Lessington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Lessington

What does the name Lessington mean?

The Lessington surname was derived from "the lordship of Lexington, now Laxton in Nottinghamshire, which was possessed by Richard de Lexinton temp. King John." 1

"The village, which is considerable, and situated on a gentle acclivity, appears to have been formerly a place of some importance; it gave the title of Baron to the family of Lexington." 2

The reader should note that there are at least two other parishes and villages named Laxton in England (Yorkshire and Northamptonshire), but it is the village in Nottinghamshire that this family hails from.

Early Origins of the Lessington family

The surname Lessington was first found in Nottingham where John de Lexington received a charter from King Henry III in 1218 for lands in Tuxford Nottinghamshire and in doing so, became Lord of Tuxford. His son Robert De Lexington was appointed Chief Justice of Common Pleas, by Henry III in 1241. Rowland, 5th Lord of Sutton married Alice de Lexington in about 1215. Alice was the daughter of Richard de Lexington and Matilda de Cauz. Henry Lexington of this line went on to become the Bishop of Lincoln.

Early History of the Lessington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lessington research. Another 503 words (36 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1216, 1221, 1228, 1229, 1238, 1241, 1242, 1247, 1249, 1250, 1253, 1257, 1645, 1661 and 1723 are included under the topic Early Lessington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lessington Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Lessington has appeared include Lexinton, Lexington and others.

Early Notables of the Lessington family

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

Lessington migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Lessington arrived in North America very early:

Lessington Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thos Lessington, aged 22, British settler who arrived in New York in 1858 aboard the ship "Isarel Webb"
Thos Lessington, aged 43, British settler who arrived in New York in 1858 aboard the ship "Isarel Webb"
Mary Lessington, aged 24, British settler who arrived in New York in 1858 aboard the ship "Isarel Webb"
Fanny Lessington, aged 40, British settler who arrived in New York in 1858 aboard the ship "Isarel Webb"
Thomas and Fanny Lessington and their son and daughter, who arrived in New York on May 8, 1858 aboard the "Isaac Webb" from Liverpool, England
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lessington migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Lessington Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

James Lessington, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840

Contemporary Notables of the name Lessington (post 1700) +

Helena Lessington, American film actress in the 1920s

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.