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Our Surnames L
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LAIDLER.
Quite literally, a ladle-maker!
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LAMB.
The name comes from the animal but by various possible routes. A dweller at the
sign of the lamb, one who is gentle as a lamb or a shortened version of LAMBERT.
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LAMBERT.
A shepherd.
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LANCASTER.
From the County Town of Lancashire.
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LANGFORD.
The same as LONGFORD, deriving from a place name. There does not seem to be a
suitable Northern candidate, however.
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LANGHORN,
LANGHORNE. While one cannot discount a bawdy nickname (there are worse on
record!) it is more likely to mean a trumpeter or a dweller on a long spit of
land. The most famous LANGHORNE is probably Nancy, born in Danville, Virginia,
on 19th May 1879 and better known as Lady Astor, England’s first female MP.
There was a famous argument with one W. Churchill: “Sir, you are drunk!” –
“Madam, you are ugly, but in the morning I shall be sober!”
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Mark
Twain’s real name was of course Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Meanwhile, back in
Northern England, there are LANGHORNE's in the Lake District. Robert LANGHORNE of
Windermere joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders by giving a false age,
survived to have a career with the Westmorland Constabulary and on retirement
became Water Bailiffe on Windermere until the day he died. (ONS)
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LANGLEY.
While one can never be certain, the most probable meaning is “dweller by the
long wood” (lang leah) or from one of many villages of that name. In our
immediate area we have Langley (near Haydon Bridge, Landranger Sheet 86, Grid
Ref. NY830613) in Northumberland or Langley Park and Moor (Landranger Sheet 88,
Grid Ref. NZ215447) in Co. Durham. However, it is now clear from genetic testing
that there are at least seven different Langley families in England. The
Agecroft/Prestwich branch of the Lancashire Langleys have been prominent at
different times in England’s history, and Peter Langley has written a study of
them, available at: http://www.prestwichguide.fsnet.co.uk/where/history/langley/langley.htm
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In
particular, Thomas Langley was a trusted adviser of the Lancastrian dynasty from
John of Gaunt through to his great-grandson Henry VI and is seen by some
historians as “the first spin doctor”. His biography was written by Ian
Sharman and published in 2000. Three hundred years later, Henry Langley served
with distinction in Cromwell’s army at the siege of Clonmel. He lost his hand
in the fierce fighting, and later had a metal prosthetic made, earning him the
nickname: “Langley of the Iron Hand”. A song about him circulated at the
time.
(ONS)
langley@one-name.org (Mr. Aidan
Langley)
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LATHAN.
Could be a variant of LATHAM, a dweller by the barns, which gives several
place-names in Yorkshire and Lancashire, or could be an unrecorded variant of
LATHERON (q.v.).
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LATHERON,
LATHRON. According to family tradition, is the name a family group of Scots
adopted as a surname when they came to England from Latheron in Caithness.
Richard LATHERON m. Mary Watson 30th Dec. 1775 at St. Augustine's, Alston.
Thereafter at least 4 generations lived in the Alston area. Some did well: there
are LATHERON mining agents listed in nineteenth century directories. Richard's
youngest son was Edward, bap. 27th June 1791. Edward's son,
William, bap. 29th Oct. 1828 at the Wesleyan Chapel Nenthead, went to
Auckland, Co. Durham, where he m. Ann Smith SUMMERSON 9th Nov. 1845 at the
Church of St. Helen, Auckland. He had a large family and is believed to be the
ancestor of all living LATHERONs in the North East. There are other clusters of
LATHERONs in Ninebanks (1772-1781), and also at Hexham (1818), All Saints,
Newcastle (1761), and Ponteland (1785) which have yet to be linked with the
Alston group.
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Variant
spellings: LATHERN, LATHORN, LATHRON, LEATHERN, LATHAREN, LADERAN, LETHERAN,
HATHERAN (obvious mistake in St. Augustine's Alston Register 1787!)
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LATIMER,
LATTIMER, LATTIMOR, LATTIMORE. On who was fluent in spoken Latin and therefore
probably useful as a mediaeval diplomat.
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LAURENCE,
LAWRENCE. None of us is researching this name as such but some of “our”
names may be derived from it (e.g. LAWS, LOWE). LAURENTIUS was a Latin personal
name. St LAURENTIUS was roasted on a gridiron in 258 AD, in the reign of
Valerian.
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LAVERICK.
A nickname derived from the Lark. The bird’s name has been contracted through
the years, from lāwerce to laverok to lark. So LARK is the same surname, but LARKIN is
completely different, being a diminutive of LAURENCE! Most names spelled LVRCK
are variants, and while the name if found throughout England, LAVERICK is the
particularly Durham form. There is also a suggested connection with Leofric,
sometime king of Mercia and husband of Lady Godiva. One historical note from
London runs:
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“Hugh
Laverock, a lame old man, of the parish of Barking, and John Apprice, a blind
man, were burned at Stratford-le-Bow the 15th day of May (1556). Being had
before Bonner, in the consistory of Paul's, the 9th day of the same month, the
bishop asked Apprice what he would say. To whom he answered, "Your doctrine
that ye set forth and teach is so agreeable with the world, and embraced of the
same, that it cannot be agreeable with the scripture of God. And ye are not of
the catholic church; for ye make laws to kill men, and make the queen your
hangman." At which words, the bishop being very loth to delay their
condemnation, commanded that they should be brought after him to Fulham, whither
he before dinner did go: and there in the afternoon, after his solemn manner, in
the open church, he pronounced the definitive sentence against them. At their
death, Hugh Laverock, after he was chained, cast away his crutch; and comforting
John Apprice, his fellow-martyr, said to him, "Be of good comfort, my
brother, for my lord of London is our good physician. He will heal us both
shortly; thee of thy blindness, and me of my lameness." And so patiently
these two saints of God together suffered.”
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Another
2 years and Queen Elizabeth I would have been on the throne and it would not
have happened!
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LAWS.
(ONS). Could be dweller by the hill (hlaw)
or perhaps an abbreviation of LAURENCE
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For
additional information, see www.lawsfamilyregister.org.uk
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LAWSON.
(ONS). Son of LAW or LAWS, q.v.
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LAYBOURNE.
See LEYBOURNE
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LEA,
LEE. A dweller by the wood or clearing (leah)
or alternatively from a village of that name. However although the place-name is
common, there are no obvious North Pennine examples. There is a suggestion of a
Gypsy origin, as they travelled between England and Scotland.
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LEADBEATER.
Literally as it looks, a lead worker.
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LEIGHTON.
From the place-name. Several to choose from but the most likely is 3 miles W of
Masham, Yorks. (MAP)
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Le ROSSIGNOL. Rossignol is French for nightingale. Colloquially, and less
flattering it is a “white elephant” or a pick-lock!
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LESLIE.
This name has a rather confused heritage. If of Scottish origin, it is from the
place-name in Fife (map) or Aberdeenshire (map). In mediaeval times the name
crossed the Channel in both directions and is related to DE L’ISLE and
LEECE. It may also be derived from Old English laes
(pasture), hence “dweller by the pasture”
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LEWINS.
From the Old English personal name LEOFWINE, “beloved friend”.
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LEYBOURNE.
From Leyburn in Wensleydale, N Yorkshire. The village name means “sheltered
stream”. There is a tradition that Leyburn in Yorks took its name from the
LAYBOURNE family, but the reverse is more likely.
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LIDDELL, LIDDLE). From the place-name, Liddel, probably
that in Cumbria or possibly Roxburghshire (map). There is also the River which
gives its name to Liddesdale, see below.
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LIDDERDALE, LIDDESDALE. From the valley of that name, in the Debatable Land between England
and Scotland. (See Reivers)
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LINDSLEY,
LINDSAY, LINSLEY. Probably the same as LINDSEY and LINDLEY both of which crop up
as place-names. The meaning is “clearing where flax or a lime-tree grows” (lin or lind –leah).
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LINTON,
LYNTON. Derived from the place-name, of which there are too many to allow
speculation! The place name itself has multiple sources: the Tun-on-the- River-Lyne
(NBL), Flax-tun or Lime-tree-tun (WRY), Hlinc (Hill)-tun near Wetherby,
or Hlynn (Torrent)-tun near Skipton… etc.
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LITTLE.
As it says, little…. Or quite the reverse; one LITTLE family boasts several
generations of blacksmiths. There seems no evidence, but it’s certainly
possible, that some LITTLEs are mis-spelled LIDDLEs and vice-versa.
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LOADMAN.
A carrier or a dweller by the road or river. In Old English, the same word, lād,
meant burden, way, and watercourse.
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LOANSDALE, LONDSDALE, LONSDALE. From the valley of the River Lune.
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LOCKHART.
The chief herdsman, from loc – a fold or enclosure and hierde, a herdsman (Old
English). Alternatively, if –hart is taken to mean “hard”, as in Old
German, then the meaning becomes “defender of a stronghold”.
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LONNING.
A dweller in a lane, or perhaps a Londoner.
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LOW,
LOWE, LOWES. Four choices for this name: Wolf-like (lou); Short; a Hill Dweller (hlaw);
or a variant of Laurence (q.v.).
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LOWTHER.
Probably from the place of that name in Westmorland. Given old spellings, LAUDER
may occasionally be considered the same name. (Map)
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LUMLEY. From Great Lumley / Lumley Castle in
Co. Durham. (Landranger Sheet 88, NZ 288510). The place-name means “pool in a
woodland clearing” (Old English lumm + leah). While there are probably many
unrelated lines of LUMLEYs who have taken their name from the place, those
associated with the castle are one of Britain’s great families whose influence
has spread widely. They claim descent from LI(G)ULF, who lost his Northumbrian
estates at the time of the Conquest but recovered, probably by marriage into the
Norman nobility and by the 12th C., Robert de LUMELEYE is known to have
witnessed a charter. The license to crenellate Lumley Manor was granted to Ralph
in 1392. Ralph was lynched at Cirencester in 1400 together with the Earls of
Kent and Salisbury, following a revolt against King Henry IV. His Yorkist
grandson, Thomas, was made Governor of Scarborough Castle “for life” in
1454; more on that town to follow! George, Thomas’ son, was Sheriff of
Northumberland from 1462-64 and 1468-73. A century on, John, the 4th Lord and
his son George were active in the Pilgrimage of Grace. While John capitulated
and survived, George fought on and with others captured and held Scarborough
Castle. On his eventual surrender, he was tried, convicted and hung, drawn and
quartered at Tyburn. George’s sister, Barbara, married (1) Humphrey LLOYD, a
Welsh MP by whom she had two children. On the death of her father, who was
without an heir following his son’s unfortunate demise, she unsuccessfully
tried to claim the title for her son who was vicar of Cheam in Surrey. By her
second husband, William WILLIAMS, she founded the Welsh line of the family, the
LUMLEY WILLIAMS. There is almost continuity from there to the present day
but a vital record is missing around 1720! Meanwhile, the titles were eventually
restored and Richard LUMLEY was created Viscount Lumley of Waterford in 1628 and
his son, also Richard, was created Earl of Scarborough in 1692. With LUMLEYs
prominent in England, Wales and Ireland, what about Scotland? Patrick of LUMLE
or LUMLEY was Baillie of Lanark in 1381 and another Patrick of LUMLE (the same
man or his son, perhaps?) was one of the Scots commissioners to arrange a truce
with England in 1397. Their relationship to the rest of the LUMLEYs is not
known.
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LUMSDON.
Probably the same as LUMSDEN and so from the manor in Coldingham parish,
Berwickshire (Map). The LUMSDENs of Lumsden are recorded back to the reign of
William the Lion in the 12thC. (ONS)
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LYALL.
Probably a contraction of LIONEL which itself means “little lion”. LYALLs
have been around in Scotland since the 14th C, but usually a bit
further north than our area!
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LYTHGOE. From
Linlithgow, between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
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