Butter Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Butter Origin:

England

Origins of Butter:

This attractive and unique name has two very separate sources, which can be show by the records of the surname and its advancement. The first of these is an English nickname for a person with some vocal quality similar to the bitterns booming call, from the Middle English ‘botor’ and Old French ‘butor’ which means bittern. One ‘Hennry Butor’ appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1169. The other and more generally relevant origin are from the Old English pre 7th century ‘butere’ which means butter and is a metonymic professional name for a dairyman or seller of butter or keeper of the buttery. William le Buter shows in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1243 and Geoffrey Butter in the Premium Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

Variations:

More common variations are: Buttery, Boutter, Butteri, Beutter, Buttera, Buttero, Butterr, Biutter, Bautter.

England:

The surname Butter first appeared in Fife and Perthshire where they held a family seat from old times. Some say well before the Norman Invasion and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 AD.

The very first recorded spelling of the family was shown to be that of William Butere, dated about 1130, in the “The Pipe Rolls of Dorsetshire.” It was during the time of King John I who was known to be the “The Lion of Justice,” dated 1100 – 1135. The origin of surnames during this period became a necessity with the introduction of personal taxation. It came to be known as Poll Tax in England. Surnames all over the country began to develop, with unique and shocking spelling varietions of the original one.

Ireland:

Many of the people with surname Butter had moved to Ireland during the 17th century.

United States of America:

Individuals with the surname Butter landed in the United States in three different centuries respectively in the 17th, 18th, and 19th. Some of the people with the name Butter who arrived in the United States in the 17th century included Robert Butter, who landed in Virginia in 1635. Robert Butter, who came to Virginia in 1663. Giles Butter, who landed in Maryland in 1663.

People with the surname Butter who landed in the United States in the 18th century included Ralph Butter, who arrived in Virginia in 1715. Thomas Butter who settled in Maryland in 1716. Thomas Butter, who landed in Maryland in 1716. William Butter at the age of 30, landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775. William Butter settled in Philadelphia in the year 1775.

The following century saw more Butter surnames arrive. Some of the people with the surname Butter who arrived in the United States in the 19th century included Keyran Butter came to Philadelphia in 1842. E Butter, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851. Mary Butter, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1851. Peggy Butter at the age of 35, landed in Mobile, Ala in the year 1851.

Canada:

Some of the people with the surname Butter who came to Canada in the 18th century included Euste Butter, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752.

Australia:

Some of the individuals with the surname Butter who landed in Australia in the 19th century included George Butter, an English prisoner from Shropshire, who shifted aboard the “Albion” in September 1826, settling in New South Wales, Australia. Elizabeth Butter at the age of 19, arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship “Marion” in 1849. William Butter at the age of 35, arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship “Henry Moore.”

New-Zealand:

Some of the population with the surname Butter who arrived in New Zealand in the 19th century included Thomas Henry Butter arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship “Loch Fleet” in 1878.

Here is the population distribution of the last name Butter: Germany 1,177; Netherlands 1,090; United States 936; Brazil 493; England 468; El Salvador 258; Canada 137; Austria 131; South Africa 110; Australia 100.

Notable People:

Anton Julius Butter (1920–1989), was a Dutch professor.

G. Butter (1888–?), was a Belgian Olympic weightlifter.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (Gormack, Scotland). Motto—Diriget Deus. Ar. a cross sa. betw. four human hearts ppr. Crest—Two hands issuing out of a cloud drawing an arrow in a bow all ppr.
2) (Dr. William Butter, cadet of Gormack, 1767). Mottoes—Diriget Deus, and Virtuti omnia parent. Ar. a cross sa. charged in the honour point with a lozenge or, betw. four hearts ppr., that in the dexter canton ensigned with an imperial crown of the third. Crest—Two hands issuing out of a cloud shooting an arrow from a bow sa. stringed or.
3) Ar. a cross patonce sa. betw. four hearts ppr.
4) Ar. a cross potent az. betw. four hearts gu.
5) Barry of ten, vert and ar. a chev. gu. Crest—A camel’s head couped ppr