Lidington

This name is of English locational origin from either of two places thus called. Liddington in Wiltshire near Swindon and Liddington in Rutland near Uppingham. The name means "the tun" (farm or settlement) on the River Hlyde". Hlyde itself comes from the Olde English pre 7th Centruy "hlud" translating variously as "land, roaring stream or torrent". The surname is first recorded in the latter half of the 13th Century, (see below). One, Tenentes Lidinton appears in the 1273 "Hundred Rolls of Rutland". In 1603, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Liddington an armorer, was christened in St. Peter's Church, Corn hill, London. In the "modern" idiom, the name is spelt Liddington or Lidington. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de (of) Liddinton. which was dated 1272, in the "Testa de Neville". during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.