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Lonsdale History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Lonsdale History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Lonsdale

What does the name Lonsdale mean?

The name Lonsdale has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in Lonsdale, which was in the county of Lancashire. The original bearers lived in the valley of the Lon, a river that flowed from Westmorland (now part of Cumbria) into Lancashire.

Early Origins of the Lonsdale family

The surname Lonsdale was first found in Westmorland where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Lonsdale family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lonsdale research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1260 is included under the topic Early Lonsdale History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lonsdale Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Lonsdale have been found, including Lonsdale, Londsdale and others.

Early Notables of the Lonsdale family

Distinguished members of the family include

Lonsdale of Westmorland

Lonsdale migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Lonsdale, or a variant listed above:

Lonsdale Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Lonsdale, a Church Minister, who arrived in South Carolina in 1766

Lonsdale Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Lonsdale, on record as a "British Alien" in Rhode Island during the war of 1812
John Lonsdale, who settled in Philadelphia in 1820
George Lonsdale, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1824 1
James Lonsdale, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1824 1
Richard Lonsdale, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lonsdale Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Adelaide M. Lonsdale, aged 27, who settled in America from Belfast, in 1902
Edward Lonsdale, aged 47, who landed in America from Lencastle, in 1906
Elizabeth Lonsdale, aged 31, who landed in America from Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1908
Ellen S. Lonsdale, aged 24, who landed in America from London, England, in 1910
Elizabeth Lonsdale, aged 1, who settled in America from Wheatley Hill, England, in 1912
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lonsdale migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Lonsdale Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Lonsdale, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 27th May 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 2
William Thomas Lonsdale, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Winchester" in 1838 3
Jane Lonsdale (aged 19), a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Eliza"

Lonsdale 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:

Lonsdale Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Lonsdale, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th September 1853 4
Mr. S. E. Lonsdale, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th September 1853 4
L. Lonsdale, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th September 1853 4
Miss Lonsdale, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th September 1853 4
Mrs. Lonsdale, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Joseph Fletcher" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 30th September 1853 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lonsdale migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 5

Lonsdale Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century

George Lonsdale, who arrived in St. Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1722

Contemporary Notables of the name Lonsdale (post 1700) +

Michael Edward Lonsdale Crouch (1931-2020), known as Michael Lonsdale, French actor who appeared in over 180 films and television shows, known for his roles as the villain Hugo, Drax in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker, the detective Claude Lebel in The Day of the Jackal, and M. Dupont d'Ivry in The Remains of the Day
Derrick Lonsdale (1924-2024), British-born American pediatrician and researcher into the benefits of certain nutrients in preventing disease and psychotic behavior, Fellow of the American College of Nutrition (FACN), and Fellow of the American College for Advancement in Medicine (FACAM)
Harold K. "Harry" Lonsdale (1932-2014), American scientist, businessman, and former politician
Harry Lonsdale, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Senator from Oregon, 1990, 1992, 1992 6
William Lonsdale (1794-1871), English geologist
Hugh Cecil Lowther Lonsdale (1857-1944), English sportsman
Harry Lonsdale (d. 1923), English stage and silent film actor
Frederick Lonsdale (1881-1954), English dramatist
Dame Kathleen Lonsdale (1903-1971), Irish crystallographer
Errol Lonsdale (1913-2003), Indian born, British army Major General

Citations +

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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 18th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) WINCHESTER 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838Winchester.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html