SARRATT / SARRETT / SURRATT: I have studied the "SARRETT" (and various spellings) for over (1965) 45 years and have accumulated some 54,000 records (Living in America) records from Census, Tax Rolls, Deed Records, Land Grant's, Will's & Testament, Marriage Records, SSD Benefits, and people contribution. The surname SARRAT appears to be "Locational" in origin, and believed to be associated with the French, meaning, "one who came from Sarrett". The "Dictionnaire Etymologique des Noms de Famile et Pre'noms de France", by LAROUSSE, published in Paris, 1951, there are several villages/hamlets in the South of France with the name of SARRE; SERRES, SARRE; SERRET; SARRAT. These names meaning "high-rising ground" or "high hill elongated" and associated with the Spanish word Sierra and long ago found in the Pyrenes-Orientals area of France. They are identified as belonging in the modern De'partment of Haute-Garonne and to the larger area known as Languedoc. Up-on their arrival in the Colony's they were "Illiterate" they could NOT Read or Write the English word. So the SARRAT name was spelled like it "Sounded". It is my belief that the "Handwriting" of our early settlers became a factor on how our name was spelled. SARRAT, sounds like:      "Saaaaar - Rat" SERRAT, sounds like:      "Seeeeer - Rat" SURRAT, sounds like:      "Suuuuur - Rat" SARRET, sounds like:      "Saaaaar - Ret" SURRET, sounds like:      "Suuuuur - Ret" etc, etc �  The hand written SARRAT, became SARRATT, with two t's, because of the flip of the first "t" became "tt". �  The hand written SARRATT, became SERRATT, because the loop of the "a" did not close making it look like a "e" �  The hand written SARRATT, became SURRATT, because the loop of the "a" did not close making it look like a "u" �  The hand written SARRATT, became SARRITT, because the loop of the "a" did not close making it look like a "i" The above is only my opinion, I have seen over 170 different spelling variations of this name and they were all from the same branch. Here in America the spelling of the SARRAT Family name has taken many forms. Most likely, clerks copied it down the way they heard it. Therefore, British Clerks (which the early Colonial Clerks usually were..prs) began to add a second "t" and to use every vowel for the first syllable of our name. Perhaps the (some could not spell themselves) first family members of the SARRAT family would correct this, but as they fanned out into the expanding frontiers of America, spelling became less important. Thus, first cousins are found to use different spellings of their surname in the same County. Some of the most prominent surnames which, derived from the Progenitor SARRAT in the United States, are: SAIRETT; SAIRITT; SAIRT; SARAT; SARATT; SARATTE; SARELL; SARET; SARETT; SARETTE; SARIATT; SARIT; SARRAIT; SARRAT; SARRATT; SARRATTE; SARRELL; SARREN; SARRET; SARRETA; SARRETH; SARRETS; SARRETT; SARRETTE; SARRETTEE; SARRETTS; SARRIET; SARRIETH; SARRIOTT SARRIT; SARRITT; SARROT; SARROT; SARROTT; SARROTTE; SARRTT; SARSETT; SARTT; SAURATT; SAURET; SAURRETT; SCARATT; SCIRATT; SCIRRATT; SCRATT; SEARET; SEARRATT; SEARRETT; SEIRROTT; SERART; SERAT; SERATE; SERATI; SERATT; SERATTE; SEREET; SERERETT; SERET; SERETT; SERETTE; SERIT; SERITT; SERRAT; SERRATT; SERREL; SERRET; SERRETT; SERRILL; SERRITT; SERRITTE; SERROT; SERROTT; SERRTT; SERT; SERTE; SERTT; SERTTE; SHARRETT; SHARROT; SHUART; SHURRATT; SIARTT; SIRAT; SIRATE; SIRATT; SIRETT; SIRRAT; SIRRATT; SIRRETT; SIRROTT; SIRTE; SIRTT; SORATT; SORET; SORETT; SOROTT; SORRAT; SORRATT; SORRELL; SORRETT; SORRETTE; SORRILLE; SORRILLS; SORRITTS; SORROTT; SRATT; SRERT; SRETT; SRIET; SRRATE; STARRETT; SUARTE; SURAET; SURAT; SURATT; SURATTE; SURATTT; SUREAT; SUREET; SURERT; SURET; SURETH; SURETT; SURETTE; SURETTS; SURID; SURIET; SURIT; SURITT; SURITTE; SURKETT; SURNETT; SUROT; SUROTT; SURRAL; SURRALL; SURRALT; SURRAT; SURRATE; SURRATG; SURRATH; SURRATS; SURRATT; SURRATTE; SURRELL; SURRET