Liton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the name Liton date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Liton family lived 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 Liton family

The surname Liton 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 Liton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Liton 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 Liton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Liton Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Liton are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Liton include: Lytton, Litton and others.

Early Notables of the Liton 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 Liton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Liton family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Liton 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..

Citations +

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