Lanyon Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Lanyon Origin:

England

Origins of Lanyon:

According to the early recorded spellings of the name, this interesting and unique name was listed with many spellings which contain Laundon, Lanyon, Lewnden, Londean, Londing, London, Londoner, Loyndon, Loynton, Lunden, Lundin, and Lunnon, this particular surname is of old British pre Christian origins. It is domestic and usually explains the ancestors of a person who came from the city of London and shifted to another place. It in itself was unusual, almost everybody went the other way, to the place where in legend “The streets were paved with gold.” A secondary origin is that the name was a nickname for a person who had made a visit to London and came back to tell the tale. People in the old times did not undertake journeys lightly. A visit to the next hamlet could mark a person for life, a visit to London or York, was something very special certainly. London, as a place listed by the Roman professor, Tacitus, in the years 115 – 117, then in its Latinized form of “Londinium.” Seven hundred years later it was noted in the famous Anglo-Saxon Records of 839 as “Lundenne.” The name was considered to acquire from the Celtic component “lond,” which means wild or bold, and as such used either as a specific or a tribal name. Amongst examples of the early parish records of the name is the wedding of Michaell London and Alice Lifford, at Farnham, Surrey, in August 1568, while James Laundon listed at St Katherine’s by the Tower (of London) in January 1687. The novelist Jack London 1876 – 1916, was the writer of the famous book “Call of the Wild.”

Variations:

More common variations are: Lanyoun, Laniyon, Lanyone, Lanon, Lanyn, Laniyonu, Lannon, Lanion, Lanyon, Laneon

England:

The surname Lanyon first appeared in Cornwall where they settled in Lanyon. They entered England with Queen Isabella, King Edward II’s bride, from Brittany where they also held the lands of Lanyon. Another source demands that the name was, in fact, Norman having acquired from the town of Lannion in Brittany. In this example, they must have settled during the time of Edward II. Their land was also named Lanyon.

The very first recording spelling of the family was shown to be that of Leofsi de Lundonia, dated about 1086, in the “Domesday Book.” It was during the time of King William I who was known to be the “William the Conqueror,” dated 1066- 1087. 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.

Ireland:

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

United States of America:

Some of the people with the name Lanyon who arrived in the United States in the 19th century included Thomas James Lanyon, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1831.

Australia:

Some of the individuals with the surname Lanyon who landed in Australia in the 19th century included William Lanyon arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship “William Money.” William Lanyon arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship “Trafalgar.” William Lanyon arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship “Trafalgar” in 1849. Richard Lanyon at the age of 23, arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship “Osceola.” Thomas Lanyon also arrived in South Australia in the same year 1851 aboard the ship “Osceola.”

Here is the population distribution of the last name Lanyon: Australia 923; Ghana 639; United States 609; England 430; Fiji 340; Canada 217; Chile 198; New Zealand 92; South Africa 91; Wales 45.

Notable People:

Charles Lanyon (1813−1889), was an English designer.

Hastie Lanyon was a fictional character in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Josh Lanyon was an American writer.

Owen Lanyon (1842−1887), was a British colonial governor.

Peter Lanyon (1918−1964), was a Cornish painter.

Walter C. Lanyon (1887−1967), was an English religious author.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (Lanyon, со. Cornwall; John Lanton, eldest son of Richard Lanyon, Esq., of Lanyon. Visit. Cornw. 1620). Gu. on waves of the sea az. a square castle in perspective, with a tower at each corner or, in the courtyard of the field a falcon ppr. rising from a mount vert. Crest—On a mount vert within a castle with four towers ar. a falcon standing on waves of the sea az. as above, volant ppr.
2) (Wynyard, co. Cornwall; William Lanyon, son of Edward Lanyon, the second son of Richard Lanyon, Esq., of Lanyon. Visit. Cornw. 1620). Same Arms, with due diff.
3) (Camborne, co. Cornwall). Same Arms. Crest—A falcon rising, wings extended, belled.