Londonish History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The name Londonish is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the region of London. Londonish is a habitation name from the broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Londonish family

The surname Londonish was first found in Berkshire, but there are two distinct thoughts as to the origin of the name.

The first is that it was derived from the Anglo-Saxon name Lunden or the Middle Welsh names Llundein or Lundein, as mentioned above. 1 In this case, it may have been a tribal or personal name. 2

The second thought is that the family were in fact, Norman. In this scenario, the first record of the family was "William de Londres, one of the conquerors of Glamorgan, 1090, ancestor of the Lords Loundres of Naas." 3

Continuing this thread, we found very early entries for the family in Bodmin, Cornwall. "The convent to which this refectory belonged, is said to have been founded originally by John de London, under the immediate patronage of Edmund Earl of Cornwall. The time of its foundation is dated by William of Worcester in the year 1229; but he calls its original founder, John, son of Ralph, lord of Kayryshays." 4

This latter entry bodes well for the aforementioned Welsh entry. So as to complicate matters, Thomas de London settled in Scotland before 1163 and William and Robert London were listed in Normandy 1180-95, according to the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae. 3

Early History of the Londonish family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Londonish research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1640 and 1714 are included under the topic Early Londonish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Londonish 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 Londonish 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. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Londonish include: London, Londen, Lunnen, Lundin, Lunden, Londoner, Londner and many more.

Early Notables of the Londonish family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Londonish Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Londonish 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 Londonish or a variant listed above: John London who settled in Virginia in 1636; Humphrey London settled in Virginia in 1639; Richard London settled in New England in 1654; Alice London settled in Barbados in 1665.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print