Layfield Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Layfield Origin:

England, Ireland

Origins of Layfield:

This interesting surname is of English origin with different spelling forms such as Layfield, Leighfirld, Leyfield, Lyfield, and more. It is a locational name from a place named Leyfields in Nottinghamshire, which means “reside by the lea-field, the meadow, the farm land.” The surname dates sometime back to the mid-14th Century. More recordings contain one William Leyfeld (1484), “The Calendar of Letter-Books of the City of London.” Parish documentations of London consist of one John, son of Edward Layfield, who named in 1560, in London, Agnes laifeld married Richard Fowks in September 1561, at Harrow on the Hill, London, and Cornelius, son of Edward Layfeilde, named at St. Martin Orgar and St. Clement Eastcheap, London, in July 1573. Nicholas Layfield married Joan Wettwood in November 1581 at St. Lawrence Jewry and St. Mary Magdalene, Milk St. London. One Ann Layfield, a traveler to the New World, shifted aboard the George bound for Virginia in August 1635.

Variations:

More common variations are: Lafield, Lyfield, Layfeld, Layfild, Leyfield, Lawfield, la Field, Laefield, Layfeild, Layfiled.

England:

The surname Layfield first appeared in Nottingham where they held a family seat as kings of the palace. The Saxon impact of English history diminished after the invasion of Hastings in 1066. French was the language of the court for the next three centuries, and the Norman atmosphere overcame. But Saxon surnames remained, and the family name was first introduced in the 13th century when they held lands in that shire.

The very first recording spelling of the family was shown to be that of Hugo Layfeld, dated about 1442, in the “Record of the Freemen of the City of York.” It was during the time of King Henry VI who was known to be the “The Founder of Eton,” dated 1422-1461. The origin of surnames during this period became a necessity with the introduction of personal taxation. It came to be known as Poll Tax in England. Surnames all over the country began to develop, with unique and shocking spelling varieties of the original one.

Ireland:

Many of the people with surname Layfield had moved to Ireland during the 17th century.

United States of America:

The following century saw much more Layfield surnames arrive. Some of the people with the surname Layfield who settled in the United States in the 17th century included Ann Layfield, who settled in Virginia in the year 1635. Ann Layfield at the age of 30, landed in Virginia in the year 1635.

Here is the population distribution of the last name Layfield: United States 2,768; England 651; Australia 165; Canada 147; South Africa 73; Scotland 26; Spain 12; New Zealand 7; Japan 3; Nigeria 2.

Notable People:

John Charles Layfield was born in November 1966. He is famous by the ring name John “Bradshaw” Layfield (shorten as JBL). He is an American announcer, and a resigned professional fighter, as part of the broadcast team on SmackDown and pay-per-view events.

John Layfield (also spelled Laifield) (passed away in November 1617) was an English researcher and Bible translator. He got an early education at Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood before undertaking to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was a Fellow from the year 1585 to 1603. He was a minister in a church to George Clifford, the 3rd commander of Cumberland on his 1592 journey to Puerto Rico. Rector of St Clement Danes in London from 1602 until his death in 1617, he was selected as a founding fellow of Chelsea College by King James I of England in 1610.

Kirstine Stewart Layfield (born near the year 1968) is a media administrator, formerly the minister of English language services at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Recently, she is the VP of Media at Twitter Inc. She first attended the CBC in 2006 as senior director of programming for CBC Television. She was famous as Kirstine Layfield at the time, after that she returned to using her birth surname, Stewart.

Onelle Layfield (b. 1984), is an American beauty queen who has taken part in the Miss USA pageant.

Malcolm Layfield was a British violinist.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

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