Show ContentsLilienthal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Lilienthal

What does the name Lilienthal mean?

Lilienthal is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname that came from the popular female personal name Elizabeth, derived from Lyliesis. 1 The name Lilienthal is a metronymic surname, which is derived from the name of the mother. Occasionally, the surname is derived from residence in the settlement of Lilley (meadow where flax was grown) in Hertfordshire or in the place called Lilly in Berkshire. 2 "The Berkshire Lilly seems to be the Lilling-leáh of an Anglo-Saxon charter-Lill-, the fairly common personal name." 3

Early Origins of the Lilienthal family

The surname Lilienthal was first found in Bedfordshire where Alan Lilie was found in the Assize Rolls of 1247. Later in Yorkshire, we found Thomas son of Lylie recorded at Wakefield in 1296. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two listings for the family, both in Oxfordshire: Nicholas Lilie; and William Lilie whereas the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Beatrix Lyly as holding lands there at that time. 4

"Lilley and Lill are ancient Lincolnshire names. There was a Hugh Lilly in the wapentake of 'Aswardhurn,' South Lincolnshire, in the reign of Edward I.; at the same time the names of Lille and Lilie occurred in Oxfordshire." 5

Early History of the Lilienthal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lilienthal research. Another 192 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1546, 1553, 1560, 1564, 1571, 1578, 1580, 1602, 1605, 1606, 1618, 1652, 1680, 1681 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Lilienthal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lilienthal 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. Lilienthal has been recorded under many different variations, including Lillie, Lilie, Lilley, Lilly and others.

Early Notables of the Lilienthal family

Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680), born Pieter van der Faes, a Dutch painter whose career was nearly all spent in England, where he became the dominant portrait painter to the court. John Lyly (Lilly or Lylie; c.1553-1606), was an English writer, poet, dramatist, playwright, and politician, best known for his books "Euphues, The Anatomy of Wit" (1578) and...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lilienthal Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lilienthal Ranking

In the United States, the name Lilienthal is the 16,452nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Lilienthal family to Ireland

Some of the Lilienthal family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lilienthal 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 Lilienthal or a variant listed above: John Lilie who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1738; Richard Lilley settled in Virginia in 1656; James Lilley settled in Virginia in 1774; Henry Lilley settled in Virginia in 1642.


Contemporary Notables of the name Lilienthal (post 1700) +

  • Jesse W. Lilienthal Jr., American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for California, 1924 7
  • Peter Lilienthal (1927-2023), German film director, writer, actor and producer
  • Otto Lilienthal (1849-1896), German "Glider King," was a pioneer of human aviation. He was the first person to make repeated successful gliding flights


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. 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. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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