Myatt - Name

This is an unusual and interesting name of English origin found chiefly in the West Midlands. The derivation is from the medieval given name "Myat", itself a diminutive form of "Michael" (from the Middle English "Mihel"). In the modern idiom, the variants include Miatt, Myatt, Myott, and Miot. The earliest recording of the name in Shropshire is of Ann Myatt who married John Shaw on the 20th November 1760 at Sherift Hales, and in London the name does not appear before the 17th Century, even though more extensive and thorough Records are usually found there. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Myatt, who married Sarah Speede, which was dated 4th May 1647, at St. Margarets, Westminster, during the reign of King Charles 1st, 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.