Butt (name)
Encyclopedia
Butt is an English surname whose origins lie in the South West Peninsula region of England
.
word "but" which is a verb meaning "aim" or "target". The English name is derived from the Middle English word "but", a noun meaning a mark for archery, a target or goal. Other scholars believe that the word Butt is a distorted form of "Bath" mentioned in Bible Songs, VII: 4; 1 Kings VII: 26.
, or someone who was actually an archer. The name has been particularly popular in Devon
and Cornwall
since the 17th Century, with a number of variants from the same origin including Butts, and two names meaning "Son of Butt": Butson and Butting.
, Newfoundland, in 1706 and Joseph Butt settled in Crockers Bay, Newfoundland, in the same year.
, France
and is patronymic in origin.
, Germany
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Etymology
The surname Butt or Butts is said to be derived from the Old FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
word "but" which is a verb meaning "aim" or "target". The English name is derived from the Middle English word "but", a noun meaning a mark for archery, a target or goal. Other scholars believe that the word Butt is a distorted form of "Bath" mentioned in Bible Songs, VII: 4; 1 Kings VII: 26.
History
Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Butt, But, Butte and others.England
The surname can also be found in England where it is again of patronymic origin, meaning "son of Butt". First found in Middlesex where they were anciently seated, and were granted lands by William the Conqueror, and recorded in the Domesday Book compiled in 1086. An early reference to this surname in 1200 England, William de Butte is listed in Oseney. From the archery-related meaning, the surname Butt in England was originally used to describe somebody who either lived near archery buttsArchery butts
An archery butts is an archery practice field, with mounds of earth used for the targets. The name originally referred to the targets themselves, but over time came to mean the platforms that held the targets as well. For instance Othello, V,ii,267 mentions "Here is my journey's end, here is my...
, or someone who was actually an archer. The name has been particularly popular in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
since the 17th Century, with a number of variants from the same origin including Butts, and two names meaning "Son of Butt": Butson and Butting.
Migration to Canada
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Butt or a variant listed above were, Roger Butt who settled in Carbonear, Newfoundland, in 1675, John Butt who settled in Conception BayConception Bay
Conception Bay is a Canadian bay located on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland. The bay indents the Avalon Peninsula with the opening of the bay to the Atlantic Ocean at the northeast. It is bounded by Cape St. Francis in the south and Split Point near Bay de Verde in the north...
, Newfoundland, in 1706 and Joseph Butt settled in Crockers Bay, Newfoundland, in the same year.
France
The Butt family is claimed to be originally from the village named But in NormandyNormandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and is patronymic in origin.
Germany
An early reference to a related surname dates back to 1266 where Conrad Dictus Butze is registered in FreiburgFreiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Geographical Distribution
- United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
- EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
- CornwallCornwallCornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
- DevonDevonDevon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
- Cornwall
- England
- CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- Newfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
- Newfoundland and Labrador
Notable people with the surname Butt
- Alfred ButtAlfred ButtSir Alfred Butt, 1st Baronet was a British theatre entrepreneur, Conservative politician and racehorse owner and breeder...
, British theatre entrepreneur, Conservative politician and racehorse owner - Major Archibald ButtArchibald ButtMajor Archibald Willingham Butt was an influential military aide to U.S. presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. Before becoming an aide to Roosevelt, Butt had pursued a career in journalism and served in the Spanish-American War...
, military aide to U.S. presidents Theodore RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
and William Howard TaftWilliam Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States... - Anthony ButtAnthony ButtAnthony Butt is a driver of standardbred racehorses in New Zealand. He was associated with champions trotters Lyell Creek and Take A Moment, who, along with many other of his best drives, were trained by his brother Tim. He has won the Dominion Handicap eight times. He has also been inducted into...
, New Zealand jockey - Brent ButtBrent ButtBrent Butt is a Canadian stand-up comedian actor and writer. He is best known for his role as Brent Leroy on the CTV sitcom Corner Gas, which he also created. The series was an instant hit when it made its debut in 2004....
, Canadian stand-up comedian, actor and writer - Charles ButtCharles ButtCharles Butt is an American grocer who took over his family's San Antonio-based H-E-B supermarket chain in 1971. The privately held company now has more than 300 stores and $12 billion in sales, according to Forbes magazine.-Biography:...
, American grocer, son of Howard Butt - Clara ButtClara ButtDame Clara Ellen Butt DBE , sometimes called Clara Butt-Rumford after her marriage, was an English contralto with a remarkably imposing voice and a surprisingly agile singing technique. Her main career was as a recitalist and concert singer.-Early life and career:Clara Butt was born in Southwick,...
, English contralto - Dudley ButtDudley ButtDudley Butt MLC is currently a Member of the Legislative Council and Tynwald in the Isle of Man. He is a former Detective Chief Inspector of the Isle of Man Constabulary.-Early life and education:...
