Fawcett

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A surname of English origin, historically associated with several notable figures including the explorer and archaeologist Percy Harrison Fawcett
2. A family name found in English-speaking countries, borne by various distinguished individuals across different professions and time periods
3. An English surname with historical roots, recognized as the name of prominent people in exploration, science, and other fields

Etymology: Fawcett is mainly a surname, and the most likely source is a diminutive of "falcon." English surnames of this kind often came from nicknames or personal names, and the "-et" ending is a Norman French diminutive, so the name probably meant something like "little hawk." This is a likely explanation rather than a certainty, since many surnames were later respelled and their origins blurred. The same spelling also appears as an old variant of "faucet," the tap or spigot on a cask or pipe. That word came into English from Old French "fausset," a small plug for a barrel, which was formed from "fausser," meaning "to pierce" or "to break open." The two senses may have been linked in some dialects, but the surname and the tap sense have separate histories, and the two are easy to confuse.