Averett
Averett is a surname most likely built from a medieval personal name, probably a regional or pet form of Avery or another similar Old French/Germanic name.
The #9,389 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 89,130 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Averett is usually treated as a surname formed from a given name rather than from a place or trade. In English records, it most likely developed as a diminutive or variant of Avery, which ultimately goes back to medieval forms of Germanic origin introduced through Old French. The name’s deeper root is often explained as meaning something like “elf counsel” or “ruler of elves,” though the exact pathway into the surname form is not certain.
History
The spelling Averett looks like one of several southern English and later American surname shapes related to Avery and Everitt-type names. In the United States it is relatively uncommon, which suggests it arose as a localized family spelling that became fixed in a few branches. As with many such surnames, the modern form may preserve a phonetic spelling rather than the oldest documented one.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because surnames like Averett often froze from speech before spelling was standardized, closely related families sometimes ended up with quite different modern spellings.