Kitts

Etymology

Kitts is generally explained as a patronymic from Kit, the familiar short form of Christopher. The final -s is the old English marker often used to mean “son of” or “belonging to,” so the name literally means “Kit’s son” or “the family of Kit.” Some older writers also noted Kitts as a possible local surname in Devon, but the Christopher derivation is the clearest and best-attested explanation.

History

The surname is recorded in older English surname dictionaries as a straightforward derivative of Kit, and later writers repeat that explanation. It is found in English-speaking records and also appears in American usage, where it likely came through British and Irish immigration and later spread. The name is not especially common, but it has remained recognizable because Kit was such a familiar nickname for Christopher.

Origin

Regions

Variant spellings

Fun fact

Older surname writers occasionally treated Kitts as an example of how a nickname could turn into a family name simply by adding an -s ending.

Related surnames