SURRETH; SURRETT; SURRETTE; SURRIT; SURRITT; SURROT; SURROTT; SURROTTE; SURRTT; SURRUT; SURRUTT; SURSATT; SURT; SURTT; SWARTT; SWRRATT; SYRATT; SYRRETT. Who was the first SARRATT/SARRETT progenitor in United States? The case is still not closed. The first recorded documents found by this writer are of <--- Joseph, 1 SARRAT born c1665, possibly in France; died before 1715, in Prince George's County, Maryland. He married before 1700 to a Katherine (Unknown Maiden Name) and had at least three children, The 1st. Child 1st Dau: SUSANNA SARRATT; b. c1700 MD The 2nd. Child 1st Son: SAMUEL, 1 SARRATT; b. c1708 MD <-----My Branch The 3rd. Child 2nd Son: JOSEPH, 2 SARRETT; b. c1710 MD all in what now is Prince George's County, Maryland. My branch migrated down into the early Carolinas, later Tennessee, then on into Missiouri. SARRETT Family Name in America In the first Federal Census of 1790, list SARRATTS living in only three states: Maryland, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In all the United States of 1790, we have 12 men who were "Head of Household", (H/H) and one (Thomas Serrett, Northhampton Co., NC.) Died soon after with no heirs of his own. Maryland, list One: FRANCIS "Alphonus" SARRATT, Prince George's Co., MD. North Carolina, list Seven: THOMAS SARRAT, Rowan Co., NC. ALLEN SARRAT, Rowan Co., NC. JOSEPH, Sr. SERATT, Montgomery Co., NC. JOSEPH, Jr. SERATT, Montgomery Co., NC. LEONARS (Leonard) SURAT, Lincoln Co., NC. JOSEPH SURRATT, Caswell Co., NC. THOMAS SERRETT, Northhampton Co., NC. South Carolina, list Four: JOHN SURRAT, Spartanburg, SC. ALLEN SURRAT, Spartanburg, SC. <------My Branch SAMUEL, Sr. SURRAT, Spartanburg, SC. SAMUEL, Jr. SURRAT, Spartanburg, SC. Information from census suggest that in 1971 there were approximately 150 heads of households in the United States with the old distinguished SARRETT name. This same census show that there were approximately 3.1 persons per household in America which, would yield an approximate total of 465 people which, carry the spelling of the SARRETT name, but in 1982 there were 26 states that listed only 143 SARRETT families, 26 of these in the state of Texas alone, with West Virginia 2nd. with 14 and California 3rd. with 13:  AL. 2   FL. 9   LA. 4   NY. 7   SC. 2   AZ. 2   GA. 6   MS. 6   OH. 5   TN. 1   AR. 5   ID. 1   MO. 2   OK. 8   TX. 26   CA. 13   IL. 4   MT. 1   OR. 6   VA. 7   CT. 1   KY. 2   NJ. 4   PA. 1   WV. 14  Some "French" born SARRATT/SERRATT/SURRATT's in U.S. Census: With Fed. #, Reel# and Page:#  Pg.  F.V.  FName  MName  LName  Age  Born  b.Yr.  Race  Remarks      Joseph    SARRATT   50  FRA  1665  W  m. Katherine Unk., 3Ch.  0114   27  Benjamin    SERRETT   35  FRA  1795  W  (30 to 40)  0039   759  Antoine  (Unk)  SARRAT   42  FRA  1808  W  d/o France Parents  0305   1026  Emil    SIRRETT   39  FRA  1811  W  m. Catherine, c1834 NY  0398   974  Louis    SRET   39  FRA  1811  W  City Editor  0422   128  Michael    SURETT   60  FRA  1790  W  l/w Henry & Lery SMITH  0422   129  Michael    SURETT   60  FRA  1790  W  s/o France Parents  0036   241  Catherine  (SEAMAN)  SERETT   28  FRA  1832  W  w/o Augustus SERETT, c1854  0698    Celetin    SARRAT   49  FRA  1811  W  s/o France Parents  002a    Emil    SERRETT   33  FRA  1847  W  m. Mary CLANSON, c1873 OH  064a    Henry    SURRATT   34  FRA  1876  W  m. Frances Unk., c?  002a    Virginia  (Unk)  SARAT   53  FRA  1867  W  w/o Henry J., c?  002a    Henry  J.  