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Lyon Family History

Lyon Surname Meaning

Scottish English and French: from the personal name Middle English Lyon, Old French Leon (from Latin leo ‘lion’ or the cognate Greek leōn; see Leon). Compare Lyall. Scottish and English (of Norman origin): habitational name from Lyons-la-Forêt in Eure, Normandy. It is unlikely to be from the better-known southern French city of Lyon (see 5 below).

English and French: nickname from Middle English lioun ‘lion’ (Old English Latin leo) Old French leon perhaps applied to a brave, fierce, or proud person or one with a shaggy mane of hair. Compare Lion.

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Laighin (see Lane). French: habitational name from the city of Lyon in south central France (or in some cases from the commune of Lyons-la-Forêt in Eure, Normandy; compare 2 above).

The name of the city of Lyon is recorded in the 1st century BC as Lugdunum and is from the name of a Celtic god Lug (or this as a personal name from a word meaning ‘brightness’) + dunon ‘hill fort’.

Altered form of Dutch De Leeuw.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Lyon family from?

You can see how Lyon families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lyon family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lyon families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,875 Lyon families living in Lancashire. This was about 40% of all the recorded Lyon's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Lyon families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lyon surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Lyon ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Lyon. 6% of Lyon men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Lyon women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lyon were Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Lyon | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    6%
  • Farmer
    3%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Bricklayer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Lyon family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 322,000 census records available for the last name Lyon. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lyon census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Lyon

Passenger Lists

There are 40,000 immigration records available for the last name Lyon. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Lyon immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 56,000 military records available for the last name Lyon. For the veterans among your Lyon ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Lyon family history

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What is the average Lyon lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Lyon life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Lyon in 1943 was 32, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lyon

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lyon ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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