Tallett Family History
Tallett Surname Meaning
Probably in most cases from Middle English tail(l)ard ‘creature with a tail’ i.e. ‘monkey’, a common term of abuse. It is the English equivalent of Norman French Marmion. The change from Tayllard to Tallard and Tallet(t) or Tallot(t) is not well recorded though possibly instanced in Thomas
In some cases Tayllard and Tallard may have been absorbed into Taylor. Compare James
Perhaps for a swordsman from Old French taillard, a sword for cutting and thrusting, especially in fencing. Possibly from an unrecorded Old French personal name *Talot *Talet, a diminutive form of Continental Germanic *Talo (related to *dal- ‘bright proud’).
Compare Tallon. However, no evidence has been found that the name given below has survived into modern times.
Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016
