This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Hugh'; Middle English Hugh, How, and Hew, diminutive Hughet and Hewet: v. Hew; compare Howett, Howitt, and Howetson.

Robert Hughet, 1313. Writs of Parliament.

Gilbert Huet, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Agnes Huet-wyf, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Ricardus Huetson, 1379: ibid.

Willelmus Howetson, 1379: ibid.

John Hewette. Rolls of Parliament.

John Huetson, Yorkshire: Historia Dunelmensis (Surtees Society).

William Heuetson, Yorkshire: Priory of Finchale (Surtees Society).

Elizabeth Hewetson, temp. Elizabeth: Calendar of Proceedings in Chancery, temp. Elizabeth I.

1520-1. Thomas Hughet and Margaret Harford: Marriage Lic. (London).

'John Hewit, alias Huet, of Newcastle, goldsmith, by his Will, dated Sept. 9, 1738, bequeathed,' Sr.: Brand's History of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

This is, of course, a well known. English name: it is derived from a diminutive of the christian name Hugh. In Ireland it is now generally regarded as belonging to Ulster, perhaps owing to its prominence in the athletics of that province and possibly from the fact that it is the surname of the Viscounts Lifford.

Modern statistics, too, indicate that the name is now found predominantly in Ulster. It is therefore interesting to find that, though there are some Hewitts in the Ulster hearth money rolls of the 1660's and Humphery Hewett was then an officer in the Tyrone militia, early references to the name all relate to Munster, from 1295 when John Heued, late “sargeant of the King”, and his wife Alice were found not guilty of fraud and larceny. There is not one Ulster Hewitt among the eleven who appear in the list of Prerogative wills —— they are practically all Cork and Dublin. Diocesan wills record seven between 1652 and 1795 in the diocese of Cork and Ross, one in Cloyne and two in Cashel. Similarly the register Alumni Dublinenses has eleven Hewitts or Hewetts mostly from Co. Cork, none from Ulster. In the “census” of 1659 there are two tituladoes called Hewett both in Munster. From 1522 they begin to appear in Co. Dublin and the 1598 “Description of Ireland” includes Hewitt of Garriston among the “men of name” in Co. Dublin.

= Hew, Hugh (q.v.) + the French diminutive suff. -et.

The modern French form is Huet (common), which spelling we also find in Middle English deeds.

An English name, being a diminutive of Hugh.

Though now regarded as of Ulster, practically all the It early references to it, beginning in 1295, are to families in Munster or the city of Dublin. SIF 89

(English) Descendant of little Hew, a variant of Hugh (spirit).

Doubtless often derived from Hugh; but the authori­ties are all unaware that in Kent early forms are atte H. and de la H., so that it is clearly local and possibly only a Southern form of “thwaite,” “hewing-place"; possibly "quarry.”