SARAT   59  FRA  1861  W  m. Virgina Unk., c?  004a    Henry    SURATT   44  FRA  1876  W  m. Frances Unk., c?  030a    Katherine  (Unk)  SAURET   45  FRA  1875  W  w/o Joseph SAURET   THE FRENCH CONNECTION As of now no connection with France, has been established, of my Branch of "SARRETT", family line, but family tradition suggest, they were part of the Huguenots of France which, were part of the Reformation which, swept throughout Europe. It's said the Huguenots Cross, which is the "Cross of Languedoc", signifies the Erasmian Spirit of Humanism. They also adopted the flag of Henry of Navarre with its "fleur de lis" as an emblem. Religious intolerance in France, late in the seventeenth century, led to the departure of many Huguenots to the New World (America). One of them, unknown author, recorded this story of his family. "My parents departed (France) in the middle of the night, to save their lives, leaving the greater part of their property, which they could not convert to money. There were twelve other families...The priest used to search every house where they imagined that Bibles might be concealed or meetings held...The twelve families fled by night to La Rochelle, where the continued for some time. But intell- igence from Paris to La Rochelle soon detected their several abodes. Their houses were broken into on a certain night. They all would have been cut off, had not been for a good man, a Catholic, who had become acquainted with them. He gave them notice, so they fled the night before, at about one or two o'clock. The twelve families muffled the wheels of their wagons, so as not to make any noise, but they were discovered on the way and pursued to a river, before they were over taken. Ten families got over the river in safety, but two were taken. No other succeeded in getting aboard a ship to America. Their troubles were not yet ended. On the ship a fever killed many of the passengers." [REF: FRENCH: "They Might Have Ruled America" By J. N. HOOK, 1982, Pg. 187] In the "Dicionnaire Topographique du De'partment de La Haute- Garonne", published in 1882 list 103 villages/hamlets with Sarrat attached to them, some in the Pyrenees near Spain and some near Luchon, France, which is not far away from Toulouse and the Sarrat name was in the early history of Toulouse, France.  SARRATT/SURRET of FRANCE  In the Census taken by HENRY IV, in 1598, roughly 1,250,000 Huguenots were counted, less than 10% of the French population. The "Edict of Nantes" in that year gave them the right to meet, to open their own schools, and to occupy strong places such as the fortified port of La Rochelle. Huguenots were found in Poitou, Languedoc, Normandy and along the Mediterranean, and in other maritime provinces. When the Edict of Nantes was revoked in 1685 by LOUIS XIV the persecutions started in earnest and those who could. left France. Switzerland was refuge to many; tradesmen and artisans went to the Netherlands; vintners crossed into Germany where they could use their skills along the Moselle and Rhine Rivers; the textile industry was weakened in France by the exodus of weavers, but that industry began to flourish in England where they settled. Canterbury and London received many Huguenots and the French Church was established by 1550 on Threadneedle St., London. From the Archives of the Haute Garonne Parlement of Toulouse, France  1444  a PIERRE SARRAT, was appointed to the office of lay counselor of that Parlement in November, 1444. He continued in that position until 1466 when he was noted as being deceased and a replacement was named.  