Talbot and Talbert descend from a French name, the correct etmyology of which authorities cannot agree to, but possibly means 'to cut fagots' or 'bandit.' English Talbot also denominates a dweller at the sign of the talbot, a white sporting dog.

Talbot is ranked as 1,235 in commonness of names and has an estimated 22,725 persons having that name.

Talebot, Talbote, Talbot; from Talebot, a Norman personal name. This Norman-Irish family was established by the descendants of Richard Talbot who came to Ireland in the reign of Henry II and obtained the Lordship of Malahide County, Dublin which had been retained in the line of his descendants to the present time. Talbot - this illustrious family trace, sine hiatu (without a gap), to the great Domesday tenant, Richard Talebot. Many surnames may be seen in Domesday, and Talebot would simply be Richard's patronymic. This explains to a certain extent the early use of Talbot as a dog's name, personal names being freely used in this manner.

The motto of the crest Forte et Fidele is French and translates as Strong and faitful. The Talbot family crest has the motto written on a type of banner beneath the main shield. Inside the shield is a lion standing on his hind legs, facing left. The lion is wearing an armoured mask. Standing on top of the main shield is a talbot dog, with its tongue hanging out and to the left.

Talbot, Talbert, Talbott (Eng.) descendants of Talbot (to cut fagots); the pillager of bandits. Tolbert, Tolbart Eng. variants of Talbot. Variation of the name Talbot. A bandit from Ofr Talebot - a nickname for robbers who blacked their faces to avoid recognition, Talebot meaning 'lampblack,' 'pot-black' in the dialect of Normandy. Talbot, Talbott, Talbut - Bapt. 'the son of Talbot.'

Mr. Shirley, in Noble and Gentle Men, remarks, that "no family in England are more connected with the history of our country than this noble race; few are more highly allied. The Marches of Wales appear to have been the original seat; afterwards we find the Talbots in Shropshire, in Staffordshire, and lastly in Yorkshire."

In Ireland the settlement of a branch of the family is coeval with the English rule of Henry II, having granted Malahide to Richard Talbot, whose lineal descendant, Lord Talbot, writes himself 'of Malahide' to this day.

The name is not territorial, being never prefixed with de. It is a personal name. The name of a Norman family in England. A very rare name identical with the French Talbert. We are undoubtedly concerned with a personal name, not uncommon in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the first theme of which is found also in the French 'Talabert' - 'Talbert' (OG Talaberht Cf. Talbert). Talbert was formerly a surname in Aberdeenshire, and perhaps so still.

In 1379 there was a Willelmus Talbot in England. In 1580-1 we find John Hedlea marrying a Susanna Talbott. Talbot, Talbott, Talbut, Talbutt, Taulbut Talebotus prior 1121-38 Bury (sf) Talebod de Neweham 1146-8 Seals (Ess). Malcolmus Tabert was tenant in Auchlyne, Aberdeenshire, 1511. David Talbert in Rescobye, 1592 (Scotland). John Talbard 1327 srsf. (Suffolk).

A talbot is a large heavy mostly white hound with pendulous ears and drooping flews held to be ancestral to the bloodhound.

Paul Johnson writes in his Castles of England, Scotland & Wales., (page 155) that they were "... ultra-warlike Talbots, Earls of Shrewsbury."

"Talbot, Talbott, Talbut. -- Bapt. 'the son of Talbot.' Richard Talebot, Domesday. Ricardus Talebot, Pipe Roll, 5 Hen. II. Talebot de Hadfeld, ibid. Talebotus Talebot, Fines Roll, 12 Edw. I. Talebotus de Hintlesham, 34 Edw. I BBB. p.727.

"The vexed question of the origin of this name is absolutely settled by my last references. It is a personal name. It was not local, for it is never found in conjunction with 'de.' Many surnames may be seen in Domesday, and Talebot would simply be Richard's patronymic. This explains to a certain extent the early use of Talbot as a dog's name, personal names being freely used in this manner. Gilbert as Gib became the recognized name for a cat, Cuddy (Cuthbert) for a donkey.

"'Ran Colie our dogge, and Talbot, and Gerlond.' Chaucer, C.T. 15386.

"Willelmus Talbot, 1379 P.T. Yorks. p. 146. Willelmus Talbot-man, 1379 ibid. 1580-1.. John Hedlea and Susanna Talbott Marriage Lic. (Westminster), p. 7. London, 27, 2, 1 Philadelphia, 31, 0, 0." [from, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames.; by Bardsley. c. 1980.].

In the 1990 United States Census Talbert ranked 2,688 in commonness of 88,799 total last names. Tolbert ranked 1,252. Talbott ranked 4,120.