Lindlay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Lindlay

The origins of the Lindlay name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived in either of the settlements called Linley in Shropshire or Wiltshire, or in one of the places called Lindley in Leicestershire or the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Lindlay is occasionally derived from residence near a limewood or in a clearing where flax was grown. The surname Lindlay belongs to both the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads, and to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

Early Origins of the Lindlay family

Early History of the Lindlay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lindlay research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1570, 1599, 1609, 1732, 1758, 1771, 1795, 1799, 1835 and 1865 are included under the topic Early Lindlay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lindlay 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 Lindlay were recorded, including Lindlie, Lindly, Lindley, Lindleigh, Lindlee, Lyndley, Lyndly, Lyndlee and many more.

Early Notables of the Lindlay family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Henry Lindley (d. 1609), of Leatherly, Yorkshire, knighted at Offaley on 30 July 1599. He was the third son of Laurence Lindley of Leathley by Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Redman of Harewood Castle. Thomas Linley, the Elder (1732-1795), was an early English musical composer, born at Wells in 1732, and was the son of a carpenter. "Being sent on one occasion to execute some carpentering work at Badminton, the seat of the Duke of Beaufort, he derived such pleasure from listening to the playing and singing of Thomas Chilcot, the organist of Bath Abbey Church...
Another 134 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lindlay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lindlay family to Ireland

Some of the Lindlay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lindlay 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 Lindlay family emigrate to North America: Thomas Lindly who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1716; followed by Jacob in 1822; John Lindley landed in Pennsylvania in 1772; Elizabeth Lindley settled in Charles Town, S.C in 1767.