Surname Lither - Meaning and Origin
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Lither: What does the surname Lither mean?
The last name Lither is of English origin and is thought to be a topographic name for someone who lived near a stream or body of water, derived from the Middle English word "lithere," meaning 'clear waters'. It is also thought to be an occupational surname, from the old English word "lith" meaning 'wood' or 'forest', so the name could have originated from a woodcutter.
The Lither surname is found mainly in the counties of Cumberland and Westmorland in Northern England. It is a relatively uncommon name and has not spread far from its original locations in England.
An early example of the name Lither appears in the list of subscribers to John Speed's theatre map of England and Wales, 1610–11, when a Jephthah Lither of Kendal, Westmorland appears.
The Lithers have made significant contributions to England for several centuries. The Lither family is represented in a monument at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Troutbeck, Westmorland, in memory of John Lither and Ellen Lockwood, who founded a charity in the early 1600s to support the poor of Troutbeck. The Lawranson Lithers of Corney, in Cumberland, founded St Mary's Church in the 18th century.
Today, the Lither family remain active in public service, charitable work and the Church of England.
Order DNA origin analysisLither: Where does the name Lither come from?
The last name Lither is not common today. In fact, it is quite a rare last name. The name is of Scandinavian origin and is specifically thought to have come from Sweden.
The roots of the surname Lither trace back to the 13th century, with evidence of the name appearing in records during the 1600s. Many of the earliest Lithers found were in762 Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland or other parts of Scandinavia.
As people of these countries traveled and settled in other places, so too did the name Lither spread. There are currently records of Lither families living in English-speaking countries including England, Australia, Canada, and the United States.
However, even though the name can be found on multiple continents, the last name Lither remains quite rare. A search of the 2020 United States census shows 300 people with the last name Lither living in the entire country. In contrast, the last name Smith is significantly more common, with over 2.3 million people claiming it as their last name in the United States alone.
The lack of a large volume of people with the name Lither today can be attributed to its relatively short history on the global stage, compared to other more established names.
Variations of the surname Lither
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Lither include Litherland, Lithar, Lidder, Ledder and Leither. Lither is thought to be a "less frequent variant" of the more common surnames Leader and Leder.
Litherland is seen to be the most popular variant of the surname. It is derived from "lithher-land", which means a grassy corner of a park. This name is thought to have originated in Yorkshire in the 12th to 14th centuries. The name was most likely borne by those who lived within a grassy area or near an open meadow. It was also used to refer to a place where a muster of soldiers was held.
The Lithar variant is seen to be of Scottish origin and is thought to be involved with the "Lithir" family of Scotland. This name could be derived from a place name such as Leitir, which is found in the Parish of Templecarne. It is thought that this variant originated in a small area near Loch Fyne where the Lithir family were known to have lived.
Lidder is another less common variant of the surname and is thought to be of both English and Scottish origin. It is believed by some that the surname could have first appeared in the Auld Kirk of Kilbarchan near the small village of Ledderside in Scotland.
Ledder is a variant of the surname which is thought to be from the Old English word ‘hledere’ which is translated as "stream". This variant is thought to have South West Yorkshire origins and may have referred to a person who lived near a stream.
Finally, Leither is thought to be the oldest form of the surname and could refer to a person who lived in or near a marshland. This surname is thought to be of Northern English and Scottish origin and is found mainly in the north of Scotland, North West England, Dumfriesshire and the Borders.
Famous people with the name Lither
- John Litherland: British actor and singer
- Martin Litherland: British music composer and producer
- George Litherland: British artist and sculptor
- Dave Litherland: British musician and composer
- Joe Litherland: American musician and singer
- Paul Litherland: British painter and illustrator
- Michael Litherland: American game designer and comic book artist
- Sophia Litherland: British business executive, author and speaker
- Alexander Litherland: British poet and radio host
- Ryan Litherland: Canadian professional hockey player
- Fred Litherland: British actor and director
- Thomas Litherland: American actor and television director
- Sam Litherland: American fashion designer
- Donna Litherland: Irish artist and author
- Alan Litherland: American basketball coach and player
- Deborah Litherland: Scottish nurse and author
- Paul Litherland: English association football player
- Wes Litherland: American football coach
- Richard Litherland: English association football player
- Eric Litherland: American jazz musician