Orkney Image Library

I viewed the Flett family coat of arms with great interest. My ancesters trace back to William, David, Peter (2), George Frederick and George.The later two in Australia but the others to England and originally The Orkney Islands at Kirkwall, Stromness Orkney.

I'm just wondering if you guys have any relatives in australia can you please let me know

Very interesting - does anyone know if the crest was officially registered? My ancestors mostly come from the Birsay region of Orkney them moved to Durham & finally New Zealand

This is much different than the other coat of arms I had found around the internet. At least for the region of Scotland - Two Stags Facing each other and a national flower on the bottom if I remember correctly.

I am part of the flett and im from Australia

I'm Donald Flett from Campbell River, BC Canada my family James Flett came from the orkneys in which he moved too Selkirk, MB

My ancestor, John Flett, came from the Orkney Islands in the early 1800s. He worked for the Hudsons Bay Co. and later settled on one of the Selkirk lots in the Red River area. His son moved to Sask in 1875 where he farmed at Flett Springs which is a few miles from Melfort.

Hallo , I am from NZ and my great great grand father was a Flett, from Stromness and then I believe back to either Sweden or Denmark, He settled in NZ in 1856.

My great grandmother, Catherine Flett, emigrated to Canada from the Orkneys in the early 1900's. She was a widow and homesteaded in the Binscarth, Manitoba area. My sister, cousin and I hope to see this crest at the cathedral when we visit the Orkneys this Aug. and Sept.

Documented in Kirkwall library is an article about Thorkel Flett, subject of the stained glass window.He was assassinated circa 13th C. He lent his longboat to one of the three feuding earls of Orkney. My maternal g.g. Grandfather James Flett of Fraserburgh was born in Kirkwall..
I would like to know the meaning of the term 'roithman'. is it ancient Nordic?

[A roithman had extra rights under Udal Law, such as the right of redemption, the right to buy back family lands that ahd been sold. J Storer Clouston's Records of the Earldom of Orkney 1299-1614 lists the Roithman families, many names of which will be familiar:

Berstane of Cletts
Cragy of Brough
Cromarty of Cara
Clouston of Clouston
Corrigall of Corrigall
Flett of Netherbrough
Flett of Hobbister and of Gruthay
Fraser of Tohop
Heddle of Heddle
Halcro of Halcro
Halcro of Aikers
Ireland of Ireland
Irving of Sabay
Kirkness of Kirkness
Linklater of Linklater
Loutitt of Lyking
Ness and Tulloch of Ness
Paplay of Paplay and Sands
Rendall of Rendall
Sclater of Burness
Scarth of Scarth
Sinclair of Air
Sinclair of Warsetter
Tulloch of Lambholm
Yenstay of Yenstay

- Steven]

Yes,my sister,been trying to track down our lineage,to the Orkneys, I'm from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada,

I am a descendant of Andrew Flett from Ophir, Orkney. Worked for the Hudson's Bay Co. Son John, my line

This was most interesting. My gggrandfather came to Canada in 1846, worked for HBC in McKenzie district for 36 years.
He was born in Orphir, Orkneys 1827 or 1829. After retiring he moved to Red Hill Saskatchewan and died there in Prince Albert in 1889.
He had a very distiguished record with HBC.

Found Nora Lande's comment interesting. My gggrandfather John Flett came to the Red Deer Hill area from Winnipeg in 1875. His father was from Kirkwall in the Orkneys. Wonder if there is a connection.

After years of family research, I finally discovered that I am related to John Flett (Margaret Garioch) who lived in Orphir in the early to mid 1700's. Flatt is my maiden name and my latter generations came through Maryland and ended up in Tennessee and Mississippi.

Jasper Flett was my 7th great grandfather. Does anyone have his date he died? My 6th great grandfather was James Flett who married Margaret Garrioch (Garioch). 5th great grandfather was John Flett (Flatt) who was 'transported' to America in 1757 for two counts of larceny. John married Mary Savage in Maryland, then my 4 x great John Henry Flatt migrated from Maryland to Roane Co, TN to Overton Co, TN. My 3x great Isaac Columbus Flatt migrated from Roane Co, Tn to Jackson County, TN where he died in Dec 31, 1896 in Jackson Co, TN. That is my line.

