This most interesting surname may derive from any of four possible origins. Firstly it may come from the Old English "scytta", (Medieval English "schut(te)) a primary derivation of "sceotan", meaning to school, hence the name may have been an occupational name for an archer Schutt may also be a variant of "Shute", an English habitational name in Devon, so called from the Old English "sceat", projection. The name may also be a German conative from "Schutze" an occupational name for a bowman from the German word "skiozan", to shoot. Finally the surname may be a Dutch conative from "Schutz", a German occupational name for a watchman, from the Middle High German word "schutzen", to guard, protect. One Liuricus Shitte was recorded in 1165 in the Pipe Rolls of Suffolk, while John Schut appeared in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk. Christopher Shutt married Sislye Halla on August 25th 1560, at St. Olave, Old Jewry, London while on February 12th 1851, Charles Schutt married Jemima Knight at St. Philip the Apostle, Stepney, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Wulfsige Scytta, which was dated circa 1050, the Old English Bynames (Hertfordshire), during the reign of King Edward, known as "The Confessor", 1042 - 1066. 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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