Lyons (surname)
Lyons is a surname with several origins. It is the name of a noble Anglo-Norman family that originated in district of the Forest of Lyons, north of the town of Lyons-la-Forêt in Haute Normandie, where the family seat was the Castle of Lyons.[1][2][3][4] The original surname was "de Lyons" ("of [the Forest and Castle] of Lyons"): subsequently, the "de" was removed from the name, and some branches removed the "s" from the end of the word, producing "Lyon".[1] The English progenitors of this family were Ingelram de Lyons, Lord of Lyons, who arrived in England with the Norman Conquest, and his relation, Nicholas de Lyons, who emigrated from Normandy to England in 1080 and was granted lands at Warkworth, Northamptonshire,[1][5][6][7] by William of Normandy. Descendants of this family emigrated to Scotland, during the 14th-century, to Ireland, during the 15th-century, to Antigua, during the 16th-century, and to New York, during the 17th century.
However, there are other families with the surname that are not related to, or descendent from, the noble Anglo-Norman family. As was common amongst servants of gentry and noble dynasties during the Middle Ages, some of the servants of the noble Lyons family adopted the surname of their Lords to express their allegiance.
There is also a Celtic Irish family whose name derives from the Celtic word for "grey".[8] This surname derives from the Irish noble names of Ó Laighin and 'Ó Liatháin.[9] These Irish families are not related to the Norman noble family that originated in Normandy. However, confusingly, there are also descendants of the noble family, which had seats in County Offaly and County Westmeath, in Ireland.[10][11][12]
People with the surname[]
- Al Lyons (1918–1965), US baseball player
- Algernon Lyons (1833–1908), Admiral in the Royal Navy
- Andrew Lyons (born 1966), English soccer player
- Anne Theresa Bickerton Lyons (1815–1894), British aristocrat
- Anthony Lyons (born c. 1968), British property investor
- Barry Lyons (footballer) (born 1945), English soccer player
- Barry Lyons (baseball) (born 1960), US baseball player
- Ben Lyons (born 1981), US film critic
- Bert Lyons (footballer) (1902–1981), English footballer
- Bert Lyons (trade unionist) (1929–2008), British trade unionist
- Beverley Lyons, Scottish journalist
- Bill Lyons (born 1958), US baseball player
- Billy Red Lyons (1932–2009), Canadian wrestler
- Bonnie Lyons (born 1944), US writer and educator
- Brittany Lyons (born 1988), Jamaican model
- Brooke Lyons (born 1980), US actress
- C. J. Lyons (fl. 2000s), US physician and author
- C. P. Lyons (1915–1998), Canadian outdoorsman
- Charlie Lyons, US film producer and financier
- Charles W. Lyons (1868–1939), American Jesuit and academic administrator
- Claire Lyons, fictional character
- Cliff Lyons (born 1961), Australian rugby league player
- Cliff Lyons (actor) (born 1901), American motion picture stuntman, second-unit director, and actor
- Curt Lyons (born 1974), US baseball player
- Cyril Lyons (born 1959), Irish athlete in hurling
- Dan Lyons, CEO, Centre for Animals and Social Justice
- Dana Lyons (fl. 1970–2000s), US musician and environmental activist
- Daniel Lyons (born 1960), US author
- Danny Lyons (1860–1888), US street gang figure
- Darryn Lyons (born 1965), Australian-born British news photographer
- David Lyons (rugby union, born 1980), Australian rugby player
- David Lyons (actor) (born 1976), Australian television actor
- David Lyons (rugby union, born 1985), English rugby union player
- David Lyons (swimmer) (born 1943), US swimmer
- Deb Lyons (fl. 1980–2000s), US singer and songwriter
- Denis Lyons (born 1935), Irish politician
- Denny Lyons (1866–1929), US baseball player
- Derek Lyons (fl. 2018), American political advisor
- Dicky Lyons (born 1947), US football player
- Donal Lyons (fl. 2000s), Irish politician
- Ed Lyons (1923–2009), US baseball player
- Eddie Lyons (1886–1926), US film actor
- Edmund Lyons, 1st Baron Lyons (1790–1858), Rear Admiral of the Royal Navy and diplomat
- Edmund Moubray Lyons (1819–1855), second son of Rear Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons
- Edward Lyons (1926–2010), British politician
- Eileen Lyons (born 1941), American politician
- Dame Enid Lyons (1897–1981), Australian politician
- Ernest Lyon (1860–1938), US-Belizean minister, educator, and diplomat
- Eric Lyons (1912–1980), British architect
- Eugene Lyons (1898–1985), US author
- F. S. L. Lyons (1923–1983), Irish historian
- Fay-Ann Lyons (born 1980), Trinidadian singer
- Gene Lyons (fl. 1990s), US author and political analyst
- George Lyons (disambiguation), several people
- Graham Lyons (born 1969), Australian rugby player
- Grant Lyons (born 1941), writer
- Hall Lyons (1923–1998), American oilman and politician
- Harry Lyons (1866–1912), US baseball player
- Henry A. Lyons (c. 1809–1872), second Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California
- Sir Henry George Lyons (1864–1944), geologist and director of the Science Museum in London
- Henry Lyons (b. 1942), former President of the National Baptist Convention
- Hersh Lyons (1915–2008), US baseball player
- Humphrey Lyons (1802–1873), English politician in India
- Israel Lyons (1739–1775), English mathematician and botanist
- Jack Lyons (disambiguation), several people, including:
- Jack Lyons (financier) (1916–2008), was the English entrepreneur and philanthropist.
