Licht History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The roots of the distinguished and ancient German surname are unclear; there are many possible origins for this name, all corresponding to different regions. Firstly, the name may be derived from the Middle High German "licht," meaning "light, lamp"; in this instance, the name would have been originally borne by a maker of lanterns or candlesticks. Alternatively, the name may be related to the Middle High German "liht," meaning "light-hearted, careless, unsteady." In this case, the name would have originated as a nickname, bestowed on someone with a light-hearted disposition. Finally, the surname may be derived from "Lichte," the name of a town in Thuringia, which is itself derived from the Middle High German "lichta," meaning "clearing."

Early Origins of the Licht family

The surname Licht was first found in various regions of Germany and the surrounding areas of Switzerland, Austria, France, and Belgium. The many possible origins of the name Licht make it likely that several branches of the family emerged independently in different areas. The written history of the name Licht dates back to 1275, when Egelolfus and Berhta dicti zem Liehte of Solothurn, Switzerland were recorded in the "Mittlehochdeutsches Namenbuch." The many branches of the young Licht family were instrumental during this early period, each contributing greatly to the development of the medieval society of its particular region.

Early History of the Licht family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Licht research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1283, 1295, 1617, 1705, 1748, 1762 and 1822 are included under the topic Early Licht History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Licht Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Licht, Lichte, Likht, Liehte, Leicht and others.

Early Notables of the Licht family

Notables of the time with the name Licht included

François de Licht (c.1617), a Belgian priest and humorist, Johan Gotfred Licht (1705-1762), a prominent Danish physician and author, and Ferdinand Licht (1748-1822), a famous Austrian painter

Licht Ranking

In the United States, the name Licht is the 13,730^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Licht migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Licht Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Peter Licht, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1737 2
Johan Jacob Licht, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 2
Johan Nickel Licht, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 2
Jacob Licht, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 2

Licht Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Philipp Licht, who landed in North America in 1853 2
A Maria Licht, who landed in North America in 1857 2
Anna Maria Licht, who arrived in Brazil in 1857 2
Jacob Heinrich Licht, who arrived in Ohio in 1869 2
Jakob H Licht, who landed in Cincinnati, Oh in 1869-1870 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Licht (post 1700) +

Daniel "Dan" James Licht (1957-2017), American soundtrack composer and musician
David Licht (b. 1904), American actor and stage director
Alan Licht (b. 1968), American guitarist and composer

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)