Bill Crant

Excerpt from Dr. Seary's, Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, MUN 1977.

BUTT, a surname of England, from an Old English personal name *Butt or Butta, or from Middle English butt - thicker end, stump, "probably used of a thick-set person", or Middle English butt -goal, mark for shooting, used for one who lived near the archery butts, or, perhaps, an archer. (Reaney).

Traced by Guppy in Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Somerset.

In Newfoundland:

Family traditions: Some Butts moved from the North Shore of Conception Bay to Pouch Cove between 1820 and 1835 (MUN Hist.). George (1779-1864), of Grand Bank (MUN Hist.).

Early instances: Roger Butt, of Carbonear, 1675 (Burt, 1677) (CO 1); John Butt, inhabitant of Conception Bay, 1706 (CO 194.4); Joseph, of Crocker's Cove (Carbonear), 1767, property "in possession of the Family for 61 years", that is, 1706 (CO 199.18); John, born in Newfoundland ? 1720 (Dorset County Record Office per Kirwin); Joseph, of Clown's Cove (Carbonear), 1747 (CO 199.18); Thomas, of Blackhead (Bay de Verde), 1750 (CO 199.18); William, of Broad Cove (Bay de Verde), 1750 (CO 199.18); John, of Mosquito (now Bristol's Hope), 1765 (CO 199.18); George and Thomas, of Carbonear, 1769 (CO 199. 18), Roger, of Freshwater (Carbonear), 1770 (CO 199.18); William, of Bradley's Cove, 1785 (CO 199.18); Joseph, of Bonavista, 1792 (DPHW 70); John, of Northern Cove (Spaniards Bay), 1802 (CO 199.18); Catherine, of Harbour Grace Parish, 1807 (Nfld. Archives HGRC); William and John, of Western Bay, 1814 (D'Alberti 24); George, planter of Adam's Cove, 1817 (DPHW 52A); Henry Butts, planter of Perry's Cove, 1820 (DPHW 48); Richard Butt, of St. John's, 1822 (CO 194.65); George, planter of Chance Cove (now Big Chance Cove), 1823 (DPHW 64B); Elizabeth Ann, born at Biscayan Cove (near Pouch Cove), bap-tized at Blackhead (Bay de Verde), 1829 (DPHW 52A); Martin, planter of Goose-berry Cove (unidentified but ? near Carbonear), 1829 (DPHW 48); Richard, of Harbour Grace, 1830 (Nfld. Archives HGRC); William, planter of Blowmedown (Carbonear), 1832 (DPHW 48); Martin, planter of Otterbury (Carbonear), 1832 (DPHW 48); James, planter of Northern Bay, 1837 (DPHW 52A); Hezekiah, fisher-man of Salmon Cove (Carbonear), 1838 (DPHW 48); Samuel, of Moreton's Harbour, 1846 (DPHW 86); John, boatkeeper of Catalina, 1852 (DPHW 72); Frances, of Pouch Cove, 1853 (DPHW 32); William, of Ward's Harbour (now Beaumont North), 1855 (DPHW 86); John, of Petites, 1858 (DPHW 98); George, of Cat Harbour (now Lumeden), 1858 (Nfld. Archives KCRC); John Henry, of Exploits, 1859 (DPHW 42); John, of Channel, 1863 (DPHW 97); widespread in Lovell 1871.

Modern status: Widespread, especially at Carbonear and in the Bay de Verde, Humber West and St. John's districts. Place names: Butt Cove 49-31 55-04; ----- Head 47-37 58-38; ----- Island 47-37 58-39,(Labrador) 54-33 57-13; ----- Shoal 47-36 58

Early Instances: