Surname Lytefoote - Meaning and Origin
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Lytefoote: What does the surname Lytefoote mean?
The last name Lytefoote is English in origin and is believed to be a locational name meaning "a light foot" or "a person from Light-foot". The name likely originated from the ancient lands of Lytefee in Northern England – an area known for its light, marshy land.
The surname Lytefoote is a union of two words: the Olde English pre 7th Century ‘Lit’ - referring to ‘light’ or ‘small’; and the word ‘fot’, also from the Olde English, which means ‘foot’. It is likely that the name originated from somebody living in an area which was easy to traverse, namely a marshy or light-footed district.
The earliest records of the surname appear in Britain in the 13th century. The earliest recorded occurrences of the surname are from Yorkshire in 1257, in Lancashire in 1282 and in Leicestershire in 1283.
The Lytefoote surname is not particularly common today, but there are still individuals who bear the surname that can be found in the United Kingdom and other countries around the world. Those of the surname typically boast a strong sense of legacy, believing that they are descendants of a strong and unique historic line.
Order DNA origin analysisLytefoote: Where does the name Lytefoote come from?
The last name Lytefoote is a relatively rare surname today, with records indicating it is primarily concentrated in the United States. The name can be traced back to England in the 16th century, but it is unclear when and how it came to America.
Most people with this last name seem to be descended from the English-born Henry Lytefoote, who settled in Maryland in the late 1600s. There is also some speculation that some members of this family may be of French, Dutch, or Scandinavian descent.
In more recent times, records suggest that the last name is most commonly found in the Midwest and some parts of the South. More specifically, the state of Minnesota appears to be most heavily populated with people bearing this name, as well as Wisconsin and Iowa. Additionally, there seems to be some Lytefoote's in Texas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Today, the Lytefoote name is quite challenging to find, with genealogical records showing it has declined in number over the years. But just how genealogically rare it remains is difficult to ascertain. What is clear however, is that if you are looking for someone with the name Lytefoote, you stand the best chance of finding them in the states mentioned above.
Variations of the surname Lytefoote
The Lytefoote surname has multiple possible variants, spellings, and associated surnames. Some common variants of the Lytefoote surname include Lightfoot, Litefoot, Lightfote, Lightfot, Lightfutt, Lighthoot, Litfoot, Litfote, and Litefot. There are also multiple alternate spellings such as Lytfote, Lichtfote, Lightfette, Lighthot, Lightphote, Litfoote, Lythfoote, Lythefote, and Lythefot. All of these spellings are derived from various old English and Anglo-Saxon words.
Many associated surnames can also be traced back to the Lytefoote surname. Such associated surnames include Foot, Foote, Legg, Legge, Light, Lighten, Lightenfoot, Lite, and Lyttle. In addition, some related surnames include Liton, Lyte, and Lythe.
These surnames are all ultimately derived from the same root name, ‘Lyt’ which was regularly used as a personal name (given name) in England during the medieval era. The name ‘Lyt’ was originally a Germanic name and was often used to mean ‘happy’ or ‘light in spirit’. As surnames evolved from early medieval contexts, the variations in spelling changes over time has led to many different surnames and variants that are derived from the original ‘Lyt’ name.
Famous people with the name Lytefoote
- George Lytefot (1545-1620), an English translator and author
- John Lytefote (died 1554/5), an English diplomat, privy counsellor and landowner
- Charles Lytefot (1632-1704), an English politician and churchman
- John Lytefote (1644-1716), an English politician and courtier
- Sir John Lytefote (1689-1736), an English politician
- Henry Lytefote (1793-1862), an English cleric and theologian
- Henry Lytefote (1861-1943), a British politician
- Meredith Lytefote (1872-1956), a British surgeon and naturalist
- Ethel Lytefote (1874-1961), an English suffragette
- William Lytefote (1890-1962), a British Army officer