Show ContentsLanghan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

There have long been several places named Langham in Britain: there is a village so named in Rutland that dates back to before the Domesday Book 1, as does the village of Langham in North Essex, which was a Saxon settlement. There was also a Langham in Norfolk and Suffolk. It is most likely that the surname Langhan was originally born by someone who hailed from one of these villages.

Early Origins of the Langhan family

The surname Langhan was first found in Suffolk where the family name was first referenced in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as William de Langham. The same rolls lists Henry de Longeham in Lincolnshire; and Dionis de Langham in Norfolk. 2 The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 lists William of Langham in Leicestershire. The name is thought to have meant "homestead of the family" or "followers of a man called Lahha." 3 Some of the family were found at Elkington in Northamptonshire since the early days. "This parish, through which passes the Grand Union canal, comprises 1868 acres of a moderately productive soil, the property of the Earl Spencer and the Langham family. " 4

Early History of the Langhan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Langhan research. Another 184 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1310, 1363, 1366, 1376, 1395, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1538, 1584, 1600, 1621, 1625, 1654, 1656, 1660, 1670, 1671, 1678, 1696, 1698, 1699, 1700, 1747, 1749 and 1766 are included under the topic Early Langhan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Langhan Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Langhan include Langham, Langam, Langum, Langhan, Langhen, Langholm and many more.

Early Notables of the Langhan family

Distinguished members of the family include Cardinal Simon de Langham (c.1310-1376), Lord Chancellor of England in 1363 and Archbishop of Canterbury in 1366, he fell foul of Edward III later, and lived out the rest of his life in Avignon, France; Sir John Langham, 1st Baronet (1584-1671), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654 and 1660, a turkey merchant by trade, he acquired a considerable...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Langhan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Langhan migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Langhan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Edward Langhan, aged 18, who arrived in New York in 1854 5

Canada Langhan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Langhan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Martin Langhan, aged 34, a yeoman, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Elizabeth" from Galway, Ireland


The Langhan 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: Nec sinit esse feros
Motto Translation: Education does not suffer them to be brutal.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  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)


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