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Corbett (surname)

Corbett is an English-language surname. It is derived from the Anglo-Norman French, Middle English, and Old French corbet, which is a diminutive of corb, meaning "raven". The surname probably originated from a nickname referring to someone with dark hair or a dark complexion like a raven's.[1][2] The surname was brought to England from Normandy,[2] and spread to Scotland in the 12th century,[2][3] and into northern Ireland in the 17th century.[2] Early instances of the name are Corbet in Shropshire, recorded in Domesday Book in 1086; Corbet in Shropshire, recorded in the Assize Rolls of Worcestershire in 1158; and le Corbet in Oxfordshire, recorded in the Eynsham Cartulary in 1323. Variations of the surname include: Corbet, and Corbitt.[1] Corbett is sometimes an Anglicised form of the Irish surnames Ó Corbáin and Ó Coirbín, which mean "descendant of Corbán" and "descendant of Coirbín", respectively.[4]

Names borne by several Corbetts

In politics

In sport

  • Arch Corbett, (1883–1920), Australian rules footballer
  • Austin Corbett, American football player
  • Claude Corbett, Australian sports journalist
  • Doug Corbett, pitcher with an 8-year career from 1980 to 1987
  • Fred Corbett, English footballer who played in the late 19th and early 20th century
  • Gene Corbett, major league first baseman from 1936 to 1938
  • Harold Corbett, Australian rugby league footballer
  • James J. Corbett, heavyweight boxing champion
  • Joe Corbett, major league starting pitcher who played in the National League
  • John J. Corbett, American football player and college sports coach
  • Leo Corbett, Australian footballer
  • Marius Corbett, South African javelin thrower
  • Mike Corbett (ice hockey b. 1942), professional hockey player
  • Mike Corbett (ice hockey b. 1972)
  • Norman Corbett, Scottish footballer
  • Willie Corbett, Scottish footballer
  • Young Corbett III, the world welterweight boxing champion
  • Steve Corbett, American football Offensive Guard

In literature

In business

  • Gerald Corbett (born 1951), head of Railtrack
  • Henry L. Corbett (1881–1957), American businessman and politician, in Oregon
  • Kevin S. Corbett (born 1955), American businessman, shipping and transportation, ED of NJTranist
  • Roger Corbett (born 1942), Australian businessman, CEO of Woolworths Ltd 2001–2007

In television, film and fiction

In the military

  • Boston Corbett, the Union soldier who shot and mortally wounded Abraham Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth
  • Frederick Corbett, English recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Julian Corbett, British naval historian and geostrategist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries
  • Thomas Corbett, Indian Army officer

In geography

In other fields

  • Edwin Corbett (1819–1888), British diplomat, envoy to several countries
  • Greville G Corbett, British linguist
  • Jim Corbett (1875–1955), British hunter and naturalist in India
  • James W. Corbett (1928–1994), American physicist
  • Jonathan Corbett, British TV presenter, food commentator & buyer for Tesco
  • Joseph Corbett, Jr. (1928–2009), American former Fulbright scholar jailed for murder
  • Liz Corbett English epidemiologist
  • Margaret Darst Corbett (1889–1962), American vision educator
  • Ned Corbett (1887–1964), Canadian adult educator and leader in the field.
  • Sidney Corbett (born 1960), American composer based in Germany
  • Ted Corbett (chemist) (1923–2018), New Zealand organic chemist

See also

  • Corbet
  • Corbet baronets
  • Corbett (disambiguation)
  • Corbeau (disambiguation)

References

  1. ^ a b Reaney, Percy Hilde (1995), Wilson, Richard Middlewood (ed.), A dictionary of English surnames (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 109, ISBN 0-19-863146-4.
  2. ^ a b c d Corbett Family History, Ancestry.com, retrieved 19 August 2012. This webpage cites Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4.
  3. ^ Black, George Fraser (1946), The surnames of Scotland: their origin, meaning, and history, New York Public Library, p. 170.
  4. ^ Corban Family History, Ancestry.com, retrieved 19 August 2012. This webpage cites Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4.


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