Lockett
An English surname that was once explained as a shortened form of Lockhart, though that derivation is not certain.
The #2,555 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 21,835 Americans shares it.
Etymology
19th-century surname writers often treated Lockett as a corruption of Lockhart, itself commonly explained as an old nickname or byname built from the elements meaning ‘lock’ and ‘strong/hard.’ Another possibility, hinted at in later reference works, is influence from the French name Locquet, but the evidence is thin. In practice, Lockett is best described as a surname with uncertain development, probably connected to Lock- names in medieval English and Norman usage.
History
The name is found in England by the early modern period, especially in southern and urban records. It also appears in later British and American records, where it is most often treated as an established hereditary surname rather than a transparent occupational term. Because historical references differ on its exact origin, modern genealogical use should treat the derivation cautiously.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname dictionaries sometimes grouped Lockett with Lockhart and even printed it as a ‘corruption’ of that name, showing how speculative Victorian-era surname etymology could be.
From the historical record
“LOCKER. A lockmaker. LOCKETT. A corruption of Lock- hart. LOCKHART. SeeLockavd above— afar uaore probable origin than that assigned by tradition. King Robert Bruce ordered his licaH to be conveyed to the Holy Laud for burial, and the good Sir James, Lord Douglas, was deputed to carry it thither. One of his…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom