Layfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Layfield derives its origin from the English "dweller by the lea-field", the pasture, grass-land, as at Leyfield (Nottinghamshire)." 1

Early Origins of the Layfield family

The surname Layfield was first found in Nottinghamshire at Leyfield. 1 However, we must look to Yorkshire to find the first listing of the family in early rolls - Hugo Layfield was listed as a Freeman of York in 1442. Later in London, we found William Leyfeld listed in 1484.

Stilton cheese has long been made in Leyfield Forest. Leafield is a village and civil parish about 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Witney in West Oxfordshire.

Early History of the Layfield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Layfield research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1442, 1455, 1484, 1487, 1585, 1592, 1603, 1617 and 1639 are included under the topic Early Layfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Layfield Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Layfield include Layfield, Leyfield, Leighfield, Leefield, Leafield, Layfield, Lafield and many more.

Early Notables of the Layfield family

Distinguished members of the family include

John Layfield (also spelled Laifield) (d. 1617), British theologian, fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge...

Layfield Ranking

In the United States, the name Layfield is the 8,123^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Layfield migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Layfield Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Ann Layfield, who settled in Virginia in 1635
Ann Layfield, aged 30, who landed in Virginia in 1635 3

Layfield migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Layfield Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Henry Augustus Layfield, (b. 1826), aged 34, English carver guilder from Yorkshire travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "William Miles" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st August 1860 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Layfield (post 1700) +

John Charles Layfield (b. 1966), American retired professional wrestler and football player, known by the ring name Bradshaw or JBL, currently a financial commentator and is featured regularly on Fox News and Fox Business
Jonelle Layfield (b. 1984), American beauty queen who has competed in the Miss USA pageant
Lauren Layfield (b. 1987), English television and radio presenter and journalist who works for CBBC and Capital FM
Kirstine Layfield (b. 1968), Canadian television executive, currently the Head of Shaping the Future of Media at the World Economic Forum
Malcolm Layfield, British violinist

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html