Lethebay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Lethebay sprang from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the region of Lathbury near Newport. Lethebay 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 Lethebay family

The surname Lethebay was first found in Buckinghamshire at Lathbury, a village and civil parish in the Borough of Milton Keynes, in the union of Newport-Pagnell, hundred of Newport. This parish which is almost surrounded by the river Ouse, comprises about 1,200 acres. The place dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Lateberie and literally meant "fortification built with laths or beams" having derived from the Old English words laett + burh. 1

There is a grand manor house which dates back to at least 1272. Later, some of the family were found at Egginton in Derbyshire. "The manor [of Egginton] afterwards vested in the family of Lathbury, of whom a coheiress brought a moiety to the Leighs; and on the death of Sir Henry Leigh in the reign of James I., the estate passed to his daughter Anne." 2

Early History of the Lethebay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lethebay research. Another 224 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1093, 1153, 1273, 1510, 1537, 1578, 1579, 1600, 1609 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Lethebay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lethebay Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Lethebay were recorded, including Lathbury, Lathebury, Lathbiry, Lathebyr, Lathebyre, Lathburye, Lathburie and many more.

Early Notables of the Lethebay family

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lethebay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lethebay family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Lethebay family emigrate to North America: Richard LathBerry, who sailed to Virginia in 1652; John Lathbury to Virginia in 1655; Elinor LathBerry to Virginia in 1657; Daniel Lathbury to America in 1680.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.