Show ContentsLammetty History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change, including many immigrants with new names. Among these were the ancestors of the Lammetty family, whose name comes from the Old German personal name Lambert or Lanbert. These names are both composed of the elements land, which means land or territory and berht, which means bright or famous.

"Lambeth is a word of Anglo-Saxon origin, a corruption of lam-hithe, signifying the loam-hithe or muddy landing-place, and making one of the chief hithes or landing places on the banks of the Thames in Anglo-Saxon times." 1

Jaenbert, Janbriht, Jambert, Genberht, Lambert or Lanbriht (d. 791), was Archbishop of Canterbury, consecrated abbot of St. Augustine's at Canterbury in 760, and was regarded with friendship by Eadbert, king of Kent. "When foiled in his attempt to secure the body of Archbishop Bregwin for burial in his monastery, he appealed against the claim of the monks of Christ Church. His resolute behaviour excited the admiration of his opponents; they knew that he was prudent and able, and they had, it is said, no fancy for defending their claim at Rome. Accordingly they elected him to the vacant archbishopric, and he appears to have been consecrated on Septuagesima Sunday, 2 Feb. 766, and to have received the pall from Pope Paul I, probably in the course of 767." 2

"Lambert, Lanbert 'land-bright', a popular name from the 12th century, [was] probably introduced from Flanders where St Lambert of Maestricht was highly venerated." 3

Early Origins of the Lammetty family

The surname Lammetty was first found in Surrey where they were descended from the ancient Count of Mons and Louvain, born 940 A.D. died 1004. His three sons were Baldwin, Ralph, and Hugh Lambert. Accompanying Duke William to England at the Battle of Hastings, a Norman chief, Haco Lambert acquired lands from Duke William and is recorded in the Domesday Book.

Descended was Henry Fitz Lambert living in 1235 who was a benefactor of the church at Lincoln. Early records of the family were found the in the parish of Kirkby in Malham Dale in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

"The church is a large and handsome building, of the style that prevailed in the reign of Henry VII., and is the burial-place of the Lambert family, of whom General Lambert was distinguished, on the side of Cromwell, in the civil war." 4

Early History of the Lammetty family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lammetty research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1153, 1532, 1536, 1600, 1601, 1615, 1619, 1628, 1647, 1649, 1659, 1660, 1684, 1691, 1702, 1742 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Lammetty History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lammetty 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 Lambert, Lambard, Lamberth and others.

Early Notables of the Lammetty family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Lambarde, and English draper who served three times as Master of the Drapers' Company, an alderman and a sheriff of London; and his son, William Lambarde (1536-1601), an English antiquarian, writer on legal subjects, and politician; John Lambert (1619-1684), an English Parliamentary general and politician, imprisoned in the Tower of...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lammetty Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lammetty family to Ireland

Some of the Lammetty family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 128 words (9 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 Lammetty 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 Lammetty or a variant listed above: Anne Lambert, who settled in Virginia in 1653.



  1. Hargrave, Basil, Origins and Meanings of Popular Phrases & Names. London: T. Werner Laurie Ltd, Cobham House, 24 and 26 Black Friars Lane, 1949. Print
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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