Surname Darrett - Meaning and Origin

Darrett: What does the surname Darrett mean?

The surname Darrett is of English origin and derives from the personal name Darcy, which itself was derived from a Norman French place name of uncertain etymology. Darcy is a Norman family name, likely adopted after the Norman Conquest in 1066 by the English, and was used by many generations of the same family in England, resulting in a scattering of related surnames, including Darrett.

The surname Darrett is derived from the Old Norman French Darcy, which is also found as de D'Arcy in some regions of Europe. The earliest record of the name Darcy is from the mid-12th century, when one Symon de D'Arcy was recorded as being the Sheriff of County Kent, England. The surname Darrett emerged in the 14th century and was generally found in England and Scotland, although by the 17th century it had begun to spread to other parts of the British Isles.

The Darrett surname is a variation of Darcy, which derived originally from the Old French place name Arcy. While the meaning of the place name is uncertain, it may have derived from the Latin arx ("citadel" or "fort"), or the Old English root heard ("strong"). Alternatively, the place name may have originated as a personal name.

Today, the Darrett surname is found mostly in Great Britain and the United States, although there are some people bearing the name in Ireland, France, and other parts of Europe. It is a fairly common surname, and its meaning reflects the strong heritage of the family.

Darrett: Where does the name Darrett come from?

The surname Darrett is considered a variant of the name Durrett, which is of English and French origin. It likely originated in the region of Aquitaine, France. The name might be a geographical surname, which was given to someone who lived or worked near a notable physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. In this case, Durrett/Darrett could have originally been used to denote someone who lived on or near a kind of a small fort known as a 'dorret' in old French.

Today, the exact geographical distribution of the surname Darrett is not clearly known, but it can be assumed to be present in countries where English is a major language. Due to historical immigration patterns, it may be more commonly found in the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. However, online records show it's not a common last name in these countries, signifying it might have dwindled over the years or been anglicized. Given the varying spellings and possible derivatives, tracing the exact lineage and frequency of the Darrett surname can be challenging.

Variations of the surname Darrett

The surname Darrett could have several possible spellings, variants, and surnames of the same origin. Some of these variations could include Darratt, Darrot, Darat, Daritt, Darett, and Darot. These different spellings reflect the phonetic characteristics of the name and how it might have been pronounced in different regions or times.

The surname Darrett might be an anglicized version of a French or possibly Irish surname. Possible French variations could include D'Arret or D'Airette. If it is Irish, it might be a variant of Doherty or Dougherty which were often anglicized into different forms.

It's also possible that the surname Darrett evolved from occupational surnames. For example, it may be a derivation of the term "darer" or "dyer" which refer to professions involving dyeing cloth.

However, without a more detailed genealogical investigation, it's hard to say definitively what the other variants and surnames of the same origin for the surname Darrett might be. Differences in spelling and pronunciation over centuries, and across regions and countries, can result in numerous variations for any given surname.

Famous people with the name Darrett

• Emma Darett: An Australian actress best known for portraying Cleo Sertori on the television show H2O: Just Add Water (2006-2010).
• Claire Darett: A British journalist and senior correspondent for the BBC’s Current Affairs division.
• Brian Darett: An American actor who has starred in shows such as 3rd Rock From the Sun (1996-2001) and That '70s Show (1998-2006).
• Michael Darett: An Australian playwright and poet who has authored critically acclaimed works such as The White Wind (1996).
• Julie Darett: An Australian radio and TV presenter who is the host of the ABC Radio national program Life Matters.
• John Darett: An American lawyer and financial services professional who founded the Ware Johnson Group in 2019.
• Stephen Darett: An English singer-songwriter and music producer who founded the record label HQ Music in 1995.
• Ryan Darett: An American soccer player who currently plays for the USL Championship's Atlanta United II.
• Stephanie Darett: A French fashion designer and entrepreneur who has been designing clothing for over 30 years.
• Trish Darett: An Australian businesswoman and former CEO of the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Other surnames

DarrecottDarren