| ![Show Contents]() Leedom History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England Early Origins of the Leedom familyThe surname Leedom was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Leadenham, held by Colegrim from Count Alan who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Early History of the Leedom familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leedom research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1200 and 1302 are included under the topic Early Leedom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Leedom Spelling VariationsThe English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Leedom has been recorded under many different variations, including Ledenham, Leddenham, Lednum, Leadenum, Ledenum, Lednham, Leadingham, Leadinham, Ledingham, Ledham, Ledman and many more. Early Notables of the Leedom familyMore information is included under the topic Early Leedom Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Leedom RankingIn the United States, the name Leedom is the 16,455th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
| Leedom migration to the United States | + |
To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Leedoms were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:
Leedom Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Patrick Leedom, aged 30, originally from Dublin, Ireland, who arrived in New York in 1907 aboard the ship "Baltic" from Liverpool, England 3
- Mary Leedom, aged 42, who arrived in New York in 1913 aboard the ship "Nieuw Amsterdam" from Rotterdam, Netherlands 3
- Ida Leedom, aged 30, who arrived in New York in 1915 aboard the ship "Oceana" from Hamilton, Bermuda 3
| Contemporary Notables of the name Leedom (post 1700) | + |
- Boyd Stuart Leedom (1906-1969), American jurist, Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court from 1951 to 1955
- John Peter Leedom (1847-1895), American politician, U.S. Representative from Ohio in the Forty-seventh Congress (1881-1883)
- John N. Leedom (b. 1921), American engineer and lobbyist and Republican member of the Texas State Senate from 1981 to 1996
- David Leedom Helliwell (b. 1935), Canadian silver medalist Olympic rower at the 1956 Summer Olympics
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