- Full text of "Americana"
Ranking among the foremost of New England families, but belonging inseparably to the history and development of Connecticut s the" Tuttle family. Branches of the ancient English family, however, were established throughout the New England Colonies in the early part of the seventeenth century. None of these have attained the distinction and note of the Connecticut Tuttles. Scions of the house have wielded large power in the industrial and commercial growth of Connecticut, and have achieved notable ]ilaees in the jn-ofessions and in the divine calling. The early Tuttle family played a prominent part in the public life of the Connecticut Colony, and the name is found with great frequency in important places in early Colonial registers. The early Tuttles were leaders of men. and later generations have not relinguished the prestige of the early family. The Tuttles of today are an honored and notable race.
The surname Tuttle is of most remote antiquity, and its origin has been traced to the god Thoth or Toth on the Lower Nile in Egypt, vestiges of whose worship some antiquarians believe to have existed in early p]ngland. This would naturally give rise to numerous places dedicated to the worship of the god. At all events, we find throughout England "Totehills," which at the date of authentic history were hills with a good lookout against the enemy's approach. The eminent authority. Charles Wareing Bardsley. in his "Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames." states the origin of the surname to have been in the ancient Totehill, and makes no mention of an earlier origin in the worship of Thoth. In support of this, he draws attention to the fact that we still use the verb "tout" or "toat" in the sense of spying about. When the adoption of surnames spread over England. Toathill. Tootle, Tothill, Tootol, Tottle, Tootehill, Tuthill, Toutill and Tuttle appeared as surnames which had their origin in the place name "Totehill" and we find instances of the name in the very early registers. The first appearance of the name in Colonial America is in the year 1635. Numerous immigrants left the mother country and were" the founders of large families.