Show ContentsLayborn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The present generation of the Layborn family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived in the village of Leybourne. Layborn is a habitation name from the broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Layborn family

The surname Layborn was first found in Kent at Leybourne, a parish, in the union of Malling, hundred of Larkfield, lathe of Aylesford. "There are considerable remains of a castle, consisting of a gateway flanked by circular towers, various arches, walls, &c., and traces of the moat by which it was surrounded; part of the ruin has long been converted into a dwelling-house." 1 A later branch of the family was found at Ashton with Stodday in Lancashire. "Ashton Hall, once the seat of the knightly family of Leyburne, and now the property of the Duke of Hamilton, is a quadrangular edifice, with a projecting wing to the east, and a square tower with angular turrets on the west; it was probably erected in the fourteenth century." 1

Early History of the Layborn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Layborn research. Another 266 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1192, 1299, 1488, 1593, 1600, 1615, 1626, 1677, 1685, 1688, 1702, 1716 and 1770 are included under the topic Early Layborn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Layborn Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Layborn include Labern, Labourne, Laborn, Labron, Laburn, Layburn, Layborn, Layborne, Laybourn, Laybourne, Leiburn, Leybourne, Leyborne, Leyburn, Leyburne and many more.

Early Notables of the Layborn family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Roger de Leiburn, summoned to the English Parliament in 1299; George Leyburn (1593-1677), an English Catholic priest, President of the English College; John Leyburn (1615-1702), an English Roman...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Layborn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Layborn family to Ireland

Some of the Layborn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 39 words (3 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 Layborn family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Layborn were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: T. Labourne, who sailed to Baltimore in 1820; Eugene Laborne, who arrived in San Francisco in 1872; George Labourne, who was on record in Halton County, Ontario, in 1877.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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