Name: Believed by some that the name is  Danish and started as Carnute, with variations like: Cornutt, Curnutt, Carnutt, Curnutte, Cornette, etc.¹ Others believe it came from the french name of Corner for their occupation in being a cornet player. The 1990 Census showed the following frequency: Cornett: 1:750 KY; 1:1,000 IN & VA; 1:1,250 TN & OH; 1:5,000 rest of US except 1:10,000 in North East and Upper Mid West

Coat of Arms: There is a CANUTE coat of arms and many of the Cornetts of older families had this in their homes in Grayson Co.,Va. and passed The KING CANUTE story on down as verbal tradition.⁴.

History:   If the Cornetts descended from Carnutte, one may begin with the Carnutte's history. It is believed by some that the family is descended from King Canutte II of Denmark. King Canutte II of Denmark "Canute the Great" (995-1035).  He was the first Danish King of England.  Under his rule Norway was conquered.  He was the son of Sweyn, King of Denmark.¹ On the other hand, if the Cornetts were of French origin, it is likely that the family came across with William the Conqueror

Erin Cornett was born in 1676 in Northumberland, England; he raised sheep. There is no record of his wife's name. His son, Earl, was born in Southampton, England in 1696. He was a farmer and a member of the Church of England. He had seven sons: John, Roger, George, Francis, Frank, Jesse, and James. John Cornett ...born in Southampton ,England in 1727. In 1740, he sailed to the Colonies with six of his brothers. They worked as indentured servants on an English  lord's farm near Philadelphia, Pa. After gaining his freedom, John went to Henrico, Co.Va. (near Richmond) and raised tobacco for a living. He was taxed for land there on March 24,1747... His will lists that he had six sons and no daughters. His second wife was Elizabeth Bacon Mosby. She was a widow with one son... John died about 1776 at Elks Creek, Va. He was a member of St. John Episcopal Church. Four of his sons fought in the Revolutionary War (another source says six²⁾. These four were later given land grants for their war service. William and Sam settled on Line Fork... Nathaniel and Roger settled in Benge, Clay Co.⁴ "[He] died about 1776 in Elm Creek, Virginia... his children were Rebecca Canute Cornett; David Cornett, born about 1750; James Canute Cornett, born about 1755; John Samuel Cornett, born about 1759; Nathaniel Cornett born about 1760; William Jesse Cornett, born in 1761 in Henrico County, Virginia; and Roger Cornett, born about 1768.

My ancestors are William Jesse Cornett who died November 26, 1836 and is buried in Cornettsville Cemetery and Rhoda Gilliam, his first wife. They were married on May 7, 1787 in Washington County, Virginia"³  William Cornett enlisted twice in Virginia Revolutionary War units and received a pension (# W6723). His son, John (b. 1794) married Rachel (Smith) Kelly, and their son Russell  (b. 1840) married Ailey Amburgey (b.1841), their last child being Sarah Elizabeth Cornett, my grandmother. Russell and Ailey's brother, John J. Amburgey, had served together in Co B. of  Benjamin E. Caudill's 13th Cavalry CSA.