Surname Leatham - Meaning and Origin
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Leatham: What does the surname Leatham mean?
The surname Leatham is of English origin, and is thought to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon personal name “Leofhaeth” – meaning ‘loved one’ or ‘dear one’. It is thought that Anglo-Saxon settlers brought this surname to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
The name Leatham is typically localized to the county of North Yorkshire, in northern England. The spelling of the name also changed over time, and variations on the spelling include Letham, Laytham, Leeton and Leyton.
The Leatham family was known for being large landowners with considerable success in the wool trade, particularly in Yorkshire. Records indicate a Richard Leetham served as a servant of the king in 1273, and the name continued to be prominent in Yorkshire for centuries, with members having participated in the civil war and serving as land-owners and gentry.
Leatham is thought to be closely associated with the hamlet of Leetham, near Scarborough – being the origin of the name, as indicated by records from 1690.
The original meaning of the Leatham surname still conveys an air of affection, and is suggestive of the loyalty to family, friends and place that the original settlers brought with them to England. This namesake and its original meaning carry on through the generations, and is a part of the Leatham family legacy.
Order DNA origin analysisLeatham: Where does the name Leatham come from?
The last name Leatham is not particularly common today, but can be found mainly in countries that make up the British Isles. The UK is the most likely home for those with the surname Leatham. In England, it is most often found in and around Derbyshire, Lancashire, Staffordshire, and Yorkshire. Other parts of the British Isles where the name is found include Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
Leatham may even be found in scattered locations of Australia, Canada, the United States, and other countries of European descent. In the US, it is most commonly found in California, New Jersey, and Texas. It is also found with some regularity in Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
The origin of the name Leatham is believed to be from any of numerous places with the same name. The most likely is a location in Derbyshire that was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. It was originally called Leatham or Letham and may have meant "the settlement where the Leath meaning 'enclosure' or 'boundary' is found".
The Leatham family will likely have been among the first to migrate out of the British Isles. As such, there may be other countries, outside of the British Isles, in which the family settled. However, due to the difficulty in tracking historic migrations, these are likely to remain unknown.
Variations of the surname Leatham
The surname Leatham is an English family name derived from a village in West Yorkshire, England. The Leatham surname is also found in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Variants of the Leatham surname are Leetham, Latham, Leetham, Lattam, Lathum, Laytham, Lathem, and Linthom.
The earliest known record of the spelling Leatham dates from the late seventeenth century when Robert Leatham was born around 1660 in the village of Leatham in West Yorkshire. Since then, the name Leatham has been found in records throughout Yorkshire.
Leatham is often spelled with one 'e', as in Leetham, or with two 'e's as in Leetham. The spelling Latham is also a variant of this surname, and is more common in the United States than other variations. Another variation of Leatham is Lathum.
The surname Leatham is sometimes found in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. In Scotland, Leatham is found in Ayrshire, Berkshire, and Renfrewshire. In Ireland the name Leatham can be found in counties Meath and Wexford. In Wales, the name Leatham is common in the county of Glamorgan.
Variations of the surname Leatham have often evolved over time depending on where the family settled. For example, in the United States, the surname Leatham is often found spelled as Lassiter or Lister.
Famous people with the name Leatham
- David Leatham: Former British rugby union player
- Beatriz Leatham: Costa Rican sociologist and professor
- John Charles Leatham: British architect who designed a number of houses in Great Britain
- Winston Alexander Leatham: British television producer
- Alex Leatham: Artist and electronic musician
- Amy Leatham: American voice actress
- Jennifer Leatham: American actress
- Philip Leatham: British guitarist
- Robert Leatham: British timber magnate
- John Leatham: Canadian politician
- Tony Leatham: British race car driver
- Barry Leatham: British songwriter and music producer
- William Joseph Leatham: British Member of Parliament
- Belle Leatham: American actress
- William Leatham: British theatre producer
- Jack Leatham: American professional golfer
- Richard Leatham: British-born Canadian lawyer and legal scholar
- Thomas Leatham: British landscape painter
- Michael Leatham: Australian entrepreneur
- Joan Leatham: British author and teacher