying the past ever closer to the present.

Variations of the surname Amyott

The surname Amyott is derived from a variety of historical origins and is found across many different countries. The name generally originated from the French Forename ‘Aime’ or the Germanic ‘Amal’. It is also associated with the Anglo-Saxon root word ‘emmet’, meaning ‘ant’.

Variants and spellings of the surname Amyott include Amiott, Amyotte, Amiote, Amiet, Aimot, Amott, Aimet, Aimote, Andymot, Amo, Aymot, Amiott, Aimott, Aimeot, Aymott.

In Scotland, the surname Amyott has been traced back to the ancient clan of Aimee, an historical Scottish family. The most notable of this family was Sir George Aimee who was beheaded in 1546.

Surnames of the same origin include Amy, Ammott, Amiott, Amiot, Amiotte, Ameot, Ameott, Aimot, Aimotte, Amiott.

The surname Amyott is widely distributed across Europe, with the highest concentrations being present in France, Switzerland, Canada and the United States. Furthermore, some of the variant spellings of the Amyott surname can also be found in countries such as England, Ireland and Germany.

Famous people with the name Amyott

• Chris Amyott: American ice hockey player
• Kim Amyott: Former professional volleyball player
• Vanessa Amyott: Former professional softball player
• Paul Amyott: American actor
• Susan Amyott: American actress
• Brad Amyott: News anchor for Fox 45 News in Baltimore
• Rick Amyott: Musician and founding member of the progressive metal band Psychotic Waltz
• Hubert Amyott: Former professional soccer player
• John Amyott: Football player and coach
• Rachel Amyott: Former badminton player

Other surnames

Amyot