First found in Yorkshire where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

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 Lidstones to arrive on North American shores: Thomas Lister, who settled in Virginia in 1635; Mary Lister settled in the Barbados in 1680 with her servants; Elizabeth Lister arrived in New York State in 1811.

Motto Translated: Still treading the footsteps of an honourable ancestry.