Cornett
A surname of uncertain origin, most likely a spelling variant of Cornet or Cornell rather than a name with a single settled meaning.
The #2,322 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 19,624 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Cornett is probably a variant spelling of Cornet, a surname that could come from the French word for a little horn or from a nickname connected with a horn player or heraldic symbolism. In some cases, surnames of this shape may also have been influenced by similar-looking names such as Cornet, Cornhill, or Cornell. The historical record does not give a single clear derivation for Cornett itself.
History
The form appears in English and American records as a variant surname, and 19th-century surname books list it alongside other Corn- names without assigning it a definite origin. In the United States it has remained relatively uncommon but persistent, with bearers spread across several regions. Because the documentary evidence is thin, its history is best treated as a family-name spelling variant rather than a separately established surname with one fixed source.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century onomastic writers grouped Cornett with surnames that resemble words for weapons, tools, or offices, showing how easily surname forms could be reinterpreted by sound and spelling.
From the historical record
“Clark, Vesterman ; Major, Capt, Corporal, Sar- geant, Sargent, and Herald. Mr. Ensign was a member of the bar in 1839. Mr. Cornett is a mem- ber of the Unitarian Association. Lt. Sarjeantson subscribed for Anburey's " Travels." Clark son was a distinguished English philanthropist. Mr. Kahn arrived here (November…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)