1472  a JEAN SARRAT, (1472-1504) was appointed as a lawyer of the King, by the Parlement of Toulouse, 1472. He continued in service for 32 years until his death in April 1504. At that same court he was also appointed "Solicitor General, (held 9 years) and Premier President" of the Court (this is the highest office obtainable..prs); this position he held at his death. JEAN SARRAT, held a "Coat of Arms" described as "Brande d'Azur et de sable de 7 pieces." Later, the Court ordered tenants to pay the rent that was arrears to "Domenge de Sarrats" and her husband JEAN MALINGRE. She was supposed to be the daughter of JEAN SARRAT and had inherited the "Manor of Gaujac" from her Aunt. In the Court order, she and her husband were described as "Lords" of that manor.  1527   a MICHEL de SARRAT, was listed as "Canon" of Maguelonne" (Clergyman of a medieval Cathedral ...prs)  1765,  a BERNARD SARRETTE, (1765-1858) was born in Bordeaux, France  1972  a ALAN SARRATT <--- [REF: #90 pg189], visited Paris and discovered the "Rue Sarrette", which he describes as a fine boulevard in the 14th Arrondismont, Paris, France. He researched the reason for the name as was told by a City Official the street was named after BERNARD SARRETTE born 1765, Bordeaux; he died 1858, at the age of 93 years, in Paris. He was one of the founders of the "Conservatoire de Musique de Paris."  1884  a M. PAUL SARRAT, was listed as "Mayor of Revel", a suburb of Toulouse, France.  Poland SARRETTSKI Here is an interesting twist! Subj: Re: SARRETT/SERRETT/SURRATT of America Date: 05 July 1996, at: 12:16:37pm EDT From: <--- [email protected] (Peter Sarrett) To: [email protected] Paul: Although we share the same last name, I regret to inform you that we are not of the same family. My ancestors were immigrants from Poland who changed their last name from Sarrettski to Sarrett when they reached America. At least, that's what I remember being told when I was younger. I would like to add your family to my SARRATT/SARRETT/SURRATT family database. Please E-Mail me your family information, or E-Mail me your interest and I will return to you a "Family Group Sheet" that you can "fill in the blanks". I just bet I have your "Branch" on file. This is NOT a commercial venture, just some people wanting to put our family records in print. Sincerely, Paul R. Sarrett, Jr., 1998

FRANCE, Capital, Paris In identifying ancestors, genealogical researchers need the answers to four key questions regarding record sources:      1. What types of records exist that will aid in identification of ancestors?      2. What periods of time do the existing records cover?      3. What genealogical information do they contain?      4. What is their availability for searching? These questions are answered in the research paper, "Genealogical Record Sources of France" Series G, No. 1, published by the Genealogical Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 East North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150. This paper lists 36 types of records, the periods they cover, type of information given and availability. According to the above paper, "The most important sources for France will be found in the Civil registration"(etat-civil) from 1792 to present: Parish registers 16th century to 1792; Notarial records 14th or 15th centuries or later to present. "Guide des Recherches Genealogigues aux Archives Nationales" (Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1956) and "Que saisje?" series No. 917, La Genealogie by Pierre Durye (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1936) are excellent aids for those searching the records of France. An index to names of about 