Lemming History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient roots of the Lemming family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Lemming comes from when the family lived in the village of Leeming which was in the county of Yorkshire near the town of Bedale. The surname Lemming is a Habitation name which forms a broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. Habitation names were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. In this case the surname Lemming denotes those who came from Leeming.

Early Origins of the Lemming family

The surname Lemming was first found in Yorkshire 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 Lemming family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lemming research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1273 is included under the topic Early Lemming History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lemming Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Lemming has appeared include Leeming, Leming and others.

Early Notables of the Lemming family

Distinguished members of the family include

Stephen Lemming of Yorkshire

Migration of the Lemming family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Lemming arrived in North America very early: Robert Leming arrived in Fort Cumberland in 1774; Thomas Leming settled in Jamaica in 1773.

Contemporary Notables of the name Lemming (post 1700) +

Eric Lemming (1880-1930), Swedish three time gold Olympic medalist for javelin throw during 1908 and 1912 games