Show ContentsLedwall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Ledwall family

The surname Ledwall was first found in Oxfordshire, at Ledwell which dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 1 where it was listed as Ledewelle and literally meant "spring or stream called the loud one" having derived from the Old English words "hlyde" + "wella." 2 At the time of the Domesday Book, the lands were listed as lands of the King had enough land for one plough and was worth 20 shillings at that time. 1

Early History of the Ledwall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ledwall research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) covering the year 1279 is included under the topic Early Ledwall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ledwall Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Ledwell, Leadwell, Lydwell, Leddwell, Ledwall, Leadwall, Leddell, Ledell and many more.

Early Notables of the Ledwall family

More information is included under the topic Early Ledwall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ledwall family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Ledwall or a variant listed above were: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands. Many settled in Newfoundland..



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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