1792 New Year's Morning 9 Wha, think ye, wad be her first fit, Bat her ain true love Sandy.

1805 J. Nicol Poems I. 33 (Jam.) Ere new years' morn begin to peep At doors, the lasses sentrie keep, To let the first-fit in.

1883 J. Parker Tyne Chylde 4 How glad..the dear soul was when she had a good ‘first-foot’ on New Year's morning.

1907 N. Munro Daft Days iv. 30 The bell-man..said he was plain-soled—what's plain-soled anyhow?—and wasn't a lucky first-foot on a New Year's morning.

1928 A. E. Pease Dict. Dial. N. Riding Yorks. 43/1 I know families who have a dark farm hand who arrange that he shall be ‘firstfoot’.

1986 R. A. Jamieson Thin Wealth 25 Wan o'clock and nae first fit.

1993 I. Welsh Trainspotting (1994) 43 More first foots arrived. The small flat was heaving.

1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. 125/2 First foot, the first person met on a special occasion; specifically the first person to enter a house on New Year's Day.

2000 Dunoon Observer & Argyllshire Standard 1 Jan. 10/3 Delighted dad Eliot..reckons his bonny baby is the best first foot he's ever likely to have.

1836 Spectator 24 Sept. 926/1 Mr. John Grant..has delineated in six aquatint plates the principal scenes [sc. of the ‘Penny Wedding’]: these are ‘The Feet Washing’, ‘Meeting the First Foot’, ‘The Bride's Welcome Home’, [etc.].

1874 W. Gregor Echo Olden Time N. Scotl. xx. 116 Great attention was paid to the first fit. A man on horseback, or a horse drawing a cart..was deemed most lucky.

1879 J. Napier Folk Lore 49 He was..considered their first foot, and distributed the contents of his bottle among the party, each drinking to the health of the young married pair.

1897 A. Polson in A. Gunn & J. Mackay Sutherland & Reay Country 131 Fishermen believe that the first person met, as they set out for their boat, is a lucky or unlucky person. If they be successful on that night their ‘first foot’ gets a share of the fish.

1913 E. M. Wright Rustic Speech & Folk-lore xvi. 269 In parts of Scotland the receiver was always the first male passer-by. He constituted the child's first-foot.

1829 G. Wilson Sc. Laverock 183 They meant to first-fit Jock M'Craw, An' tailor Tammy Horner.

1851 Scotsman 1 Jan. 2/7 They raised a loud cheer, and set off..to first-foot their friends and acquaintances in the different parts of the city.

1898 J. L. Waugh ‘Mumper’ 104 I'se warrant ye hae nae black bun or currant loaf to first-fit wi'.

1921 Irish Times 12 Feb. 8/1 We have come to ‘first foot’ you.

1986 R. A. Jamieson Thin Wealth 26 ‘Du should go and see if Clemmie's light is still on,’ Mimie suggested. ‘Maybe she'll come an first fit de.’

2006 J. Robertson Test. Gideon Mack (2007) xliv. 352 The old year..became the new one. No tall dark stranger first-footed me. Nobody came at all.