48,000 French sailors and soldiers who participated in the American Revolution can be found in "Les Combattants Francais de la Guerre Americaine, 1778-1783, Genealogical Publishing Company, 1905. The earliest parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials were written about 400 years ago. These registers were kept by the parish priest who, beginning in about 1700, deposited copies of his registers with the Clerk of the Court. At the time of the revolution (1789) the task of recording births, marriages and deaths was transferred to the Mairies (town halls) where the parish priests were compelled by law to deposit all the registers in their possession. The new registers (since 1789) are known as Registres de l'Etat Civil. It is, therefore, to the town hall that one should write to consult the records of births, marriages and deaths either prior to or subsequent to the year 1789. Occasionally the Departmental Archivist has insisted on the transfer of the old parish registers to his archive when they have not been carefully preserved in the town halls. The National Library and the National Archives together with the various departmental and town or city archives supply inexhaustable sources of information. In these public archives are preserved millions of manuscript volumes extending into the middle ages where the researcher might spend many months and still continue to find new data. Departments of France: Departments are listed alphabetical with the map index and the Department Capital following.  Department  Map#  Capital  Ain   C04  Bourg  Aisne   A03  Laon  Allier   C03  Moulins  Alpse-Maritimes   D04  Nice  Ardennes   A03  Mezieres  Ariege   D02  Foix  Aube   B03  Troyes  Aude   D03  Carcassonne  Aveyron   C03  Rodez  Bas-Rhin   B04  Strasbourg  Basses-Alpes   D04  Digne  Basses-Pryeness   D02  Pau  Bouches-du-Rhone   D04  Marseille  Calvados   A02  Caen  Cantal   C03  Aurillac  Charente   C02  Angouleme  Charente-Maritime   C02  La Rochelle  Cher   B03  Bourges  Correze   C03  Tulle  Corse   D04  Ajaccio  Cote-D'or   B03  Dijon  Cotes-du-Nord   B01  St. Brieuc  Creuse   C03  Gueret  Deux-Sevres   B02  Niort  Dordogne   C02  Perigueux  Doubs   B04  Besancon  Drome   C04  Valence  Eure   A02  Evreux  Eure-et-Loir   B02  Chartres  Finistere   B01  Quimper  Gard   D03  Nimes  Gers   D02  Auch  Gironde   C02  Bordeaux  Haut-Rhin   B04  Colmar  Haute-Garonne   D02  Toulouse  Haute-Loire   C03  Le Puy  Haute-Marne   B04  Chaumont  Haute-Saone   B04  Vesoul  Haute-Savoie   C04  Annecy  Haute-Vienne   C02  Limoges  Hautes-Alpes   C04  Gap  Hautes-Pyrenees   D02  Tarbes  Herault   D03  Montpellier  Ille-et-Vilaine   B02  Rennes  Indre   B02  Chateauroux  Department  Map#  Capital  Indre-et-Loire   B02  Tours  Isere   C04  Grenoble  Jura   B04  Lons-le-Saunier  Landes   D02  Mont-de-Marsan  Loir-et-Cher   B02  Blois  Loire   C03  St. Etienne  Loire-Atlantique   B02  Nantes  Loiret   B03  Orleans  Lot   C03  Cahors  Lot-et-Garonne   C02  Aqen  Lozere   C03  Mende  Maine-et-Loire   B02  Angers  Manche   A02  St. Lo  Marne   A03  Chalons-sur-Marne  Mayenne   B02  Laval  Meurthe-et-Moselle   B04  Nancy  Meuse   A04  Bar-le-Duc  Morbihan   B01  Vannes  Moselle   A04  Metz  Nievre   B03  Nevers  Nord   A03  Lille  Oise   A03  Beauvais  Orne   B02  Alencon  Pas-de-Calais   A03  Arras  Puy-de-Dume   C03  Clermont-Ferrand  Pyrenees-Orientales   D03  Perpignan  Rhone   C03  Lyon  Sarthe   B02  Le Mans  Saune-et-Loire   B03  Macon  Savoie   C04  Chambery  Seine   B03  Paris  Seine-et-Marne   B03  Melun  Seine-et-Oise   B03  Versailles  Seine-Maritime   A02  Rouen  Somme   A03  Amiens  Tarn   D03  AIbi  