Hammett
An English surname that developed as a variant of Hamnett, ultimately from the old personal name Hamo/Hamon.
The #4,673 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 40,678 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hammett is generally treated as a spelling variant of Hamnett, itself a pet form of the medieval personal name Hamo or Hamon. That personal name is usually traced back to a Germanic root associated with “home” or “house,” though medieval forms and spellings vary a lot. In plain terms, the surname means “son of Hamo/Hamon” or “descendant of Hamon.”
History
19th-century surname writers consistently linked Hammett with Hamnett and other Hamo-derived names such as Hammond, Hamlin, and Hamley. The name is recorded in England by the 16th century in forms like Hammett and Hammatt, and later appears in parish and marriage records. It remained a relatively uncommon but enduring English surname, especially in southern and central England.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some older surname books group Hammett with a whole family of “Hamo” names, which is why it sometimes gets connected to Hamlin, Hampson, and even Hamlet in early references.
From the historical record
“the following sumunea are un- doubtedly sprung from Hanon and its diminutives; Hammett, Ham- monds, Hamond, Hamlet, Mamlyn lall from Crockfords Cler. Dir.), Hammatt, Hamlin, Hamling, Hamb- let, Haniblin, Hambling, Hampaon, Ham, and Hams (all irom Lond.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances