Lownday is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Lownday family lived near a grove deriving its origin from the Old English word lundr, which means grove.
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Early Origins of the Lownday family
The surname Lownday was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.
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Early History of the Lownday family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lownday research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lownday History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Lownday Spelling Variations
Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Lowndes, Lownde, Lownd, Lownes and others.
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Early Notables of the Lownday family
More information is included under the topic Early Lownday Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Lownday family
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Lownday or a variant listed above: Edward Lownes settled in Virginia in 1637; Mary Lownes settled with her husband in Virginia in 1652; John and Alexander Lownd settled in Virginia in 1635.
England
