he name is said to derive
from the Norman French name Leuoine who was a companion of William the
Conqueror. His son's name was Sir Roger de Leonne. Born in 1040 he
joined forces with King Edward, son of Malcolm Canmore and received
lands in Perthshire, Scotland in 1091. The family are part of Clan
Farquarson whose tartan is at left. That clan is part of the larger Clan
Chatten whose badge is at top and tartan at the right. Their motto:
"Touch not the cat but a glove." The motto of the Lyon family is "In Te
Domine speravi" "In you, God, we hope."
The professional genealogist, Mr. Phillipe of the Rolls
Office, London compiled the following descent presented in the Lyon
Memorial of 1907. This was edited by Charles Philley and is
paraphrased here.
Sir Roger de Leonne was brought to England in 1066.
Under Edgar, King of England, he fought against Donald Bain, the
Scottish usurper, and for his services received certain lands in
Perthshire, Scotland, later called "Glen Lyon".
Paganus de Leonne, eldest son of Sir Roger, was born in
England about 1080. He was described as a younger scion of the
noble house of Leonne in France, descended from the
Kings of Leonne, and 23rd in descent from Atulph, King of the Goths in
Spain and brother of Alaric who sacked Rome in 409. He went to the Holy
Lands and on his return came to England with Geoffrey Plantaganet and
settled there.
Hugh de
Leonibus, eldest son of Paganus was born about 1120. He owned lands in
Norfolk in the time of Henry II.
Ernald de
Leonibus, eldest son of Hugh, born in 1150, held lands in
Norfolk.
John de
Leonibus, son of Ernald, born about 1175 at Norfolk, owned lands in
diverse counties.
Pagan de
Leonibus, son of John, born in Norfolk about 1200, married Yvette de
Ferrerre, daughter and heiress of William de Ferrerre of
Cambridgeshire.
Sir John
de Lyonn, son of Pagan, born about 1225 at Norfolk, held lands in
Northhampton and performed military service under Edward the
First against the Scots. He married Margery, daughter and co-heir of
Simon de Ackle of Acklein, Northhampton.
Baron John
de Lyon, son of Sir John, born about 1250, marched against the Scots
under Edward II. The Coat of Arms of the Baron were silver with only the
blue lion rampant.
Sir Adam Lyon, Knight, eldest
son of Baron John, born about 1285, held lands in Cambridge and Norfolk.
His line continues in England and ultimately to William Lyon
colonist in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1630. Here I end the notes by
Charles Philley which go on to trace William's kin.
Adam's brother, Sir John of Fortoviot, settled in Scotland and it is
undoubtedly he from whom the family descends to Henry, Richard, and
Thomas of Connecticut.
As
was the case when English soldiers went to Ireland to conquer it, and
they themselves were conquered by the Celtic way of life, so also
in Scotland with the Lyon family. The Lyons served King Robert II of
Scotland. Sir John's son John married the King's daughter and founded
the line of the Scottish Earls of Strathmore. The family became
keepers of the heraldry in Scotland and were given the double tressure
seen in the arms above. The Scottish royal arms are the same only in
gold and red.
The Lyon
Name 