Moffat to Maffett

Upon joining the Clan Moffat almost 20 years ago, I learned of the many different variations (24 to date) on the original spelling. Subsequent research filled in my family tree back to the original immigrant ancestor, James Maffett, who arrived in Newberry County, SC in 1772. However, after accumulating stacks of information on the American Maffetts, I could find nothing of James's origins other than he is thought to have come from Ulster. In searching for further Scottish and later Irish connections, I found only a few, unconnected references to anyone with the surname Maffett.

In The Moffats by Francis Moffat, I did read a short reference to Maffett (& Moffitt) being used in Ireland in the 18th century. A few years later while searching the Internet, I came upon a site mentioning Gerard Maffett, a hero in the Battle of Britain. He crashed and died in his Hurricane fighter, which has been restored and can now be seen in the RAF museum in London. In addition, I found a reference to Maffett Cruisers, a yacht rental company in Norwich, England. I emailed them and got no reply. Being persistent, I then sent a letter. This time I stuck pay dirt. An employee put me in contact with Colonel Allan Maffett (retired British army) who had recently sold the business. Colonel Maffett was the brother of Gerard.

By way of correspondence, I learned that Allan was originally Irish. He told me that his family had moved to County Down from Sundaywell, west of Moffat, in the 17th Century (before 1690?). The original spelling had been Moffet, but in the early 1700's his ancestor William Moffet, began spelling his name, Maffett! Evidently, in Northern Ireland at that time, the "a" took the place of "o" in pronunciation. Although I had no idea if Allan was directly related to my line of Maffetts, I had found a definitive historical point where the change of spelling took place. There is no doubt that many of the other variations from the original spelling had taken place under similar circumstances. There is also a website for the Moffats of Longford County, Ireland. Within this website is a reference to two students with the surname Maffett who matriculated at Trinity College, Dublin around 1800.

This exciting discovery lead to my additional research into the history of the Scots-Irish, who formed the largest immigrant group to North America in the period 1700 to 1820. In books such as Albion's Seed (David Fischer), The People with No Name (Patrick Griffin), and The Scots-Irish (a series by Billy Kennedy), I learned of my own origins and the tremendous contributions made by this group to the culture of the United States. I also came to understand why the conflict in Northern Ireland persists and something of the regional differences between the Northern US (English/Quaker/Puritan) and the Southern US (Scotch/Irish/Gaelic).

Although I may never find the birthplace of James, the search has not been in vain. In combining the accumulated histories of the Moffats, stretching back 1000 years, through the Scottish diaspora to Ireland and then America, I have developed a great feeling of continuity with the past. I think all of us who are members of the Clan Moffat, and indeed all those who study geneology, are allies in this search.

Hurricane P3175 of the RAF's No. 257 Squadron piloted by Pilot Officer Gerard Maffett over the Thames Estuary, 18 August, 1940. Later that day Gerard died crash landing the plane in the Essex coastal marshes near Harwich. The plane was later recovered and is on display in the RAF Museum in London.

Phillip W. Maffett, Albert Moffett, and Major Francis Moffat of that Ilk (L. to R.) at a reception of the Clan Moffat Society held in Atlanta, GA, in July of 1990. Major Moffat of Moffat, Scotland was Chief of the Clan and was primarily responsible for its reinstitution.

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