Coat of Arms & Family Crests Store
Ledwitch Coat of Arms / Ledwitch Family CrestThe surname of LEDWITCH was a locational name 'of Ledwyche' a spot in Shropshire. Local names usually denoted where a man held his land, and indicated where he actually lived. Early records of the name mention Ledewic (without surname) who was listed as a tenant in the Domesday Book of 1086. In 1066 Duke William of Normandy conquered England. He was crowned King, and most of the lands of the English nobility were soon granted to his followers. Domesday Book was compiled 20 years later. The Saxon Chronicle records that in 1085 'at Gloucester at midwinter, the King had deep speech with his counsellors, and sent men all over England to each shire to find out, what or how much each landowner held in land and livestock, and what it was worth. The returns were brought to him'. William was thorough. One of his Counsellors reports that he also sent a second set of Commissioners 'to shires they did not know and where they were themselves unknown, to check their predecessors' survey, and report culprits to the King'. The information was collected at Winchester, corrected, abridged, and copied by one single writer into a single volume. Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex were copied, by several writers into a second volume. The whole undertaking was completed at speed, in less than 12 months.Other records of the name mention a certain Ledwic (without surname) who was recorded in the year 1203 in Shropshire. Roger de Ledewich was documented in 1221. The name is also spelt Ledwidge and Ledwich. When the coast of England was invaded by William The Conqueror in the year 1066, the Normans brought with them a store of French personal names, which soon, more or less, entirely replaced the traditional more varied Old English personal names, at least among the upper and middle classes. A century of so later, given names of the principal saints of the Christian church began to be used. It is from these two types of given name that the majority of the English patronymic surnames are derived and used to this day. |
Orders over $90 qualify for Free Shipping within the U.S. |
