Show ContentsLyne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The distinguished surname Lyne is a proud example of one of the more noteworthy Scottish surnames. In Scotland, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules and during the late Middle Ages, names that were derived from localities became increasingly widespread. Local names originally denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. The Lyne family originally lived in the Norman settlement of Lyons-la-Foret, before migrating to England and Scotland. 1

Early Origins of the Lyne family

The surname Lyne was first found in Perthshire where Sir Roger de Lyon settled in Scotland in 1098 and called the lands there Glen Lyon. "According to the family tradition the Lyons came to Scotland from France, by way of England, in the course of the twelfth century." 2

However, it appears the family was indeed in England before the 1100s. "Ingelram de Lions came to England 1066, and held Corsham and Culington from the King. He had Ranulph, whose brother William de Lions had a grant in Norfolk from Earl Walter Giffard, and left descendants there." 1

Moving north into Scotland, "John de Lyon obtained from David II a grant of the baronies of Forteviot and Fergundeny in Perthshire and Drumgawan in Aberdeenshire; his son, Sir John Lyon, was Secretary to Robert II, whose youngest daughter, Lady Jane Stewart, he married, and was created Lord Glamis, made Great Chamberlain, and Lord Chancellor of Scotland, and received grants of the Thanedom of Glamis in Forfarshire, and of the Barony of Kinghorn in Fifeshire. " 3

Another source claims that the family arrived via England later. "The name was not uncommon in England in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and landowners of the name were in occupation in several of the English shires in the reigns of Edward I and Edward II. The first of the name recorded in Scotland, probably an English soldier, was Thomas Lyon, crossbowman, who formed one of the garrison of Linlithgow peel in the pay of Edward II. " 2

Mention should now be made of the numerous listings of the family in England at about the same time. Here it is generally thought that the first record of the name was Roger de Leonibus filius Jeffrey de Lions who was listed in the Feet of Fines of Norfolk during the reign of Henry III of England (reign 1216-1272.) The same source lists John de Leonibus in Southamptonshire and Peter de Leonibus in Northamptonshire. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Judaeus Leo and Jacob filius Leonis in Lincolnshire; John Leon in Oxfordshire; and Roger de Lyons, Wiltshire. 4

Early History of the Lyne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lyne research. Another 351 words (25 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1105, 1203, 1275, 1310, 1332, 1334, 1342, 1371, 1381, 1393, 1411, 1425, 1445, 1499, 1509, 1525, 1550, 1643, 1663, 1695, 1696, 1702, 1707, 1712, 1715 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Lyne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lyne Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lyon, Lions, Lyons and others.

Early Notables of the Lyne family

Notable among the family at this time was John Lyon, 2nd Earl of Kinghorne; and his son, Patrick Lyon, 3rd Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne (1643-1695), a Scottish peer; John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne (1663-1712), a Scottish peer; John Lyon, 5th...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lyne Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Lyne family to Ireland

Some of the Lyne family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 118 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Lyne migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lyne Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mary Lyne, aged 6, British settler who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Abigail" 5
  • Fra Lyne, who arrived in Virginia in 1651 5
  • Daniel Lyne, who landed in Maryland in 1668 5
  • Thomas Lyne, who arrived in Maryland in 1674 5
Lyne Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Lyne, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1743 5
Lyne Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Hendrik Lyne, aged 32, who landed in New York, NY in 1851 5
  • Janna Lyne, aged 22, who arrived in New York, NY in 1851 5
  • Arend Lyne, who landed in New York, NY in 1851 5
  • Michael Lyne, aged 30, who landed in New York in 1854 5
  • Mrs. Isabella Lyne, aged 25, Scottish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Lyne migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lyne Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Samuel Lyne, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
  • Rd Lyne, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Samuel Lyne, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750

Australia Lyne migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Lyne Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Lyne a sawyer, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Emma" in 1836 6
  • Rebecca Lyne, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Emma" in 1836 6
  • Mr. George Henry Lyne, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 28th March 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) from Bermuda 7
  • John Lyne, aged 20, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Lord Hungerford"

New Zealand Lyne migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Lyne Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William L. Lyne, aged 34, a farmer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • Elizabeth Lyne, aged 39, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • William L. Lyne, aged 14, a farmer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • George T. H. Lyne, aged 12, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • Thomas C. Lyne, aged 10, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Lyne migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 8
Lyne Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Felix Lyne, who settled in Barbados in 1635
  • Phelix Lyne, aged 25, who arrived in Barbados in 1635 5
  • Mr. Phelix Lyne, (b. 1610), aged 25, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Lyne (post 1700) +

  • Fritz Lanham Lyne Jr. (b. 1955), American businessman and politician, Texas State Representative from District 69 (2011-2013)
  • Timothy Joseph Lyne (1919-2013), American Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church
  • Dr. Greg Lyne, American noted choral director, arranger, composer, Professor at several Universities including Arizona State University
  • Joseph "Father Ignatius "Leycester Lyne (1837-1908), English prelate, Anglican Benedictine monk; he founded a movement to introduce monasticism into the Church of England
  • Charlie Lyne (b. 1991), British film critic and filmmaker, best known for the films Beyond Clueless and Fear Itself
  • Neil Lyne (b. 1970), English former professional footballer
  • Sir William John Lyne (1844-1913), Australian politician, 13th Premier of New South Wales (1889-1901)
  • Rebecca "Becky" Lyne (b. 1982), English middle-distance runner
  • Andrew G Lyne (b. 1942), British physicist, Professor of Physics at the University of Manchester
  • Adrian Lyne (b. 1941), English actor and film director

HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. Raymond Vivian Lyne (1922-1941), Australian Ordinary Seaman from Oakleigh, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 10
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Arthur Richard Lyne, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 11


The Lyne Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pro rege et patria
Motto Translation: For King and country.


  1. 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)
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  3. Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. 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)
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emma. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836Emma.gif
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bangalore
  8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  9. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  10. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  11. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html


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