- Jack Lyons (cricketer) (1863–1927), Australian cricketer
- Jack Lyons (soccer) (born c. 1900s), American soccer player
- J. B. Lyons (1922–2007), Jack Binignus Lyons, Irish medical historian and author
- Jacques Judah Lyons (1814–1877), US religious figure
- James J. Lyons (1890–1966), American politician
- James K. Lyons (1960–2007), American film editor and actor
- James L. Lyons (1916–1994), founder of the Monterey Jazz Festival
- James Lyons (lawyer) (born 1947), American lawyer, figure in the Whitewater controversy and former federal judicial nominee
- James W. Lyons (1878–1947), Canadian politician
- James Lyons (Upper Canada politician)
- James Lyons (Virginia politician) (1801–1882), Confederate politician
- James "Ace" Lyons, US Navy admiral, former Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet
- Jarryd Lyons (born 1992), Australian rules footballer
- Jason Lyons (born 1970), Australian motorcycle racer
- Jeffrey S. Lyons (1939 or 1940–2015), Canadian lawyer and community activist
- Jeffrey Lyons (born 1944), American television and film critic
- Jimmie Lyons (fl. 1910–1920s), US baseball player
- Jimmy Lyons (1931–1986), US musician
- Jimmy Lyons (footballer) (1897–1970), English footballer
- John Lyons (American football) (born 1952), American football coach
- John Lyons (bishop) (1930–2016), Bishop of Ontario, 1932–52
- John Lyons (UK politician) (born 1949), English Labour Party politician
- John Lyons (Antiguan politician) (1760–1816), Antiguan politician
- John Lyons (VC) (1823–1867), Irish soldier in the British army, recipient of the Victoria Cross
- John Lyons (ice hockey) (born 1899), United States ice hockey player who competed in the 1924 Winter Olympics
- John Lyons (horse trainer), author and horse trainer in the field of Natural horsemanship
- John Lyons (hurler) (1923–2005), an Irish sportsperson
- John Lyons (linguist) (1932–2020), English linguist
- John Lyons (poet) (born 1933) is a Trinidad-born poet and artist
- John Lyons (actor) (born 1943), English actor
- John J. Lyons, Secretary of State of New York 1921–1922
- John Lyons (Longford politician), Irish independent / Labour Party politician, represented Longford-Westmeath 1922–27
- Jonathon Lyons (born 1951), British businessman
- Joseph Lyons (1879–1939), Australian Prime Minister
- Joseph M. Lyons (born 1951), US politician
- Judd H. Lyons (born 1962), American general
- Katie Lyons (born 1981), British actress
- Ken Lyons (born 1956), US musician
- Kevin Lyons (1923–2000), Australian politician
- Kim Lyons (born 1973), US athlete and trainer
- Laura Lyons (born 1954), US model
- Leanne "Lelee" Lyons (born 1973), US singer (SWV)
- Leo Lyons (born 1943), English musician
- Leo Lyons (American football) (1892–1976), US football player and manager
- Leonard Lyons (1906–1976), US newspaper columnist
- Leslie A. Lyons (fl. 2000s), US veterinary researcher
- Lorenzo Lyons (1807–1886), US-born missionary in Hawaii
- Louis M. Lyons (1897–1982), US journalist
- Mark Lyons, American basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Marty Lyons (born 1957), US football player
- Marty Lyons (Australian footballer) (born 1956), Australian rules footballer
- Mary Lyons (born 1947), British author
- Michael Lyons (disambiguation), several people
- Mick Lyons (English footballer) (born 1951)
- Mick Lyons (Gaelic footballer) (f. 1980s)
- Miriam Lyons (fl. 2000s), Australian academic and political advisor
- Mitch Lyons (born 1970), US football player
- Mossie Lyons (fl. 2000s), Irish football player
- Nancy Lyons (born 1930), Australian swimmer
- Nathan Lyons (1930–2016), US artist and photographer
- Ned Lyons (fl. 1800s), US gang leader
- Oren Lyons (born 1930), Native American figure
- Pat Lyons (1860–1914), US baseball player
- Patrick Lyons (1903–1967), Australian Catholic prelate; Third Bishop of Christchurch, New Zealand, and Fourth Bishop of Sale, Victoria, Australia
- Paul Lyons, several people, famous American comedian, writer, doctors, and authors
