Leyder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Leyder is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It was a name given to a drover; a driver of a cart or vehicle carrying cargo of one kind or another. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English word lædere, which meant leader, because of course the driver had to lead the horses pulling the cart. 1 Occupational names that were derived from the common trades of the medieval era transcended European cultural and linguistic boundaries. Occupational names have remained fairly common in the modern period. This is attested to by the continuing appearance of occupational suffixes at the end of many English surnames. Some of these suffixes include: herd, monger, maker, hewer, smith, and wright. Similarly, surnames of office, which include military, judicial, papal and other positions of authority, are widespread throughout Europe. Those who were involved in the military, or feudal armies, were given names such as the English surname Archer, the French name Chevalier and the German name Jeger, which means hunter. Names that were derived from judicial and papal titles, such as Bailiff, Squire and Abbott, are still commonly seen with the same surname spelling today.

Early Origins of the Leyder family

The surname Leyder was first found in Durham where one of the first records of the name was Ralph Ledere who was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1243. Later, Henry le Leeder was listed at Pichbeck, Suffolk in 1328. 2

From these early entries for the family, we move forward many years to find Richard Ledar, rector of Fouldon, Norfolk in 1519 and Thomas Leader held lands in Norfolk in 1654. 3 Leeder was the name of the rector of Hale church in 1566. 4

Early History of the Leyder family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leyder research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1243, 1553, 1558, 1601, 1688, 1767, 1771, 1798, 1810, 1812, 1818, 1823, 1826, 1828, 1885 and 1903 are included under the topic Early Leyder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leyder Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Leyder include Leader, Leeder and others.

Early Notables of the Leyder family

Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Leyder Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Leyder family to Ireland

Some of the Leyder family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leyder migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Leyder were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Leyder Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Fridc Leyder, aged 21, who landed in New York in 1854 5

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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)