This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Biset.' This so far tallies with Mr. Ferguson's statement that Bissett is a diminutive of an old Teutonic personal name Bis. But I suspect that Biset is the full name, and not a diminutive (v. Lower's Patr. Brit).

Biset Dapifer, Gloucestershire, Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

Robert Biset, Huntingdonshire, ibid.

Maunsel Bisset, Worcestershire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

John Besette, 1455, York. W. II.

1602. William Bissett, Glamorganshire: Register of the University of Oxford.

1764. Married — William Bisset and Jane Mills: St. George, Hanover Square.

Sir Thomas Gray in his Scalacronica (p. 41) states that William the Lion in 1174, on his return from captivity in Falaise and in England, brought back young Englishmen of family to seek their fortune in the Scottish Court; and among these were named the "Biseys" (Maitland Club ed., p. 41). The first of the name recorded in Scotland is Henricus Byset, who witnessed a charter by William the Lion granted before 1198 (Metros, I, p. 123). His son, John Byset, who witnessed a charter by Henry de Graham in 1204 (Neubotle, 8), was the individual who obtained from the king the grant of lands in the north. In 1226 he had a dispute with Robert, bishop of Ross, anent the patronage of the church of Kyntalargy (REM., p. 332—333). Thomas de Bessat witnessed a Paisley charter a. 1204 (RMP., p. 54), and in 1224 William Bisseth witnessed confirmation by Alexander II of a yar super Leven (ibid., p. 214). Walter Biset witnessed a charter by Alexander II concerning the levying of tulls at the Cross of Schedenestun (Shettleston) in 1226 (REG., p. 114), and in 1232 Walter Byseth and William Byset witnessed a charter by Alexander II to Gylandris MacLod in Brechin (REB., I. p. 4). In 1242 the power of the Bissets was brought to a sudden end, though they still continued to be a family of importance. At a tournament held at Haddington in that year Walter Byset, lord of Aboyne, was worsted by the young earl of Atholl. In revenge Byset is stated to have burned the house in which the earl slept, and the earl with it. For this crime Walter Byset and his nephew, John Byset (founder of the Priory of Beauly in 1231), were exiled the kingdom, their property devolving to others of the family. At the desire of Sir William Byset and to free him of suspicion of guilt, Ralph, bishop of Aberdeen excommunicated those who had partaken of the murder of the earl at Haddington:

"The bischope of Abbyrdeyn alssua

He gert cursse denownsse al tha

That gert be art, or part, or swyk,

Gert bryn that tyme the Erl Patrik

In al the kyrkis hallely

In Abyrdenys dyocysiStolen from Fore-bears

Schir Wiljam his processs

Gert be don" (Wyntoun, bk. VII, c. IX.)

A Walter Byset occurs among the witnesses to a charter by Alexander II to the monks of Dunfermline dated 13 January, 1249 (RD., p. 44) In 1251 Walter Biset by an inquest was found seized of the manor of Ulvington at his death, and the information is given that "he died far off in Scotland in a certain island called Arnaare" (Arran) (Bain, I, 1836). In January of the following year (1252) a pardon was granted to Alan, son of Thomas, earl of Atholl for slaying some of the men of John Biset in Ireland (Bain, I, 1865), apparently a continuation of the blood feud. William Byseth appears as a royal charter witness, 1279 (Neubotle, p. 290). The Bissets of Lessendrum are among the oldest families in Aberdeenshire. In 1364 Walter Buset of Lessendrum, as sheriff substitute of Banff, presided at a court held there in which the bishop of Moray obtained a verdict finding that three men, Robert, Nevin, and Donald were the natives and liege-men of the said bishop and the church of Moray, and his property (REM., p. 161). Jacobus Besat appears as prior of St. Andrews, 1395 (RPSA., p. 2), and Thomas Byssate held a tenement in Clasgow, 1486 (REG., p. 450). Bissets still flourish in Aberdeenshire and Moray. The surname is a personal one, a diminutive of bis, OF. for "rock dove." Basok 1583, Beceit 1429, Besack 1677, Besate 1408, Besek 1584, Beset 1362, Biscet 1292, Biseth 1231, Bissait 1529, Bissaite 1468, Bissart 1542, Bissat 1579, Bissate 1543, Bissed 1640, Bissott 1674, Bizet 1686, Byssot 1489. A spelling of 1294, Buset, almost represents the present Gaelic pronunciation, Buiseid.

= Biss (q.v.) + the French diminutive suff. -et.

Robert Biset.—Plac. de Quo Warr.

A Scottish family in the Glens of Antrim, who adopted the Gaelic patronymic of MacEoin, MacKeown.

Bibl; IF 200

(English, Scottish) The little brown or dark-complexioned man.

See Biss. The Bisets were barons by tenure in 1153.

Ralph and Henry Biset occur in Normandy 1180-98 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). William Biset had possessions in Notts and Derby 1130 (Rot. Pip.). Manasser Biset occurs in Essex 1156 (Ib.), and 1165 he held a fee in Chaucy in the bailifry of Coutances, Normandy (Duchesne, Feod. Norm.), as did Henry Biset from the honour of Montfort. Sire John Byset, of Worcestershire, lived 1300 (Palgr. Parl. Writs). See Best.

From the French, Bissot; from the German, Bissert; a personal name.