- Peter Lyons (disambiguation), several people
- Pratt Lyons (born 1974), US football player
- Reginald Lyons (1922–1976), Irish cricketer
- Richard Lyons (disambiguation), several people
- Robbie Lyons (1972–2003), US criminal convicted of murder
- Robert Lyons (disambiguation), several people
- Rodney Lyons (born 1962), African-American politician
- Roger Lyons (born 1942), British labor leader
- Ron Lyons (1909–1942), Canadian hockey player
- Ross Lyons (born 1984), Scottish cricketer
- Russell Lyons (born 1957), American mathematician
- Ruth Lyons (disambiguation), several people
- Samuel Lyons (1791–1851), Australian landowner and businessman
- Shane Lyons (born 1988), US television personality
- Shelby Lyons (born 1981), US figure skater
- Simon Lyons (born 1982), English football player
- Sophie Lyons (1848–1924), US criminal figure
- Steve Lyons (baseball) (born 1960), US baseball player and announcer
- Steve Lyons (writer) (fl. 2000s), British writer
- Steve Lyons (rugby league), rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 1980s
- Stuart Lyons (1928–1998), British film producer
- Susan Lyons (born 1957), Australian actress
- Susanne Lyons (born 1957), chair of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC)
- Ted Lyons (1900–1986), US baseball player and manager
- Terah Lyons, American artificial intelligence specialist
- Terry Lyons (disambiguation), several people
- Thomas Lyons (disambiguation), several people, including Tom and Tommy Lyons
- Tracy Lyons (born 1970), English paedophile convicted in the 2009 Plymouth child abuse case
- Virginia V. Lyons (born 1944), US politician
- Will Lyons (f. 1990–2000s), British newspaper columnist
- William Lyons (1901–1985), British motorcar businessman
- William L. Lyons (1857–1911), US politician
- Zoe Lyons (born 1971), English comedy performer
- Seth E. Lyons (born 1998), US singer songwriter/actor
See also[]
- Irish nobility
- Castlelyons (a late medieval seat of the Uí Liatháin)
- Lyons (disambiguation)
- Lions (surname)
- Lyon (surname)
- Lehane
References[]
- MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families: Their Names, Arms and Origins. Irish Academic Press. 4th edition, 1998.
- O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees. Dublin: James Duffy and Co. 5th edition, 1892.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Miller, Robert (ed.) (1907). The Lyon Memorial: New York Families Descended from the Immigrant, Thomas Lyon of Rye. Press William Graham Printing Co.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
- ^ Base Mérimée: Château fort, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
- ^ Judith A. Green Henry I: King of England and Duke of Normandy, Cambridge University Press, 2006. The introduction is online: "Introduction: A surfeit of lampreys"
- ^ Office de Tourisme du Pays de Lyons-la-Forêt: Le pays de Lyons à travers l’histoire Archived 2016-08-23 at the Wayback Machine. This site also contains further historical detail concerning the castle and its royal connections. (in French)
- ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus (revised by Bridget Cherry). The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire (2nd ed.). Yale University Press. p. 444.
- ^ Hewitt, Michael (2014). A Most Remarkable Family: A History of the Lyon Family from 1066 to 2014. AuthorHouse.
- ^ Rutherford-Edge, Shana. "The Ancient and Noble Seat: The History of the Villages of Overthorpe and Warkworth in Northamptonshire" (PDF). pp. 11–23.
- ^ The Surnames of Ireland, Edward MacLysaght, sixth edition (1997), published by the Irish Academic Press, ISBN 0-7165-2364-7.
- ^ "100 Irish surnames explained". www.ireland-information.com.
- ^ Langford Vere, Oliver. History of the Island of Antigua, Vol. 2. Mitchell and Hughes, London, 1894. pp. 214–217.
- ^ Woods, James (1907). Annals of Westmeath, Ancient and Modern. Sealy, Bryers, and Walker. p. 68.
- ^ Walford, E. (1882). The County Families of the United Kingdom. p. 405.
- Surnames