Tarn-et-Garonne   D02  Montauban  Territoire Belfort   B04  Belfort  Var   D04  Draguignan  Vaucluse   D04  Avignon  Vendee   B02  La Roche sur-Yon  Vienne   C02  Poitiers  Vosges   B04  Epinal  Yonne   B03  Auxerre       FORMER PROVINCES OF FRANCE: 8, Alsace; 23, Angoumois; 14, Anjou; 2, Artois; 21, Aunis; 25, Auvergne; 29, Beam; 16, Berry; 20, Bourbonnais; 9, Brittany; 12, Burgundy; 6, Champagne; 33, Comtat; 26, Dauphine; 1, Flanders; 30, Foix; 13, Franche-Comte; 28, Gascony; 27, Guyenne; 32, Languedoc; 5, Lle de France; 24, Limousin; 7, Lorraine; 25A, Lyonnais; 10, Maine; 19, Marche; 17, Nivernais; 4, Normandy; 11, Orleanais; 3, Picardy; 18, Poitou; 34, Provence. 31, Roussillion; 22, Saintonge; 15, Touraine; Valuable Sources: Atlases, Gazetteers, Maps Denis-Papin, M., Martin, J.L., and Bonnard. Dictionnaire National des Communes de France Paris: Editions Albin Michel. (G.S.Ref.944E5di). Atlas Bottin, 2vols. (G.S. Staff 944 E3b) Place Names: Chevin, M. I'Abbe. Dictionnaire Latin-Francais Des Noms Propres de Lieux. Paris: 1897 (G.S. Film 1,070,223) Guides To French Genealogical Research: Law, Hugh T. "How to Trace Your French Ancestors" The Genealogical Helper, January-February issue 1978, Pages 5-8 Law, Hugh T. "How to do French Gemealogical Research" Salt Lake City; Genealogical Society, 1973 (G.S. film 908,366 Item 5) Law Hugh T. "Tracing Huguenot Ancestors Back to France." Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society 1901. ' Genealogical Society: "Major Genealogical Record Sources in France" Series G No. 1 Salt Lake City, 1976. Wolff Christian. "Guide des recherches genealogiques en Alsace." Strasbourg: Oberlin 1975 (Guide to Genealogical Research in Alsase. G.S. 944.383 D2g) World conference on Records - Lecture Papers (G.S. film 897,215 items 19-29) Some French Genealogical Sources: Arnaud, Etienne. "Repertoire de Genealogies Francaises Imprimees." 2 vols. (G.S. Europe 944 D23A) Boyenval, Abbe R., Berger, R. and Bougard, P. "Repertoire des Nons de Famille du Pas-de-Calais en 1820." Arras: Archives du Pas-de-Calais, 1960. Card index to emigration records of Europeans traveling through the Alsace Region of France (G.S. film numbers: Surnames A-C on film 1,125,002 D-G-1,125,003 H-K-1,125,004 L-P -1,125,005 Q-S -1,125,006 T-Z -1,125,007 Genealogical Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has microfilmed French Departmental Records Check the Dictionary Card Catalog (DCC) and the International Genealogical Library Catalog (IGLC). Societe de I'Histoire du Protestantisme Francais. Bulletin de la Societe . . . (Bulletin of the Society of History of French Protestantism) Vols. 1 to 115 (1852 to 1969) on films 885753 to 885,729. (G.S. 944 B2sp; index 944 B2sp Index or on film 1,045,348) French - History: Guerard, Albert. "France, A Modern History." New Edition. Revised and Enlarged by Paul A. Gagnon Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 1959,1969. Roche, 0. J. A. "The Days of the Upright, The Story of the Huguenots". New York 1965 (G S 944K2ro)

These records are part of the "Genealogy Computer Package" *** PC-PROFILE *** Volume - II. Sarratt/Sarrett/Surratt Family Profile© Compiled and self Published in Oct. 31, 1989 by Paul R. Sarrett, Jr. with the assistance of my late mother Mrs. M. Lucille (WILSON) SARRETT (1917-1987) These 1989 "Work-Books" were compiled by listing the various families, born, married, died, and a history of that family branch. In 1996 I started "Up-Loading" this material on the now called SFA© Series...prs

Would like to exchange any information on these SARRATT / SARRETT / SURRATT Families, contact me at:

Paul R. Sarrett, Jr., President of SFA©