TITE
The surname Tite is an English family name with recognised links to several linguistic roots, including Old Norse, Latin and English topography. It is typically regarded as a variant of the Old Norse word teitr, which conveys the sense of cheerful or glad, but it may also derive from the Latin name Titus, meaning honourable or of the giants. In addition, its origin may be purely topographical, relating to lands known as “tye” which were common holdings adjacent to villages.
Recording of the name dates back to the thirteenth century, with the earliest entries being that of Hugh de la Tye in the county of Sussex in 1273 and John Tye of Norfolk in the same year. The spelling variations that appear in early documents are numerous, including Tye, Tie, Tight, Tyt, Titt, Tittle, Tythe and Tyght, reflecting the orthographic fluidity of the period.
During the early Elizabethan era the surname was noted in a number of registers. Raffe Tyte and Thomazine Tyght were recorded in London in 1588, William Tight in 1620, and Joan Tighte of Bedfordshire in 1621. Subsequent births and christenings give further examples: Hestor Tyte, daughter of Lewis Tyte, was christened at St Olwas, Hart Street, in London on 31 December 1644; Hannah Titt, daughter of Thomas Titt, was christened at St Margarets, Westminster on 1 March 1667.
One of the most prominent individuals bearing the surname is Sir William Tite (1798–1873), a distinguished architect. He designed the Royal Exchange in London in 1844 and played a major role in the construction of the Thames Embankment, thereby leaving a lasting mark on the city’s architectural heritage.
Throughout history the surname has been associated with a variety of spellings and has appeared in local records across England, often indicating a link to a particular place of origin or to the occupation of the bearer. Its survival into the modern era demonstrates the endurance of small family names within the broader tapestry of British onomastics.
Typical given names associated with the Tite surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Jon
- Jonathan
- Michael
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Karen
- Kathleen
- Leanne
- Lorraine
- Margaret
- Sarah
- Susan
- Zoe
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 Tite in...
Braille
⠞⠊⠞⠑
Morse
-..-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,016 people named Tite in the UK. That makes it roughly the 7,294th most common surname in Britain. Around 16 in a million people in Britain are named Tite.
