Loten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Loten date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Loten family lived in the village of Lawton which was in both Cheshire and Herefordshire. This place-name was originally derived from the Old English words hlaw tun, which means that the original bearers of the surname lived in the farm that was located on the hill.

Early Origins of the Loten family

The surname Loten was first found in Cheshire where the parish named Laughton dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Lestone 1. Church Lawton is a small village and civil parish in Cheshire East and was recorded in the Domesday Book as Lautune. There are at least three other listings of places now named Laughton in the Domesday Book: Lachestone in Leicester, Lastone in Yorkshire and finally Loctone in Lincolnshire. The latter is believed to have been derived from the Old English words "loc" + "tun" and meant "enclosure that can be locked" 2

The parish of Lowton in Lancashire "gave name to a family who subsequently adopted the surname of Kenyon from their possessions in a neighbouring township." 3

Lorton is a parish, in the union of Cockermouth, Allerdale ward above Derwent in Cumberland. It comprises two small villages Low Lorton and High Lorton and dates back to c. 1150 when it was known as Loretona. It probably meant "farmstead on a stream called Hlora" from the Viking river name meaning "roaring one" + and the Old English word "tun." 2

Early History of the Loten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Loten research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1660, 1670, 1693, 1721 and 1723 are included under the topic Early Loten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Loten Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Loten 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 Loten include: Lawton, Laughton, Loughmane and others.

Early Notables of the Loten family

Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Loten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Loten family to Ireland

Some of the Loten 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 Loten family

Many 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 Loten or a variant listed above: Leon and Robert Laughton settled in Virginia in 1636; George Lawton settled in Newport Rhode Island in 1630; Joseph Lawton settled in Maryland in 1774.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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.