Surname Leftwich - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'L'
Leftwich: What does the surname Leftwich mean?
The last name Leftwich is a habitational surname of English origins, derived from a place called Leftwich, which was located in the county of Cheshire. The surname Leftwich has deeply rooted origins in Anglo-Saxon England, where the English language is at its purest form.
The name Leftwich is believed to be a combination of two English words – “Leaf” and “wic”. In Old English, “Leaf” would refer to a meadow or a pasture and “wic” would refer to a village or a port settlement. In this case, the combined meaning of Leftwich translates to “meadow village” or “pasture port settlement”.
Throughout the Middle Ages, people often changed their names to identify themselves or their families with their place of origin. As a habitational name, the Leftwich surname was referred to a family living in the area of Leftwich, or who originally came from the place.
The Leftwich surname is relatively uncommon in the present day, and is found throughout the English-speaking world. In parts of the United States, the name is still commonly associated with families with a long-standing history in their homeland.
The first known record of the Leftwich surname in writing is believed to be that of Alexander de Leftwich, occurring in the Pipe Roll register in 1188. This document records documents pertaining to accounts of the Pipe Rolls of the Exchequer, which was the financial department of the King’s Government.
Today, the Leftwich surname is a proud reminder of the family’s longstanding roots to their home in Cheshire, England. Its bearer can take pride in knowing that their surname is a representation of an enduring and significant history.
Order DNA origin analysisLeftwich: Where does the name Leftwich come from?
Leftwich is a relatively uncommon surname in the modern-day, however it is most populous in certain regions in the United States. Primarily, the highest concentrations of people with the Leftwich surname are located in the Southwest, particularly Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma. In the United Kingdom, the highest concentrations of Leftwich’s are located around Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside. Other areas with significant numbers include the North East as well.
The origin of the Leftwich surname is believed to come from the surname of a parish in Cheshire, known as Leftwich. It was originally a surname derived from an English place-name settlement; as such, the earliest known bearer of this surname was William de Leftwich in 1321. Over the years, the surname and spelling saw various changes and variations, most notably Levethwyche, Leftwich, and Lethecoate.
Modern day Leftwich’s living in the United States and United Kingdom are likely descended from the earliest bearer of the surname, however, due to the common practice of phonetic spelling, it may not be immediately recognizable. As a result, bearers of this surname are encouraged to research their family historians in order to determine the origin of their name.
Variations of the surname Leftwich
Leftwich is a surname of English origin, derived from a place-name. The spelling variants vary depending on the dialect of the region in which they originated.
In its most standard spelling, Leftwich is derived from a settlement in the parish of Whatcott, Cheshire. It likely originates from the Old English words “Lef-wic”, meaning “placed at the left side”.
In some parts of England, the surname is spelled “Lefwich”, which could suggest it was initially a French name brought over to England by the Normans.
In other parts, such as North Midlands, the spelling has become “Lefthorse” or simply “Lefte”.
Other variants of the surname Leftwich include Leftwich, Lefiche, Leftick, Leftick, Lefitch, Lefeches, Leftick, Lefex, Lefish, Leftshoe, Leftus, Leftun, and Leftens.
The surnames of the same origin are Leffwisch, Lefcoch, Lefcoxe, Leftsch, Leftford, Leftrip, Leftson, Leftant, Leftpond, Leftwaye, Lefford, Lefweek, Leftole, Leftrive, and Leftup.
Overall, the surname Leftwich may have arisen independently in different areas, with dialect influences resulting in various spellings over time. Notwithstanding, it is unmistakably of English origin deriving from a place-name in Cheshire.
Famous people with the name Leftwich
- Antwan Leftwich: former NFL quarterback
- Stephon Leftwich: NFL senior offensive assistant coach
- Wade Rightwich: retired NFL defensive tackle
- Joanna Leftwich: co-founder of the health and nutrition organization, Indego Health
- Maria Leftwich: British folk singer and songwriter
- Richard Leftwich: award-winning cinematographer
- Zach Leftwich: former minor league baseball pitcher
- Julian Leftwich: professional soccer player
- Charles Leftwich: basketball coach
- Brian Leftwich: retired NFL running back