My Great grandfather was George Flett,that went with John Rae on his adventures of the Northwest Passage Added by Colleen Gray New Zealand

James Craigie married Jane Copland immigrated to NZ from Orkney. His parents were James Craigie, a merchant seaman and Jane/Jean Flett B 21.9.1802 d 2.8.1882. Her parents were George Flett and Christian Inkster. Hope I'm on the right lineage. Can anyone confirm for me? And if so can I trace the line back further?

To Kathleen Flett, please contact Nora at [email protected]

I seem to be able to get back to John Flett (1790-1873) who married Katherine Redland (1793-1865) in 1822 and four of their boys, William, Thomas, James and Joseph, left the Kirkwall area of the Orkneys for the Fenelon Falls area of Victoria County about 1.5 hours NE of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. William was my Great, Great, Grandfather and there are still Flett's in that area. I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

My family-in-law are Fletts and i managed to get back directly to Jasper Flett b. abt 1683 Orkney - Married to Helen Edward b.abt 1687, and had 7 children 5 boys and two girls. But i can't seem to find the connection any further back. I am in the process of tracing down from Thorkell and later generations which so far haven't yielded a connect to our tree yet. If anyone wants great sites to look i recommend RootsWeb's worldconnect Project Global Search and Family Search.

My great grandfather, John Flett 9/10/1831-26/11/1914 and his wife, Jessie Isbister ?/10/1839-23/8/1914 migrated from Stromness, Orkney to Victoria Australia.

John Flett is, of course, a descendent of Jasper Flett.
Other Orcadian ancestors include Isbister, Sutherland, Stockan/Stoken & Irvine, with others such as Twatt, Stove & Baikie from the Shetlands.

Hello to all the Flett's :) My name is Craig Flett and in my family there's a lot more mainly around Wales and Scotland. My grandma is wanting a canvas print of this picture but even the larger picture isn't the best resolution. Is there anyway I could get the original print? I don't mind if you put your name on the bottom. Taken by... etc. Hope you can help and thanks.

Hi there, my great great grandfather was Henry Baxter Flett who settled in Milton. My great grandmother was his second to last child Ann. I have a brooch of the coat of arms shield from a reunion held in Milton early in 1996, organised by Graham Flett.

I am from the Fletts that came to Australia..
William,Robert, James and David.....c.1924

Myeys, t name is Carole Flett from Dublin Ireland . My grandfather was Louis Douglas Flett and he came from t

Hello to all, my family tree research is pointing to the Flett families of Orkney as the source of our Flatt family's progenitor in the United States. When I came across this crest image I had to wonder about the device in the center on the black background. At the risk of sounding silly, what is it? Any help would be appreciated.

Hi there, Further to my Oct 27, 2015 comment I should mention that I'm from New Zealand and one of the NZ descendents of Henry Baxter Flett. Henry settled at Table Hill near Milton, a little town of 2000 people near Dunedin, NZ's southern most city in the province of Otago. I hadn't made that clear. Robyn Stebbing (nee Welsh)

I am a young Flett in Kings Lynn England

My Grandfather Louis Douglas FLETT came from Fraserburgh to Fort William and then to Dublin Ireland around 1870.His wife's name was Mary and he had 3 sons Jack, Douglas and Desmond Des Flett wasmy father.I wound if anyone has any info on him.

The strange looking device in the centre is actually a drinking horn. The coats-of-arms in the stained glass windows were designed by J. Storer Clouston and this one comes from a gravestone at the east end of St Magnus Cathedral next to the sleeping figure of John Rae.

Thank you so much for the clarification Spencer Rose.

My thanks too for Spencer Rosie's clarification of the Flett coat-of-arms above. I hope to see it in person someday.

I am the grandson of Raymond George Flett, I am very interested in where the Flett's originated. Jasper Flett is the futherest known ancestor of mine. Dating back to c. 1600's. I know we came from the Orkneys and we've migrated to Victoria, Australia. It's fascinating to see all these names that I have a connection to. I want to extend my knowledge of my name.

Hi. My 4th great grandfather, Charles "David" Flett came from Harray, Orkney to the province of NB, Canada, before 1860 when he died here, with his wife Jannet (Borwick) married Dec 1802, and children, John (1804-), Christian (1805-), Peggy (1807-), David (1813-), Ann (1813-), Jannet (1817-), Jean (1820-), and my 3rd g-grandfather, William Alexander (28 Jan 1815-1871) who married Mary Ann Wark in St. John, NB in 1838. Looking to find the previous generations before Charles David and Janet back in the Orkney's. The name of my line changed to FLEET by my 2nd great grandfather who moved to Fredericton, NB, although some descendants maintained the Flett surname in the Moncton, NB area.

