Edmett

This unusual surname recorded as Edmeatt, Edmett, Edmitt, Edmott, and possibly others, would seem to be an English diminutive, and to have a post medieval origin. However this is not possible because all inhabitants of England held surnames before 1450, and mostly before 1300 a.d. Therefore it is logical that this surname must have existed in another form before 1620, believed to be the earliest recording date available to us in any of the above spellings. This was Isaac Edmett who married Daniell Smith at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, city of London, on November 5th of that year. The nearest surname to Edmett is Edmead, an early English personal name meaning 'humble or gentle' and which survived through the Norman Period to become a surname. It would seem to be the only other name in the surname listings for the British Isles which commences 'Edm-'. Of course this does not prove the origin absolutely, but if not, we have no other explanation. The then earliest known recording is proably that of Gervase and Roger Edmead who appear in the Subsidy Tax rolls of the county of Kent in 1334, whilst a John Edmed is recorded in the registry of Wills in the probate registry of Canterbury, also in Kent in 1485.