Butt is a distorted form of Bhat which originates from Sanskrit (भट) meaning "scholar" according to Brāhmaṇa, which denotes to poet, scholar, teacher, priest, caste, class (varṇa), or tribe.[1]
There are also two separate surnames of European origin: the German Butt; and another one arising in the South West peninsula of England.[2]
History
Asian-European Link
In 1995, geneticist Cavalli-Sforza wrote, "The Caucasoids are mainly fair-skinned peoples, but this group also includes the southern Indians, who live in tropical areas and show signs of a marked darkening in skin pigmentation, although their facial and body traits are Caucasoid rather than African or Australian", owing to a possibility that Butts both European and Asian may have had a common origin. It is thought that Butts were at one time Jewish who were settled in present-day Nablus and Jerusalem, and eventually migrated to other parts of the world. Some migrated towards Persia and eventually into Kashmir becoming Hindus and Buddhists, while others migrated to Europe and eventually settled in Germany and England and became Christians.
Anglo-Norman names are characterised by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Butt, But, Butte and others.
South Asia
Butts are said to be descendants of ancient Vedic, Dardic and Iranic tribes that began to inhabit the Kashmir Valley in 2000 BC. They were known as Kashmiri Pandits, which traditionally refers to people within the priestly Brahmin caste of Hinduism. [3] More specifically they are speculated as being decendents of Saraswat Brahmins, who are mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures as inhabiting the Saraswati River valley, the geographic location of which is unknown. The actual origins of this community and the circumstances of its relocation to the areas that they now inhabit are shrouded in mystery. An ancient legend mentions that Parashuram, an avatar of Vishnu is said to have carved the community out of the five sons of Raja Ratten Sen. Saraswat Brahmins are originally from what is today Kashmir, but can also be traced into Punjab and as far as Sindh in southern Pakistan. The reason for the migration is unknown. Butts trace their origins back to Kashmiri Pandits (Hindi: कश्मीरी पण्डित) which refers to a person who belongs to a sect of Hindu Pandits who originated from the Kashmir region were usually skilled in Sanskrit and Hindu law, religion, music or philosophy. They have the earliest recorded history in Kashmir and have also been mentioned in the Mahabharata.[4] Butts were also said to be followers of Buddhism at various points in time related culturally to the great Gandhara Kingdom and as a result their culture shows various influences from ancient Vedic, Greek and Kushan cultures. They have contributed greatly to Indian culture through excellence in Sanskrit, mathematics and science. Pāṇini and Chanakya were of the Bhat tribe, ancestors of today's Butts.[5] According to many Hindus, the scholarly works of Butts were "destroyed" during the advent of Islam in Kashmir and many Kashmiri Pandits were "forced to convert", although this claim has refuted by many Muslims and Butts alike. From the time of the rise of Islam in the region, particularly from the early 14th-century rule of Shah Mir, until the end of the reign of Emperor Alamgir I in the late 17th century, many converted to Islam. Today, most Butts are Muslim, although some still practice Hinduism and some also Christianity, and more specifically, Catholicism.[6]
Family and culture of Asian Butts
Like other Kashmiri families, the social structure is based on the extended family. However the wider kinship network of biraderi and how it impacts on relations and mobilization is equally important. The extended family is of fundamental importance as a unit of decision making and with respect to the relations of its members with wider society. The institution of biraderi – which means brotherhood in a relatively loose sense – provides a useful collective framework for promoting mutual well-being. This is achieved through help and co-operation in social, economic and political spheres and it reinforces a sense of belonging and collective self-assurance.[7] Butts today are mainly trilingual, speaking various languages, mainly Urdu, Koshur and Punjabi. Koshur is a unique language spoken mainly in the Kashmir Valley. Koshur can also be referred to as a "culture" which differs greatly from other non-Kashmiris in neighbouring Mirpur, Poonch and Jammu. Many Koshur speaking Kashmiris settled in upper and central Punjab from 1800 onwards because of famine and bad social and economic conditions due to foreign occupation. Butts today have adopted Punjabi culture but identify themselves as ethnic Kashmiris. Butts are closely related to other Kashmiri tribes and clans. The Mir family are a sub caste of Butts and are predominantly found in Kotli and Khuiratta, (Indo-Pakistani) Kashmir who fled the Kashmir Valley during the 1800 drought. Dar, Lone, Khawaja and Sheikhs are also Kashmiri tribes and clans which are closely related to Butts.
England
The surname can also be found in England where it is again of patronymic origin, meaning "son of Butt". First found in Middlesex where they were anciently seated, and were granted lands by William the Conqueror, and recorded in the Domesday Book compiled in 1086. An early reference to this surname in 1200 England, William de Butte is listed in Oseney. From the archery-related meaning, the surname Butt in England was originally used to describe somebody who either lived near archery butts, or someone who was actually an archer.[2] The name has been particularly popular in Devon and Cornwall since the 17th century, with a number of variants from the same origin including Butts, and two names meaning "Son of Butt": Butson and Butting.[2]
Etymology
The surname Butt or Butts is said to be derived from the French word "but" which is a noun meaning "target".[2] The English name is derived from the Middle English word "but", a noun meaning a mark for archery, a target or goal, or someone's rear end. The name may derive from butt,[vague] a strip of ploughland shorter than the average length of one furlong.[8]
Migration to Canada
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Butt or a variant listed above were, Roger Butt who settled in Carbonear, Newfoundland, in 1675, John Butt who settled in Conception Bay, Newfoundland, in 1706 and Joseph Butt settled in Crockers Bay, Newfoundland, in the same year.
