Show ContentsLiting History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Liting comes from when the family resided in Litton, found in Derbyshire, Somerset, West Riding of Yorkshire and Dorset. 1 The Somerset parish is the oldest dating back to Saxon times when it was known as Hyltton c. 1060. The following dates apply for the rest: Litun, 1086 (Derbyshire); Litone, 1086 (Yorkshire); Lideton, 1204 (Dorset.) 2 Of course the 1086 date refers to their entry in the Domesday Book. 3

It is generally thought that the place names mean "farmstead on a slope," from the Old English "hlith" + "tun." 2

Early Origins of the Liting family

The surname Liting was first found in Cheshire where Gamel de Litton was registered in 1175. Years later, Henry de Lideton was registered in the Dorset in 1212 and Thomas de Lytton was in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire in 1327. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Hugh de Litton, Northamptonshire; and Symon de Litton, Somerset. 5

Early History of the Liting family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Liting research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1562, 1581, 1586, 1611, 1615, 1640, 1648, 1660 and 1674 are included under the topic Early Liting History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Liting Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Liting has been recorded under many different variations, including Lytton, Litton and others.

Early Notables of the Liting family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Robert Lytton of Derbyshire; Sir Roland Lytton (ca. 1562-1615) (also Rowland Litton), an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1586 and 1611; Sir William...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Liting Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Liting family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Liting or a variant listed above: William Litton settled in Barbados in 1680 with his wife and five children and servants; John Litton settled in Virginia in 1623; Nicholas Litton settled in Virginia in 1630..



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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