This interesting and unusual surname is a diminutive of French appearance, but is purely of Anglo-Saxon origin. The name derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century personal name "Tot" or "Tut", with the diminutive suffix "-iett". The given name is believed to be from the Olde English "totian", to look-out, and was originally given as a nickname to a look-out or watchman. The creation of names from nicknames was a common practice in the Middle Ages, and many modern-day names derive from medieval nicknames referring to personal characteristics, as in this instance "the watchman". Thomas Tut, of Winton, Wiltshire, is noted in the Victoria History of the Counties of England (1236), and in 1322, Johannes Tut of Lostwithiel Borough, Cornwall, is listed with those returned to serve in parliament. In the modern idiom the surname can be found as Tuttiet, Tuttiett, Tuttet, Tutet, Tootitt and Tootit. Recordings of the surname from English Church Registers include: the marriage of Laurence Tuttiet and Agnes Harford on October 26th 1665, at North Curry, Somerset; the marriage of William Tuttiett and Joane Kinglake, at Fivehead, Somerset, on June 7th 1702; and the christening of Mark Cephas, son of Mark Cephas and Mary Tuttet, on August 8th 1732, at St. Giles' Cripplegate, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Tuttiet, which was dated July 19th 1636, marriage to Dorothie Bale, at North Curry, Somerset, during the reign of King Charles 1, known as "The Martyr", 1625 - 1649. 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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