This is an early French - Flemish topographical surname which derives from "Butte de Vent" (The Windy hill), a now "lost" place in France, although found in the placename Buttevant, Co. Cork, Ireland. The name is also recorded heraldically in Rietstap's "Armorial General" circa 1580, the coat of arms being a silver field crossed by six blue bars. In England the name is primarily recorded in Lincolnshire under a wide variety of spellings, although a branch of the original family obviously settled in Ireland in the 17th Century. It is probably of "Huguenot" background but the early date and east Anglia, suggest a possible "weaver" connection. The name recordings include Alis Budivant who married Jaret Harrison at Kirmond Le Mire, Lincolnshire on October 3rd 1583, and Thomas Buddwant who married Alice Walland, at Owersby on May 28th 1660. Other spellings include Buddevent, Buddyvaunt, Buddibent, Buditent, Buttevant, and Buttevent, - all have the same origin. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Johis Buddivant, which was dated August 22nd 1574, a christening witness at Alford Lincolnshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.

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