Lait History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Lait

The Lait surname finds its earliest origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name is derived from the baptismal name Lettice, a popular girls name in medieval times. This personal name was originally derived from the Latin laetitia, which means gladness and joy. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.

Early Origins of the Lait family

Early History of the Lait family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lait research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1273, 1864, 1956, 1963, 1972 and 1981 are included under the topic Early Lait History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lait 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 Lait 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 Lait include: Lett, Layt, Laite, Layte, Let, Lete, Latt, Leyt, Letts, Lettson and many more.

Early Notables of the Lait family

More information is included under the topic Early Lait Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lait family to Ireland

Some of the Lait family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lait 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 Lait or a variant listed above: John, Leonard and Thomas Lett, who settled in Virginia in 1651; Elizabeth may have been a wife or child of one of the foregoing; Thomas Lett arrived in Barbados in 1635.