The name Tait appears to have originated in Berwickshire in the border country of Scotland and their ancestral roots can be traced back to Boernician origin prior to the year 1100.

It would appear that the Taits branched out and migrated, gaining prosperity as a notable family in the border counties of Scotland and England.

There are references to the name Tait originally being a nickname. A certain Bede tells us that Ethelberga, daughter of Ethelbert, king of Kent, was otherwise called ‘ ‘Tate’ (fem), and nine individuals named ‘Tata’ (masc) are recorded. The word means ‘glad’, ‘cheerful’.

Between 1362-70 there are a number of entries of payment of pension to John Tayte, clerk, who appears to have been connected with the hospital of Montrose.

There is reference to an Alexander Tayt who was burgess of Edinburgh in 1381 and also to a Robert Tait who was a tenant of the land of Wydsyd in 1531 The name also appears in Orkney in 1575.

A family of the name were proprietors of the barony of Cherrytrees in 1605 and Tait of Pirn, an ancient family in Tweedale, ended in two heiresses, Margaret and Anne.

Archibald Campbell Tait (1811-1882), born in Edinburgh, became Archbishop of Canterbury.