My March 2016 post re Henry Baxter Flett didn't make it clear that he settled in Milton, New Zealand. So I'm part of the New Zealand arm of the far flung Flett family - and proud of it! Robyn Welsh-Stebbing, Auckland, New Zealand

Hi Robyn Welsh-Stebbing! You still have some relatives in Orkney through the mother of the first Henry Baxter Flett - Ann Spence Wood. She was born in Evie in Orkney, and there are still Woods in Evie. I went to school with one, who would be your fifth cousin.

My family came from a fishing village called Footdee. Its the end of a river that comes from Braemar Ballater right through the northeast and meets the sea in Aberdeen.

Are there any Flett family members on here related to Albert Flett, born Flotta 1916? His parents were John and Ellen Flett.

Hi Robyn Welsh-Stebbing and Stewart Miller! You also have relatives in Western Australia and the Northern Territory - some of the children and beyond of Marjory Lowell, daughter of Mary Flett, daughter of David Flett & Margaret Jane Seed, from Henry Baxter Flett & Mary Douglas (and so on) :)

My husband's mother was Lillian Kathleen Flett b 10th April 1916 u.c.h London d 1969 Brent London. Had a twin sister. D of Arthur Henry Flett b 22nd Dec 1891 51 High st Erith Kent He was s of a John Henry Flett. Love to hear from any interested searchers.

My husband is Michael Donald Flett and his father was Robert Martin Gibbons Flett - we've been told his family originate from Orkney don't know if there are any relatives there?

Hi. I'm from Wellington New Zealand. My grandfather, Alfred James Flett came to New Zealand from Banff in Northern Scotland. I'd love to find out more information about my family....has anyone got a family tree?

Sorry, I got my Grandfathers name wrong in my earlier post, it was actually William Alfred Flett.

Hi my name Don Flett my dad Willie Flett his Henry Flett, Thomas Flett, William Flett, James Flett originated Orkney Islands

Hi Robyn Welsh-Stebbing.
I think that I am descended from Henry Baxter Flett’s younger sister Helen. They emigrated to Australia with their parents in 1853.
Henry Baxter headed to New Zealand.p from there I believe.
Helen stayed in the gold fields of Victoria Australia.

I am visiting from Australia. My grandmother was Ada Jane Flett, passed away in 1952. Her father was Peter Spence Flett, from Orkney Island. I am visiting Orkney in the near future and would like some info on where he originated.

For those seeking information on their family history, please contact Orkney Family History Society. They have a dedicated team of volunteers who are happy to help with research. They have a website and a Facebook page and an office within the Orkney Library & Archive open daily except Sundays.

My great grandfather was John Smith Flett. The family who put the window in the Kirk. We are direct descendant s of the family who is still on Orkney. Part of our family left with the Hudson Bay. Part live in Vancouver. Part in Australia. Part in London part still on the original farm in Orkney .

Roithman was a term for udal landowners that had priveleges as councilmen on the court. Fletts as landowners of land inherited from Chieftan Thorkell Flettir. The other Roithmen on that stained glass are Hacro, Ayrland and Paplay. The head of the court was Cloustath - the Lawman

I've only just been alerted to these most recent comments and I'm delighted to read them. Thanks to Stewart Miller 5 May 2018, Christine Christie 23 April 2019 and everyone else. This is wonderful

Hello fellow Fletts. I have traced my paternal Flett lineage to James Flett b 1660 in Burghead . His father was John Flett b 1640 likely in Kirkwall. Probably of the Fletts of Netherbrough, Hobbister , Gruthay. My immediate family from 1700s on are from Findochty. I have a Facebook page - Findochty Fletts. Look me up. I have alot of family history there and I need more input from you all . Cheers. Robert Alexander Mckerrell Flett

Wow. This is amazing. My grandfather was John Flett from Victoria, Australia. My dad was James Alexander, died in 1992. Would love to hear from other Victorian Flett’s.

