Kingett Family History

The surname is derived from an unrecorded Middle English personal name Kingot or Kinget, likely a pet form of the personal name King. Notably, the double diminutive William Kyngelot from 1328, found in Archaeologia Cantiana 3, reflects this connection. The surname has developed alternative pronunciations over time, where the sounds /ng/ and /ŋg/ were assibilated to /nʤ/ or /ŋʤ/, as seen in the spellings like Kingjett, Kinggett, and Kingeet.

Additionally, the sounds might have transitioned to /nʧ/ in Kinchet(t), /ŋʃ/ in Kinshet, Kingshot, and Kingsholt, ultimately leading to /ns/ in Kinsett and /nz/ in Kinzet. In the case of Kinget(t), the -g- could reflect either /g/ or /ʤ/. This assibilation is not a usual sound change and may have occurred due to the confusion between Kingett and a variant of Kensett, namely Kinzett.

The historical evidence suggests that some early bearers of the name may be associated with Kensett, including individuals with surnames such as Kingett, Kinchet, and Kinshet. However, the medieval evidence leans more convincingly towards the explanation provided earlier. This complexity in sound change and name formation reflects the rich linguistic history inherent in the development of surnames.