Show ContentsLemmon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Lemmon is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Leman, which was taken from the personal name Liefman. 1

Early Origins of the Lemmon family

The surname Lemmon was first found in Suffolk at Wenhaston, a parish, in the union and hundred of Blything. "The family of Leman had a [family] seat here. The church is an ancient structure in the decorated English style, with a square embattled tower, and contains several monuments to the Leman family." 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 provided some of the earliest records of the family, typically with ancient spellings: Leman Bru in Norfolk; Alan filius Leman in Cambridgeshire; Eldred Leman in Somerset; and Thomas Letman in Oxfordshire. 3

Early History of the Lemmon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lemmon research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1185, 1616, 1637, 1645, 1660, 1667, 1690, 1695, 1701 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Lemmon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lemmon Spelling Variations

Lemmon 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. Many variations of the name Lemmon have been found, including Leaman, Leamen, Leman, Lemon, Lemmon, Leemon, Limon and many more.

Early Notables of the Lemmon family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir John Leman, Lord Mayor of London in 1616; Sir William Leman, 1st Baronet (died 1667), an English politician who sat in the House of...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lemmon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lemmon Ranking

In the United States, the name Lemmon is the 4,125th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 4

Ireland Migration of the Lemmon family to Ireland

Some of the Lemmon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Lemmon 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 Lemmons to arrive on North American shores:

Lemmon Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robert Lemmon, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1637 5
Lemmon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Roger Lemmon, who landed in Virginia in 1703 5
  • Richard Lemmon, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1797 5
Lemmon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Lemmon, who landed in New York in 1827 5
  • David Lemmon, who landed in Maryland in 1830 5
  • Thomas Lemmon, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1845 5

Canada Lemmon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lemmon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Lemmon, who arrived in Canada in 1816

Australia Lemmon migration to Australia +

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

Lemmon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Noah Lemmon, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1839 6
  • Sarah Lemmon, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1839 6

New Zealand Lemmon 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:

Lemmon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Lemmon, (b. 1839), aged 24, Scottish labourer, from Banffshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Sebastopol" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st May 1863 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Lemmon (post 1700) +

  • William B. Lemmon, American politician, Postmaster at Butler, Pennsylvania, 1841-45
  • Robert Lemmon, American politician, Postmaster at Salisbury, Maryland, 1797-1810, 1812-17
  • Richard Lemmon, American politician, Postmaster at Salisbury, Maryland, 1810-12, 1817-37
  • Nicholas Lemmon, American politician, Postmaster at Westminster, Maryland, 1801-09
  • Michael Craig Lemmon (b. 1946), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, 2000-
  • John H. Lemmon, American politician, Representative from New York 15th District, 1894
  • John T. Lemmon, American politician, Mayor of Rochester, Minnesota, 1925-27, 1930-31
  • John Lemmon, American politician, Member of Iowa American Independent State Central Committee, 1971; American Independent Candidate for Presidential Elector for Iowa, 1972
  • Charles M. Lemmon, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for U.S. Representative from Indiana 7th District, 1908
  • Charles Lemmon, American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Washington, 1836
  • ... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


Suggested Readings for the name Lemmon +

  • John Lemmon and his Wife, Elizabeth Mickey: Pioneer Settlers of Colonial Pennsylvania by Lawrence Clifton Lemmon.

  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. 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)
  6. State Library of South Australia. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) ASIA 1839 from London with Captain Benjamin Freeman and 245 passengers, arrived Port Adelaide on 16-07-1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Asia-list.htm
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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