This name is of English locational origin from a district so called near Liverpool in Lancashire consisting of Uplitherland and Downlitherland. Recorded as Liderlant in the Domesday Book of 1086 and as Litherland in the 1202 Fine Court Rolls of that county, the name derives from the Olde Norse "hlithar", the genitive of "hlith", a slope, plus "land", land; hence, "land on a slope". The surname is first recorded in the latter part of the 13th Century, (see below). It is particularly prevalent in Lancashire church registers from the mid 16th Century. On October 10th 1562 Anne Litherland, an infant, was christened in Farnworth near Prescot, and on June 18th 1568 one, George Literland was christened in Winwick. On January 16th 1574 Johanes Literland and Ana Bordman were married in Eccles. In 1582 a William Litherland of Whiston was recorded in "The Wills Records at Chester", and on February 21st 1597. Henry Litherland and Margarett Wright were married in St. Helen's, Bishopgate, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Litherland, which was dated 1272, in the "The Pipe Rolls of Lancashire", 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.

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