HATT

Hatt is a surname of English provenance, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval period. It is also associated with Germanic linguistic elements, which is evident from the personal name Hatto that forms the foundation of the surname.

The earliest documented use of the surname is found in the year 1148, when a man named Roger Hat is recorded in Ekwall's compilation of early London personal names. This record dates to the reign of King Stephen, known as Count of Blois, which spanned the years 1135–1154. The use of Hat in this context suggests an early form of the name that later evolved into Hatt.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, several entries surface in diverse county roll documents. In 1279 Thomas del Hat is listed in the Oxfordshire Hundred Rolls, while a 1327 Subsidy Roll of Worcestershire records the name Richard atte Hatte. Such entries demonstrate that the surname was in use across multiple regions of the British Isles during the Middle Ages.

A further illustration of its longevity appears in the early modern period. The St. Mary Somerset church registers show the christening of Jane Hatt on 2 November 1561, and the marriage of Robert Hatt and Frances Wheeler is noted at St. Benet's, Paul's Wharf, on 15 November 1636. These records demonstrate that the name remained common in London through the 16th and 17th centuries.

The surname is interpreted through several etymological lenses. One derivation stems from the medieval personal name Hatto, a shortened form of various Germanic compound names beginning with hadu, which means “battle.” As a surname, this origin implies that the bearer might have been a noted combatant or possessed a combative disposition.

Other interpretations point to the Anglo‑Saxon term haett, meaning a head covering or hat. From this root, Hatt may have functioned as a metonymic occupational surname, identifying a hatter or a person noted for wearing a conspicuous hat. This occupational meaning was in use during the 12th and 13th centuries, with examples such as Thomas del Hat.

Alternatively, the place‑based derivation connects the surname to local topography. In medieval documents, haett was at times used to describe a hill that resembled a hat in shape. Therefore, a person living near such a hill could be described as dwelling “by the hat,” giving rise to the locational surname Hatt. This interpretation accounts for the presence of the surname in varied counties and reflects the common medieval practice of adopting surnames from geographic features.

From a heraldic perspective, a coat of arms was conferred upon a family bearing the name Hatt. The blazon describes a black chevron positioned between three blue annulets on a silver field. This heraldic device, which is now part of the visual legacy of the surname, illustrates the family's prominence at the time the arms were officially granted.

Several spelling variants have survived alongside the principal form Hatt. Among these are Hattaway, Hathaway, and Hattmaker. These variants typically preserve either the occupational or locational roots of the name while reflecting regional phonetic shifts.

Finally, the surname remains a point of interest for studies of medieval and early modern English onomastics. Its multifaceted origin—spanning personal names, occupational roles, and geographical markers—provides an illustrative example of how surnames in the British Isles developed from a combination of linguistic influences, social identity, and landscape features.

Typical given names associated with the Hatt surname

Male

• Brian
• Christopher
• David
• James
• John
• Jonathan
• Mark
• Michael
• Paul
• Peter
• Robert

Female

• Anna
• Carol
• Elizabeth
• Emma
• Jennifer
• Julie
• Karen
• Mary
• Patricia
• Rebecca
• Samantha
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Hatt in...

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Surname type: Location or geographical feature

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

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