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Layman History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Layman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient Anglo-Saxon surname Layman came from the baptismal name for the son of Leman, which was taken from the personal name Liefman. 1

Early Origins of the Layman family

The surname Layman was first found in Suffolk at Wenhaston, a parish, in the union and hundred of Blything. "The family of Leman had a [family] seat here. The church is an ancient structure in the decorated English style, with a square embattled tower, and contains several monuments to the Leman family." 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 provided some of the earliest records of the family, typically with ancient spellings: Leman Bru in Norfolk; Alan filius Leman in Cambridgeshire; Eldred Leman in Somerset; and Thomas Letman in Oxfordshire. 3

Early History of the Layman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Layman research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1185, 1616, 1637, 1645, 1660, 1667, 1690, 1695, 1701 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Layman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Layman Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Layman has been recorded under many different variations, including Leaman, Leamen, Leman, Lemon, Lemmon, Leemon, Limon and many more.

Early Notables of the Layman family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir John Leman, Lord Mayor of London in 1616; Sir William Leman, 1st Baronet (died 1667), an English politician who sat in the House of...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Layman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Layman Ranking

In the United States, the name Layman is the 3,309^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Layman family to Ireland

Some of the Layman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Layman migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Layman or a variant listed above:

Layman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Miss Phyllis Layman, who arrived in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1631 aboard the ship "Lyon" 5
Mr. Richard Layman, Jr., who arrived in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1631 aboard the ship "Lyon" 5
Miss Sarah Layman, who arrived in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1631 aboard the ship "Lyon" 5
Mr. John Layman, who arrived in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1631 aboard the ship "Lyon" 5
Mr. Robert Layman, who arrived in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1631 aboard the ship "Lyon" 5

Layman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johannas Layman, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1727 aboard the ship "Adventurer John Davies" 6

Layman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Layman, who landed in Indiana in 1852 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Layman (post 1700) +

Mrs. Walter Layman, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1964 7
Spencer Layman, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New Jersey 7th District, 1992 7
Paul Layman Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Pocahontas County Democratic Party, 1983 7
Oral G. Layman, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates from Harrison County, 1938 7
O. Guy Layman, American Republican politician, Candidate for West Virginia State House of Delegates from Harrison County, 1936 7
Nelson B. Layman, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1924, 1928 7
Jeffery L. Layman, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 2008 7
George W. Layman, American politician, Member of Virginia State Senate 7th District, 1920-21 7
Brigadier-General Walter G. Layman (1888-1944), American Assistant Chief of Staff Services of Supply US European Theater of Operations (1942-1944) 8
Jason Layman (b. 1973), American NFL football offensive lineman
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Layman family +

Halifax Explosion

Mrs. Mary Layman, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 9

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, April 2) Walter Layman. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Layman/Walter_G./USA.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance