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Lithgow History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Lithgow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Lithgow

What does the name Lithgow mean?

In the annals of Scottish history, few names go farther back than Lithgow, whose ancestors go back to the people of the Boernician tribe. The first family to use the name Lithgow lived in Linlithgow, located between Edinburgh and Falkirk. The place-name's origins are in the Gaelic: llyn meaning lake or pool, llaith meaning damp, and cau meaning hollow.

Early Origins of the Lithgow family

The surname Lithgow was first found in Linlithgow, a Royal Burgh in West Lothian, Scotland. One of the earliest records of the name was Magister Symon de Lynlithcu who witnessed an instrument at the church of Cargil in 1225. A few years later in 1245, Petrus de Linlithqw was a canon of the priory of St. Andrews. His successor was Chief of the family name, son of John, and he was confirmed in his lands at Berwick on Tweed in 1280 and 1290. John de Lithcu rendered to Exchequer the account of his disbursements in connection with King Roberts I.

Early History of the Lithgow family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lithgow research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1220, 1500, 1582, 1645 and 1784 are included under the topic Early Lithgow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lithgow Spelling Variations

Over the years, Lithgow has been written It appears under these variations because medieval scribes spelled names according to sound rather than by any over-arching set of rules. Lithgow, Lithgoe, Lithcow and others.

Early Notables of the Lithgow family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

William Lithgow (1582-1645), Scottish traveler, writer and alleged spy
William Lithgow (b.1784), Auditor General of New South Wales for whom Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia was named

Lithgow migration to the United States +

When these Boernician-Scottish settlers arrived in North America they brought little with them and often had restart their lives from scratch. Through time, much of their heritage was lost, and it is only this century through Clan societies and highland games that many have recovered their national heritage. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Lithgow family to immigrate North America:

Lithgow Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Margaret Lithgow, who arrived in New Jersey in 1685 1

Lithgow Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Robert Lithgow, who landed in New England in 1719 1
Alexander Lithgow, who landed in Virginia in 1793 1

Lithgow Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George, James, John, Robert, Walter and William Lithgow, who all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860

Lithgow migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Lithgow Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Helen Lithgow, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Fairfield" in 1839 2
John Lithgow, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Fairfield" in 1839 2
John S. Lithgow, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "David Malcolm" in 1849 3
Miss Jane Lithgow who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years , transported aboard the "Aurora" on 22nd April 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
Sarah Lithgow, aged 26, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Oregon" 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lithgow migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Lithgow Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Samuel Lithgow, (b. 1835), aged 40, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Peter Denny" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 25th November 1875 6
Mrs. S. Lithgow, (b. 1836), aged 39, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Peter Denny" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 25th November 1875 6
Mr. Samuel Lithgow, (b. 1859), aged 16, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Peter Denny" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 25th November 1875 6
Miss Agnes Lithgow, (b. 1861), aged 14, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Peter Denny" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 25th November 1875 6
Mr. Jessie Lithgow, (b. 1866), aged 9, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Peter Denny" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 25th November 1875 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Lithgow (post 1700) +

John Arthur Lithgow (b. 1945), American Tony and Golden Globe Award winning actor
James S. Lithgow (1812-1902), sixteenth mayor of Louisville, Kentucky
William Lithgow, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Puerto Plata, 1884 7
William Lithgow Jr., American politician, U.S. Attorney for Maine, 1789-96 7
Washington Lithgow, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Puerto Plata, 1897 7
James Smith Lithgow (1812-1902), American Democratic Party politician, Coppersmith; Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, 1865-67; Resigned 1867 7
Arthur W. Lithgow, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Puerto Plata, 1905 7
A. Lithgow, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Puerto Plata, 1862-66 7
William Lithgow (b. 1784), Scottish-born, Australian Auditor General of New South Wales, eponym of the city of Lithgow
Sir William James Lithgow (b. 1934), 2nd Baronet, Scottish industrialist and vice-chairman of Lithgow Group
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) FAIRFIELD 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Fairfield.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) DAVID MALCOLM 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849DavidMalcolm.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The barque OREGON, 521 tons - 1851 voyage to South Australia. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Oregon.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html