| ![Show Contents]() Letbridge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of LetbridgeWhat does the name Letbridge mean? In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Letbridge surname lived in the village of Lethbridge located in the county of Devon. 1 Early Origins of the Letbridge familyThe surname Letbridge was first found in Devon where one of the first records of the family was John Lethybrydge (c. 1580-1660) who is generally thought to the progenitor from Holbeton, Devon. His son, John Lethybrydge (c. 1616-1686) married Joan Leight on 1st May 1637 in Ermington, Devon and together they had five children. "Christopher Lethbridge, mayor of Exeter in 1660, was a wealthy merchant of that city; he was born at Walston, in the parish of Clansburgh, near Okehampton. Lethbridge is still an Exeter name." 2 The Lethbridge Baronetcy, of Westaway House in Devon and Winkley Court in the County of Somerset, a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom was created on 15 June 1804 for John Lethbridge, who was Member of Parliament (MP) for Minehead in Somerset, from 1806 to 1807. Early History of the Letbridge familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Letbridge research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1615, 1675, 1715, 1759 and 1803 are included under the topic Early Letbridge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Letbridge Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Letbridge are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Letbridge include: Lethbridge, Lethbrige, Letbridge, Letteridge and others. Early Notables of the Letbridge familyJohn Lethbridge (1675-1759) English inventor of the first underwater diving machine in 1715. He lived in Devon and reportedly had 17 children. He is the subject of the Fisherman's Friends song "John in the Barrel". He was a wool merchant based in Newton Abbot who invented a diving machine in 1715 that was used to salvage valuables from wrecks. This machine...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Letbridge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Letbridge familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Letbridge or a variant listed above: Samuel Letteridge, who settled in Virginia in 1767; George Lethbridge settled in Philadelphia in 1820.
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: Spes mea in Deo
Motto Translation: My hope is in God.
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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