The name Emmett is derived from the Germanic root "amat", which means "truth" or "strength". It is believed to have originated as a surname in England and France during the Middle Ages, possibly stemming from the Old French name "Amaury".

In the 13th century, the name Emmett appeared in English and French records as a variant spelling of the name Amaury or Emery. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Emmett was in 1273, when an Emmett de Rovecestre was mentioned in the Oxfordshire Hundred Rolls of England.

The name Emmett gained popularity in the United States during the 19th century. One notable bearer of the name was Emmett Till, an African American teenager whose brutal lynching in 1955 became a pivotal event in the American Civil Rights Movement. Till's tragic death helped to galvanize support for the cause and brought national attention to the issues of racism and violence against African Americans.

Another famous Emmett was Emmett Kelly Sr., an American circus performer and clown who popularized the "weary hobo" clown character in the early 20th century. Kelly was born in 1898 and performed with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for many years, becoming one of the most famous clowns of his time.

In literature, Emmett Wilson is a character in the novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain, published in 1884. Wilson is a young boy who befriends Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, and joins them on their adventures along the Mississippi River.

The name Emmett has also been associated with several notable figures in the field of science and technology. Emmett Leith, born in 1927, was an American physicist and electrical engineer who made significant contributions to the development of holography and optical information processing.

Emmett Chappelle, born in 1925, was an American biochemist and astrobiologist who worked for NASA and developed techniques for detecting life on other planets. His work was instrumental in the search for extraterrestrial life and the exploration of Mars.