, Manx politician - Gavin ButtGavin ButtGavin Butt is a British art historian based at Goldsmiths, University of London.- Overview :Gavin Butt works in the intersection between art history, performance theory and queer theory, and has become an important figure in contemporary art history and queer theory...
, British art historian - Gizz ButtGizz ButtGizz Butt is a British musician, best known for playing the guitar during live performances by band The Prodigy in the late 1990s.-Early years:...
, British musician - Hans-Jörg ButtHans-Jörg ButtHans-Jörg Butt is a German footballer who plays for FC Bayern Munich in the German League, as a goalkeeper.Known for taking penalty kicks, he netted nearly 30 goals in Germany's top flight...
, German goalkeeper - Harry ButtHarry ButtHenry Rigden Butt was a cricketer who played first-class cricket for Sussex County Cricket Club and the Marylebone Cricket Club between 1890 and 1912. Butt also played three Test matches for England on their tour to South Africa in 1895-96...
, English cricketer - Howard Butt, American founder of H-E-B grocery chain
- Hugh ButtHugh ButtHugh Roland Butt was an American physician who developed methods to treat hemorrhaging patients with vitamin K.Butt was born in Belhaven, North Carolina. He earned his M.D...
, American physician - Isaac ButtIsaac ButtIsaac Butt Q.C. M.P. was an Irish barrister, politician, Member of Parliament , and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist parties and organisations, including the Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society in 1836, the Home Government Association in 1870 and in 1873 the Home...
, an IrishIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
leader of the Home Rule LeagueHome Rule LeagueThe Home Rule League, sometimes called the Home Rule Party, was a political party which campaigned for home rule for the country of Ireland from 1873 to 1882, when it was replaced by the Irish Parliamentary Party.-Origins:... - John Butt (sport shooter), English sports shooter
- Len Butt (footballer born 1893)Len Butt (footballer born 1893)Leonard George Butt was an English footballer who played as a half-back in the 1920s, spending the majority of his career with Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic.-Football career:...
, English footballer with Southampton and Bournemouth - Len Butt (footballer born 1910), English footballer with Huddersfield Town and Blackburn Rovers
- Maggie ButtMaggie Butt- Background:After completing an English degree, Maggie Butt became a newspaper reporter, moving to BBC TV as a documentary writer, producer and director. She later turned to poetry, completing a PhD in creative writing from Cardiff University....
, British poet - Miriam ButtMiriam ButtMiriam Butt is Professor of Linguistics and Chair of the Department of Linguistics at the University of Konstanz...
, German linguist - Nicky ButtNicky ButtNicholas "Nicky" Butt is an English footballer. He began his career with Manchester United and spent 12 years in their first-team before moving to Newcastle United in 2004. He spent one season on loan to Birmingham City in 2005–06...
, an English footballer - Pâmela ButtPâmela ButtPâmela Butt is the alias of Brazilian porn star and former escort. A contracted pornographic actress of Brasileirinhas, she also performed in a number of US productions shot in Brazil....
, Brazilian porn star - Peter ButtPeter ButtPeter Butt is an Australian, film producer, director, writer. He produces investigative documentaries for television about 20th century global and Australian history...
, American filmmaker - Ray ButtRay ButtRay Butt is a British television producer and director best known for his work on Only Fools and Horses in which he directed in season one and in seasons to follow he also directed and produced until season five when he moved onto new projects. Ray Butt is also remembered for his work on Last of...
, British film and television producer - Simon ButtSimon ButtSimon Butt is a British diplomat, currently serving as British Ambassador to Lithuania.-Postings:From 1982-1984 Butt served as a Political officer in the British Embassy in Moscow, this was followed by two years assigned to Myanma. From 1990-1994 he served in the External Relations Section of the...
, British diplomat - Sonya ButtSonya ButtSonya Esmée Florence Butt MBE, also known as Sonia d'Artois, was a heroine of the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War.- Early life :Sonya Butt was born in Kent on 14 May 1924...
, a female Special Operations ExecutiveSpecial Operations ExecutiveThe Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
agent during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... - Tameka ButtTameka ButtTameka Butt is an Australian female professional football player currently playing as a Midfielder for Australian W-League team .-Honours:...
, Australian association footballer - Tom ButtTom ButtThomas K. "Tom" Butt is a former vice-mayor and a present city council member from Richmond, California. He is a Democrat. He has been on the Richmond City Council since 1995....
, American politician in California - William ButtWilliam ButtWilliam M. Butt was a politician in Georgia.Butt arrived in Atlanta in 1851 from Campbell County, Georgia and served as a councilman in 1853. The next year he was elected the eighth mayor....
, American politician in Georgia