Lightner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the Lightner surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in a clearing or glade. The surname Lightner is derived from the Old English word leoht, which means light and is theorized to specifically mean light place in this case. The surname Lightner belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

Early Origins of the Lightner family

The surname Lightner was first found in Somerset 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 Lightner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lightner research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1529, 1546, 1564, 1578, 1588 and 1607 are included under the topic Early Lightner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lightner 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 Lightner include Light, Lyte, Lite and others.

Early Notables of the Lightner family

Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lightner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lightner Ranking

In the United States, the name Lightner is the 4,511^st most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1

Lightner migration to the United States +

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:

Lightner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Jacob Lightner, aged 8, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
Leonard Lightner, aged 36, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
Sabina Lightner, aged 45, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 2

Lightner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John George Lightner, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1841 2
Joseph Lightner, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 2
Andrew Lightner, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1856 2
Mrs. J. C. Lightner, aged 38, who arrived in America from Liverpool, England, in 1892

Lightner Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Charles F. Lightner, aged 38, who arrived in America, in 1903
Grace Lightner, who arrived in America, in 1906
Grace F. Lightner, aged 25, who arrived in America, in 1906
Charles Lightner, who arrived in America, in 1906
Mary F. Lightner, who arrived in America, in 1910
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Lightner (post 1700) +

Nathaniel Lightner (1824-1830), American politician, 3rd Mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Joseph Keith Lightner (1900-1988), American college head football coach for the Dickinson College Red Devils in Carlisle, Pennsylvania (1923 to 1925)
Otto C. Lightner, American publisher from Chicago who donated his house to the city of St. Augustine which named it The Lightner Museum
Sherri Schuler Lightner (b. 1950), American politician and community activist in San Diego, California
Clarence Everett Lightner (1921-2002), American politician, 30th Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina
Winnie Lightner (1899-1971), born Winifred Reeves, an American actress, best known for role as a gold-digger named Mabel, in Gold Diggers of Broadway (1929)
Candace Lynne "Candy" Lightner (b. 1946), American organizer and founding president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
Edwin Allen Lightner Jr. (1907-1990), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Libya, 1963-65 3
Clarence Everett Lightner (1921-2002), American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina, 1973-75; Member of North Carolina State Senate, 1977-78 3
C. W. Lightner, American politician, Member of California State Assembly 19th District, 1859-60 3
... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html