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Light History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Light History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The present generation of the Light family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived in a clearing or glade. The surname Light is derived from the Old English word leoht, which means light and is theorized to specifically mean light place in this case. The surname Light belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

Early Origins of the Light family

The surname Light was first found in Somerset where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Light family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Light research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1529, 1546, 1564, 1578, 1588 and 1607 are included under the topic Early Light History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Light Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Light include Light, Lyte, Lite and others.

Early Notables of the Light family

Notables of the family at this time include

Henry Lyte (c. 1529-1607), an English botanist and antiquary, best known for two works, A niewe Herball (1578), which was a translation of the Cruydeboeck of Rembert Dodoens (Antwerp, 1564) and The Li...

Light Ranking

In the United States, the name Light is the 1,847^th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 1

Light migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Light were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Light Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elias Light, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 2
Richard Light, who landed in Virginia in 1636 2
Rich Light, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 2
Elias Light, who settled in Virginia in 1637 along with Richard
George Light, who arrived in Virginia in 1648 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Light Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Barnaby Light, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 2
Emlin Light, who landed in Virginia in 1702 2
Anna Light, aged 19, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Catarin Light, aged 50, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Chris Light, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Light Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Light, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1822 2
E Light, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
Elisha Light, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
H Light, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
Morris Light, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1860 2

Light migration to Australia +

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

Light Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Abraham Light, (b. 1775), aged 41, English convict who was convicted in Sussex, England for life for theft, transported aboard the "Fame" on 9th October 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1820 3
Mr. Thomas Light, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
Mr. Joseph Light, Jr., English convict who was convicted in Dorset, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 13th March 1828, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
Mr. Thomas Light, English convict who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 2nd February 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
Mr. John Light, English convict who was convicted in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Eden" on 27th August 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1889 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Light 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:

Light Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Philip Light, aged 32, a brickmaker, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Queen of the North" in 1874
Mary Ann Light, aged 30, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Queen of the North" in 1874
William Light, aged 7, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Queen of the North" in 1874
Henrietta Light, aged 5, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Queen of the North" in 1874
George Light, aged 1, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Queen of the North" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Light (post 1700) +

Jay Owen Light (1941-2022), American academic administrator and corporate director, 9th Dean of the Harvard Business School
Robert S. "Bob" Light (1927-2015), American politician, Member of the New Mexico House of Representatives (1985-1996)
Matthew Charles Light (b. 1978), American star offensive tackle on the New England Patriots
Judith Light (b. 1949), American actress
Enoch Light (1905-1978), American classical violinist, bandleader, and recording engineer
Edward B. Light, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Guadalajara, 1897-1905 8
Edith M. Light, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Virginia, 2000 8
Catherine Light, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1960 (alternate), 1964, 1968 (alternate) 8
Asaph S. Light, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Lebanon, Pennsylvania, 1892-96 8
Arthur S. Light, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for New York State Engineer and Surveyor, 1920 8
... (Another 27 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Light family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Herbert Light, English 3rd Class passenger residing in Camden, New Jersey, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 9

RMS Titanic

Mr. C. Light (d. 1912), aged 23, English Plate Steward from Christchurch, Dorset who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 10
Mr. Christopher William Light (d. 1912), aged 20, English Fireman/Stoker from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 10
Mr. W. Light (d. 1912), aged 47, English Fireman/Stoker from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 10

Citations +

"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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html