Leedham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Leedham surname lived in Latham in the West Riding of Yorkshire, in Lathom in Lancashire and Laytham in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The place-name Latham was originally derived from the Old Norse word hlathum, which is the plural form of hlath, which means a barn. Therefore the original bearers of the Leedham surname were dwellers at the barns. 1 2

Early Origins of the Leedham family

The surname Leedham was first found in Lancashire at Lathom, a village and civil parish about 5 km northeast of Ormskirk. The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Latune 3 and later as Lathum in 1200, and Lathom in 1223. One of the earliest records of the name was Robert Fitzhenry de Lathom who held lands throughout south Lancashire in 1189. The lands were "bestowed by Robert de Lathom upon the newly-founded priory of Burscough in 1189." 4

Presumably one of his descendants, Robert de Lathom in 1292 was sued by Richard, son of John de Burscough concerning a tenement in Burscough, but the case was non-suited." 4

"This place was the seat of the Lathom family, of whom Robert de Lathom, in the reign of Edward I., received the grant of a weekly market and an annual fair, and whose baronial mansion of Lathom House, remarkable for its extent and magnificence, and formidable for its strength, afterwards became so conspicuous in history. " 5

At Whiston in the parish of Prescot, "in the reign of Richard II. the Lathoms had estates here, which descended through several generations; and the Torbocks, of whom the Lathoms were a branch, were, at a very remote period, possessed of Rudgate, in this manor." 5

The parish of Huyton was another ancient family seat. "The Lathoms were early proprietors, being mentioned in the reign of Henry III. The original church was of considerable antiquity, having been granted to the priory of Burscough, at the time of its foundation, by the first (aforementioned) Robert de Lathom." 5

Early History of the Leedham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leedham research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1610, 1677 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Leedham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leedham Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Leedham are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Leedham include: Latham, Lathem, Lathom and others.

Early Notables of the Leedham family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Leedham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Leedham family to Ireland

Some of the Leedham 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.

Leedham migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Leedham Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Catharine Leedham who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for 7 years , transported aboard the "Aurora" on 22nd April 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
James Leedham, aged 22, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Nabob"

Contemporary Notables of the name Leedham (post 1700) +

Johannah "Jo" Leedham (b. 1987), English basketball player for Great Britain women's national basketball team
John L. Leedham (b. 1928), Australian rules footballer and vice captain of the official Tasmanian Football Team of the Century

The Leedham Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Aequanimitate
Motto Translation: Equanimity

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora