Show ContentsLiddiard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins and Etymology of Liddiard

The surname Liddiard was first found in Lancashire at Lydiate, a village and civil parish of Halsall, union of Ormskirk, hundred of West Derby. Now part of Mersyside, the village dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Leiate and was held by Roger of Poitou at that time. 1 "In the reign of Richard II., this place was possessed by a family of the local name, whose heiress married into the Blackburn family; and an heiress of the latter conveyed Lydiate to Thomas, son of Sir John Ireland, of the Hutt, and Hale" 2

By 1202, the place name was listed as Liddigate. Literally the place name means "place at the swing-gate," from the Old English "hlid-geat." 3 Lydiate Ash is a small hamlet in Worcestershire.

Another branch of the family was found at Lidgate a parish, in the union of Newmarket, hundred of Risbridge in Suffolk. It is difficult to determine which of the parishes came first, but "near the church is a spacious and lofty mount with some remains of extensive intrenchments, probably the site of a strong castle.

Lydgate, the poet, was born at this place, from which he took his name." 2 John Lydgate of Bury (c. 1370-1451) was a monk and prolific poet who wrote over 145,000 lines. By example, his work Troy Book was over 30,000 lines based on a translation of the 13th century Latin writer Guido delle Colonne. He was an admirer of Geoffrey Chaucer and a close friend of his son, Thomas.

Early History of the Liddiard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Liddiard research. Another 132 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1173, 1439, 1510 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Liddiard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Liddiard Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lydiat, Lydiatt, Liddiat, Liddiatt, Liddiard, Lidiard, Lydiate and many more.

Early Notables of the Liddiard family

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


Liddiard migration to the United States +



Liddiard Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Sarah Liddiard, who landed in Maryland in 1740 4

Liddiard migration to Australia +

Liddiard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Joseph Liddiard, English convict who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 2nd February 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
  • Mr. Aaron Liddiard, (1810 - 1835), aged 25, British settler who was tried in Berkshire, England in February 1834 for 7 years for poaching, transported aboard the "George III" on 12th December 1834, going to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) she sunk on the 12th Marh 1835 he drowned
  • Mr. Thomas Liddiard, (1797 - 1835), aged 38, British settler who was tried in Berkshire, England in February 1834 for 7 years for poaching, transported aboard the "George III" on 12th December 1834, going to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) she sunk on the 12th Marh 1835 he drowned
  • Mr. John Liddiard, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
  • W.W. Liddiard, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Childe Harold" in 1849 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Liddiard 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:

Liddiard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Liddiard, aged 23, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "City of Auckland" in 1872

Contemporary Notables of the name Liddiard (post 1700) +

  • Jon Brody Heffner- Liddiard (b. 1977), former American NFL football long snapper
  • E.J. Liddiard, British founding member of the Queens Park Harriers, eponym of the Liddiard trophy in 1947
  • William Liddiard, Canadian founder of Liddiard Wheels and inventor of the omni-directional tire, which allows trucks to move vehicle sideways
  • Rebecca Liddiard, Canadian actress, best known for her role as constable Adelaide Stratton in Houdini & Doyle (2016)
  • Gareth Liddiard, Australian musician and founding member of The Drones


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canton
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CHILDE HAROLD 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849ChildeHarold.htm


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