Show ContentsLeadwall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Leadwall family

The surname Leadwall was first found in Oxfordshire, at Ledwell which dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 1 where it was listed as Ledewelle and literally meant "spring or stream called the loud one" having derived from the Old English words "hlyde" + "wella." 2 At the time of the Domesday Book, the lands were listed as lands of the King had enough land for one plough and was worth 20 shillings at that time. 1

Early History of the Leadwall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leadwall research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) covering the year 1279 is included under the topic Early Leadwall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leadwall Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Leadwall are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Leadwall include Ledwell, Leadwell, Lydwell, Leddwell, Ledwall, Leadwall, Leddell, Ledell and many more.

Early Notables of the Leadwall family

More information is included under the topic Early Leadwall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Leadwall family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Leadwall, or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands. Many settled in Newfoundland..



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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