Lytton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Lytton comes from the family having resided in Litton, found in Derbyshire, Somerset, West Riding of Yorkshire and Dorset. 1 The Somerset parish is the oldest dating back to Saxon times when it was known as Hyltton c. 1060. The following dates apply for the rest: Litun, 1086 (Derbyshire); Litone, 1086 (Yorkshire); Lideton, 1204 (Dorset.) 2 Of course the 1086 date refers to their entry in the Domesday Book. 3

It is generally thought that the place names mean "farmstead on a slope," from the Old English "hlith" + "tun." 2

Early Origins of the Lytton family

The surname Lytton was first found in Cheshire where Gamel de Litton was registered in 1175. Years later, Henry de Lideton was registered in the Dorset in 1212 and Thomas de Lytton was in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire in 1327. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Hugh de Litton, Northamptonshire; and Symon de Litton, Somerset. 5

Early History of the Lytton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lytton research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1562, 1581, 1586, 1611, 1615, 1640, 1648, 1660 and 1674 are included under the topic Early Lytton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lytton Spelling Variations

Lytton has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Lytton, Litton and others.

Early Notables of the Lytton family

Notables of the family at this time include

Sir Robert Lytton of Derbyshire
Sir Roland Lytton (ca. 1562-1615) (also Rowland Litton), an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1586 and 1611
Sir William Lytton (1581-1660), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1648, supporter of the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War
Roland Lytton (1562-1615), English lawyer and politician

Lytton Ranking

In the United States, the name Lytton is the 12,788^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Lytton migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Lyttons to arrive on North American shores:

Lytton Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Beaumont Lytton, who landed in America, in 1904
Fred W. Lytton, aged 26, who immigrated to the United States, in 1905
Henry C. Lytton, aged 61, who landed in America, in 1907
George Lytton, aged 35, who settled in America, in 1909
John I. Lytton, aged 14, who landed in America, in 1910
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lytton migration to Australia +

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

Lytton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Lytton, (b. 1835), aged 20, Cornish stonemason, from Redruth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Sultana" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 19th May 1855 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Lytton (post 1700) +

L. Rogers Lytton (1867-1924), American film actor of the silent era
Bart Lytton (1912-1969), American "brash, colorful and controversial" Los Angeles financier, Democratic Party fund-raiser and philanthropist
Bart Lytton, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1960, 1964 8
Mrs. Bart Lytton, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1956 8
Edward Robert Lytton Bulwer- Lytton GCB, GCSI, GCIE, PC (1831-1891), 1st Earl of Lytton, an English statesman and poet, Viceroy of India (1876-1880)
Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer- Lytton PC (1803-1873), 1st Baron Lytton, an English novelist, poet, playwright, and politician, known for "the pen is mightier than the sword" and his infamous opening line "It was a dark and stormy night"
Paul Lytton (b. 1947), English free jazz percussionist
Louisa Lytton (b. 1989), English actress
Sir Henry Alfred Lytton (1867-1936), English actor and singer, best known for his roles in Gilbert and Sullivan operas
John Peter Michael Scawen Lytton DL FRICS MCIArb (1950-1951), 5th Earl of Lytton, Viscount Knebworth, a British surveyor and House of Lords member
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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/
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1850_59.pdf
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html