Layt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Layt

What does the name Layt mean?

It was among those Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled over Britain that the name Layt was formed. The name was 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 Layt family

The surname Layt was first found in Gloucestershire, where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Lett, before the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086.

Early History of the Layt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Layt 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 Layt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Layt Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Layt include Lett, Layt, Laite, Layte, Let, Lete, Latt, Leyt, Letts, Lettson and many more.

Early Notables of the Layt family

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

Migration of the Layt family to Ireland

Some of the Layt 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.

Layt migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Layt were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Layt Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

F. Layt, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Caronia" from London, England 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Layt (post 1700) +

Todd Layt, Australian CEO of Ozbreed Pty Ltd
Fatine Layt, French banker, Chairman and Managing Partner of Oddo Corporate Finance in 2008
Blair Layt, Australian musician, known for his work with A Breach of Silence, an Australian metalcore band from Brisbane

Sources +

Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result