SurnameDB – The Internet Surname Database

Underlined words are explained in our glossary.

Recorded in various spellings all quite rare, and including Laundon, Lewnden, Londean, Londing, London, Londoner, Loyndon, Loynton, Lunden, Lundin, and Lunnon, this surname is of pre origins. It was , and usually described a person who left the city of London, and moved somewhere else, and was then named after London or the local spelling equivalent, as identification. This was unusual. Almost everybody went to LOndon because as the legend explained, "The streets were paved with gold". A secondary possible origin is that the name was a for a person who had made a visit to London, and returned home to tell the tale! People in the medieval times did not undertake journeys lightly, with brigands and outlaws everywhere. A visit to the next village could mark a person for life, a visit to London or York, was something very special indeed! London is recorded by the Roman historian, Tacitus, in the years 115 - 117, in its form of Londinium.

List Ancestral records for:- London

Seven later it is recorded in the famous Chronicles of 839 as "Lundenne". The name is thought to derive from the element "lond", meaning wild or bold, and as such used either as a personal or a tribal name. Amongst examples of the early church recordings of the name is the marriage of Michaell London and Alice Lifford, at Farnham, Surrey, on August 8th 1568, whilst James Laundon is recorded at St Katherines by the Tower (of London) on January 22nd 1687. The novelist Jack London 1876 - 1916, was the author of the famous book "Call of the Wild". The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Leofsi Lundonia. This was dated 1086, in the famous Book, during the reign of King William 1st, known as "", 1066 - 1087.
Your A4 printed scroll

Surname scroll

London Surname Scroll

Printed A4 parchment scroll · 8.3 × 11.7 in

Enjoy this name printed onto our colourful scroll, printed in Olde English script. An ideal gift.

Buy 2 or more scrollsGet free shipping
  • Printed and dispatched within 5 working days
  • Royal Mail delivery to almost anywhere in the world
  • Research exclusive to The Internet Surname Database
See all photos and details →
The MyHeritage DNA testing kit

Partner offer

London is one branch. Find the rest in your DNA.

MyHeritage DNA shows your origins across 2,114 regions and finds relatives through shared DNA.

Explore MyHeritage DNA (opens MyHeritage in a new tab)

SurnameDB is a MyHeritage partner and may earn a commission.

Historical records

Records about the London family

SurnameDB is a MyHeritage partner and may earn a commission.