Hi there,..
My name is Joe Deighton, but was born Joe Flett.
My ancestry dates back from 1762, when William Flett came to Canada. My bloodline was proven to go back all the way to William Flett, by the St Boniface Historical museum, in Winnipeg.Is there any other Flett’s that have the same family tree?..:)
Please feel free to contact me,..;)

My father and his family emigrated from Findochty, UK to Canada in 1929. My dad was 10 years old at the time. My father's name was David Alexander Smith Flett. He was the youngest of 5 brothers and a sister. I presently live in Western New York State about 30 minutes from the Canadian border. I still have Flett family in Southern Ontario.

My descendants came from Findochty in Scotland where Flett is a common surname. I think the fishing village was established by several Flett brothers who are most likely to have come from the Orkneys. My great grandfather Dr William Simpson Flett came to Australia in the 1880s joining his wife and other family members who had emigrated progressively from the 1860s.

I'm a descendant of James Flett and Ann Scott of Kirkwall. James's parents were John Flett and Margaret Wishart. Ann's parents were Charles Scott and Eliza Bruce. James and Ann's son Robert Scott Flett travelled to Australia in 1895, then he settled in New Zealand. He married Hannah Leah Tomline. James and Ann are buried in the kirkyard of St Magnus Cathedral. I live in New Zealand.

Hi Sharon, I live in Auckland New Zealand and I'm related to Henry Baxter Flett and Mary Douglas, five generations back. I googled Robert Scott Flett found an "Old Wellington Region" page that included a 2020 post of a photo of Robert at Lyall Bay in Wellington. Graham Flett in Milton compiled a great Flett family history some time back. Message me [email protected] if you want some more contacts. Great to read your post.

Hello from South Australia, Australia. My direct ancestors are:
2nd great grandparents: Elizabeth Walls Flett married Jesse Russ Wake
3rd great grandparents Robert Flett married Margaret Garrioch (migrated from Orkney, Scotland).
4th great grandparents Thomas Flett and Jean Hutcheson
5th great grandparents William Flett and Margaret Allan
6th great grandparents Thomas Flett and Jean Gunn

I welcome any comments and corrections.

Susie Colwell, I think I am your children's generation from the same lineage. Isaac> George> Causby> Edward> Bobby Sr> Bobby Jr> me. Just wanted to connect and see what information you have been able to dig up in comparison to my own.

Also if anyone has any information further back than Magnus Flett born ~1480 Orkney Isles, Scotland that would be MUCH appreciated!

I received a message on Nov 20 2023 about a John Flett 1788 to 1865 who came to Canada with the HBC. He married Janette McKay. My 3ggg also John Flett 1784 to 1865 with HBC married Isabella Murray. I have a 3ggg Janet McKay the daughter of william McKay and Barbara Sutherland. She married Alexander Bannerman. There were several McKay families who came here. I have checked the ship passenger lists but cannot find a Janette McKay. I had a problem with the message which disappeared so I am sorry I could not respond to it.

I was born in Footdee, Aberdeen in 1936. My father was
William Smith Flett

This has been around for awhile, but I will add my own to this.

Every male was named William in my family, I was, my father was, his father was and his father was.

To my understanding, William Flett sr.sr.sr. married a Woods Cree Native within the Red River area, they had 6 kids and each of their kids had 4 to 6 kids.

The only information about my great, grandfather I have is that he moved to Canada with the HBC and had a wife and two children. The wife and youngest died in Canada's winters and then he remaried, having 6 children. My grandfather is the youngest one of these children and he is about 90 years old. William Gordon Flett. Apparently the family is from both Shetland and Orkney.

Hello all. I love that we are all connected in this big wide world.
My 10th great grandfather is Jasper of Hobbister Flett and the Fletts go down all the way to my 2nd great grandmother. I'm trying to fill in my tree and I know I also have a lot of Stewart, Sinclair and Frasers in my family. I'm trying to find where Margaret Fraser fits into Jasper Flett's family. Thanks for any information. I'm eager to learn and so want to visit Scotland and the Orkney. Orkney cakes all the way!

I'm the great granddaugther of Flett from Nelson nz

Hello. I am Deborah Gail (née) Flett. My father was John Andrew. My grandfather was Wallis Oakhampton Flett. I am holiday in Orkneys for a few days. Heading to the Kirkwall Cathedral to look for the coat of arms. Wish my eyes hadn’t glazed over when my father would tell me what he had found about our lineage when I was young. Sadly his research has gone with him.