Show ContentsCorbitt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Corbitt

What does the name Corbitt mean?

From the historical and enchanting region of Normandy emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Corbitt family. Originally, the Norman people were known only by a single name. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Often they adopted names that were derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The name Corbitt is a nickname type of surname for a person with dark hair. Tracing the origin of the name further, we found the name Corbitt was originally derived from the Old French word "corbeau," which means "raven." 1

Early Origins of the Corbitt family

The surname Corbitt was first found in Shropshire, where they claim descendancy from Roger, son of Corbet as listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. Roger le Corbet (or Fitz Corbet) was granted several manors by William the Conqueror as the Barony of Caus for his role in the Conquest. "The first Corbet came from Shropshire and settled in Teviotdale under Earl David in the first quarter of the twelfth century. He is said to have obtained the manor of Foghou which he held as a vassal under the earls of Dunbar (Chalmers, I, p. 499). Robert Corbet was a witness to the Inquisitio of Earl David c. 1124, and to a charter by the earl to Selkirk Abbey (Kelso, 4). His son, Walter, acquired the manor of Malcarvestun and other lands in Teviotdale and made grants to the Abbey of Kelso, and gifted the church of Malcaruiston to the same abbey." 2

"Corbet, a noble Norman, came into England with the Conqueror, and from his son Roger Corbet descended the baronial house, as well as the families of the name now existing." 1

Another source notes "a Norman family too well known to need any detail. Hence the Barons Corbet of Caux, and the Baronets Corbet." 3

Early History of the Corbitt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Corbitt research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1124, 1241, 1296, 1580, 1582, 1594, 1595, 1600, 1617, 1624, 1635, 1637, 1640, 1646, 1648, 1657, 1658, 1662, 1675, 1677, 1683, 1705, 1711, 1748 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Corbitt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Corbitt Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Corbett, Corbet, Corbetts, Corbit, Corbitt, Corbitts and many more.

Early Notables of the Corbitt family

Notable among the family at this time was Sir Robert Corbett of Selkirk Abbey; Sir Andrew Corbet (1580-1637), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Shropshire (1624-25), matriculated at Queen's College, Oxford (1600); Richard Corbet (1582-1635) poet and prelate; Sir John Corbet, 1st Baronet of Stoke upon Tern (1594-1662), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1646 and 1648; Miles Corbet (1595-1662), an English politician, recorder of Yarmouth, convicted for Regicide of King...
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Corbitt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Corbitt Ranking

In the United States, the name Corbitt is the 4,340th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Corbitt family to Ireland

Some of the Corbitt family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Corbitt migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Corbitt Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Corbitt, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on October 22nd, 1824, settling in New South Wales, Australia 5

Corbitt migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Corbitt Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Ann Corbitt, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 6
  • Andrew Corbitt, who landed in Perth Amboy, NJ in 1685 6
Corbitt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Isabella Corbitt, aged 23, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1803 6
  • Peter Corbitt, aged 25, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1803 6
  • John Corbitt, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1846 6
  • Robert Corbitt, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1847 6
  • James Corbitt, aged 50, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Corbitt (post 1700) +

  • Donald Oliver Corbitt (1924-1993), American football offensive lineman
  • Gregory "Greg" Corbitt (b. 1971), Australian former field hockey striker
  • Claude Elliott Corbitt (1915-1978), American infielder in Major League Baseball
  • Helen Corbitt (1906-1978), American chef and cookbook author
  • Ted Corbitt (1919-2007), American long-distance runner


The Corbitt Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Deus pascit corvos
Motto Translation: God feeds the ravens.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  3. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1824 with 9 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1824
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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