Huckett

This most interesting surname may have derived from three possible sources. Firstly the name may be a variant of "Hewet", from "Hug-et", a diminutive of "Hugh", which itself is from the Old French personal name "Hu(gh)e", composed of the Germanic element "hug", heart, mind, spirit. Secondly the name may come from "Huggett", which is a variant of "Huggate", of English locational origin, composed of the Old English elements "huc", point of land, plus "geat", pass. This placename in Yorkshire was recorded "Hughete" in the Domesday Book of 1086. Finally, it may be an Anglicized form of the French name "Hucket", a metonymic occupational name for a town crier or herald, from the Old French "hucket", a small horn used by such officials to secure the attention of the populace. One William Hughet was recorded in 1296 in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex. William Huccot married Alice Robertes on January 14th 1609 at St. Michael, Cornhill, London, while one Thomas Huckett, son of William and Hellen Huckett was christened on February 13th 1651 at St. Dunstan, Stepney, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de Hugat, which was dated 1219, Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire, during the reign of King Henry 111, "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.