France
The Butt family is claimed to be originally from the village named But in Normandy, France and is patronymic in origin.[citation needed]
Germany
An early reference to a related surname dates back to 1266 where Conrad Dictus Butze is registered in Freiburg, Germany.[9]
Geographical Distribution
Notable people with the surname Butt
- Alfred Butt, British theatre entrepreneur, Conservative politician and racehorse owner
- Anthony Butt, New Zealand jockey
- Major Archibald Butt, military aide to U.S. presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft
- Brent Butt, Canadian stand-up comedian, actor and writer
- Charles Butt, American grocer, son of Howard Butt
- Clara Butt, English contralto
- Cyrus M. Butt, American politician
- David Butt Phillip, British operatic tenor
- Dudley Butt, Manx politician
- Gavin Butt, British art historian
- Pāṇini, 4th century BC Sanskrit grammarian.
- Chanakya, adviser and Prime Minister to the first Maurya Emperor, Chandragupta.
- Śāntarakṣita, a Buddhist scholar and abbot of Nalanda.
- Maheshdas Bhat, was the Grand Vizier (Wazīr-e Azam) of the Mughal court in the administration of the Mughal emperor Akbar.
- Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt, Pakistani wrestler known as "The Great Gama"
- Gizz Butt, British musician
- Hans-Jörg Butt, German goalkeeper
- Harry Butt, English cricketer
- Howard Edward Butt Sr., American founder of H-E-B grocery chain
- Hugh Butt, American physician
- Isaac Butt, an Irish leader of the Home Rule League
- Jake Butt, an American football tight end for the Denver Broncos
- John Butt (sport shooter), English sports shooter
- Len Butt (footballer born 1893), English footballer with Southampton and Bournemouth
- Len Butt (footballer born 1910), English footballer with Huddersfield Town and Blackburn Rovers
- Maggie Butt, British poet
- Martha Haines Butt (1833–1871), American author, suffragist
- Miriam Butt, German linguist
- Nicky Butt, English footballer
- Alia Bhatt, British film actress in Bollywood
- Osman Khalid Butt, Pakistani actor
- Peter Butt, Australian filmmaker
- Ray Butt, British film and television producer
- Raymond Butt, British schoolteacher
- Salman Butt, Pakistani cricketer
- Mahesh Bhatt, Indian film maker and director with story writer
- Simon Butt, British diplomat
- Sonya Butt, a female S.O.E. agent during the Second World War
- Tameka Butt, Australian association footballer
- Tom Butt, American politician in California
- Wilfrid Butt, British endocrinologist
- William Butt, American politician in Georgia
References
- ^ For definition of ब्राह्मण brāhmaṇa, with last syllable showing a Vedic accent, used as a noun as "m. (having to do with Brahman or divine knowledge), one learned in the Veda, theologian, priest, Brāhman, man of the first four castes"; and definition of ब्राह्मण brāhmaṇa, with only first syllable showing a Vedic accent, used as an adjective as "a. (i) belonging to a Brāhman, Brāhmanic", see: Macdonell 1924, p. 199.
- ^ a b c d "Butt surname meaning". SurnameDB, The Internet Surname Database. Name Origin Research. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
- ^ For definition of the neuter noun brahman (with Vedic accent on first syllable) as "n. the class of men who are the repositories and communicators of sacred knowledge, the Bramānical caste as a body (rarely an individual Brāhman)"; and the masuline noun brahman (with Vedic accent on final syllable) as "one who prays, a devout or religious man, a Brāhman who is a knower of Vedic texts or spells, one versed in sacred knowledge", see: MW, pp. 737-738.
- ^ For definition of the noun ब्राह्मणः brāhmaṇaḥ as "1. A man belonging to the first of the four classes (varṇas instead of castes in Apte's Skt-Hindi dictionary) of the Hindus, a Brāhmaṇa(priest) (born from the mouth of the Purusha)"; and the adjective ब्राह्मण brāhmaṇa as "a. 1. Belonging to a Brāhmaṇa", and other meanings, see: Apte 1965, p. 707 ,Apte 1966, p. 724-25 ; on p.901 of the latter, Apte gave one of the meanings of varṇa as caste but qualified it with a statement :"mainly people of four varṇas of brāhmaṇa (scholars,priests), kṣatriya (warriors), vaiśya (merchants), śudra (artisans)", and did not permit use of the term varṇa for any caste other than these four.
- ^ For definition of brāhmaṇa, with last syllable showing Vedic accents, as a noun, "m., one who has divine knowledge, a Brāhman. a man belonging to the 1st of the 3 twice-born classes and of the 4 original divisions of the Hindū body", and the adjective brāhmaṇa, with first syllable showing a Vedic accent, as "relating to or given by a Brāhman, befitting or becoming a Br., Brāhmanical", see: Monier-Williams, p. 741, middle column. Cf. Rgveda, Pune Edition, vol-5 (index), p.408 in which all occurrences of brāhmaṇa as first person singular show anudātta (absence of accent) on first two syllables.
- ^ A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and Northwest Provinces, compiled by H.A. Rose, Vol II, Page 98
- ^ Diasporic Communities and Identity Formation:
- ^ White, William (1878). Notes and queries, Volume 58. Oxford University Press
- ^ Friederichs, Heinz Friedrich (1978). Walther von der Vogelweide. Degener, ISBN 978-3-7686-6014-3 p. 71.
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