Show ContentsLethabay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Lethabay sprang from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the region of Lathbury near Newport. Lethabay is a habitation name from the broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Lethabay family

The surname Lethabay was first found in Buckinghamshire at Lathbury, a village and civil parish in the Borough of Milton Keynes, in the union of Newport-Pagnell, hundred of Newport. This parish which is almost surrounded by the river Ouse, comprises about 1,200 acres. The place dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Lateberie and literally meant "fortification built with laths or beams" having derived from the Old English words laett + burh. 1

There is a grand manor house which dates back to at least 1272. Later, some of the family were found at Egginton in Derbyshire. "The manor [of Egginton] afterwards vested in the family of Lathbury, of whom a coheiress brought a moiety to the Leighs; and on the death of Sir Henry Leigh in the reign of James I., the estate passed to his daughter Anne." 2

Early History of the Lethabay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lethabay research. Another 224 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1093, 1153, 1273, 1510, 1537, 1578, 1579, 1600, 1609 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Lethabay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lethabay Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Lethabay include Lathbury, Lathebury, Lathbiry, Lathebyr, Lathebyre, Lathburye, Lathburie and many more.

Early Notables of the Lethabay family

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lethabay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lethabay family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Richard LathBerry, who sailed to Virginia in 1652; John Lathbury to Virginia in 1655; Elinor LathBerry to Virginia in 1657; Daniel Lathbury to America in 1680.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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