Lyden Family History Options

[curstag]

Hi, does anyone have any information on rare two Irish names from my family? I recently have been doing my family tree and found long lost relatives with the name of Lyden. We have traced the family as far back as a James Lyden, married to an Agnes Menamin. Their son William Lyden was born in 1837 and married a Hannah (sometimes referred to as Joanna) Payne and they settled in Clydebank after he left the Royal Artillery.

Also, family folklore seems to have arisen quite independently from various branches in the States, England, Scotland and Ireland that the Lydens were not originally Irish, but settled there after being mercenaries who fought either for William of Orange or escaped from Scotland after being on the wrong side in the Jacobite rebellion. Two very different sides of the religious divide!

Rumour has it that they were possibly Dutch. However, I have found the Gaelic name O'loideain. Can anyone shed light on the rumour? One family website for the Liddens has the same story and it says that they became, 'more Irish than the Irish.' I'm confused!!!! Did they 'gaelisize' or were they Irish? There are aslo Lydens in Holland with variant spellings and many in Scandinavia with the same spelling. Which line should I follow?

There is also the name Timpany in the family tree. Can anyone give any background on that name. I believe it originated in Northern Ireland.

Many thanks

[Paul Kelly]

According to the 1857 Griffith's Valuation which lists the heads of all the households in Ireland in the 1850s, the Lyden/Lydon surname was found almost exclusively in Counties Galway, Mayo and Sligo in the Province of Connacht in the west of Ireland. This part of Ireland was not affected by the Plantations, so these Lydens were almost certainly native Irish. According to the website below, the original Irish Gaelic form of this surname was O'Loideain.

http://www.ireland.com/ancestor/surname

McMenamin is a native Irish surname found mainly in County Donegal and west Tyrone. An alternative spelling of this surname is McManaman or McManamon which is found in County Mayo.

According to the 1857 Griffith's Valuation there were only 9 households in Ireland in the 1850s with the surname Timpany/Tempany. 8 were in County Sligo, 2 were in County Down and the other was in Dublin. The original Gaelic form of this surname was 'Mac an Tiompanaigh' meaning 'son of the drummer' and this rare surname appears to have arisen independently in both County Sligo in the west of Ireland and in the north east of Ireland. I should add that the 'Mac an Tiompanaigh' surname was Anglicised as McAtamney or McTamney in Counties Antrim and Derry.

Looking through the International Genealogical Index for Ireland, the Timpany surname is found almost exclusively in Counties Down and Sligo.

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/fra...clear_form=true

The surnames Lyden, Timpany and McManamon all have connections with the neighbouring counties of Sligo and Mayo in the west of Ireland. In the 19th century there was a boat which sailed occasionally between Sligo and Glasgow. This boat brought many Irish immigrants from Sligo and north Mayo to the Glasgow area.

[curstag]

Many thanks Paul. I now have something to go on to try to further back. It may not sound like much to narrow it down to a country, but my father's family were so internationally mobile that it's a HUGE help.

I don't suppose that you have any idea what 'O'loideain' could mean? I'm guessing from my own Scottish Gaelic that it could be something to do with 'grey'?

Christine

[*Laura Ní Loideáin*]

It is my understanding that the name O Loideáin is derived from the pagan God Lud, ( GOD of everything). In the heavens, Lud approached the Gates of a temple and asked to be let in. The guard asked him who he was. I am the God of Peace he replied, the guard informed him that there already was a God of Peace. Lud said "i am the God of Love", the guard replied we already have one of those too. Lud said " i am also the God of music, death, marriage, war, sun, moon etc to whcih the guard told he he already had each of the those.
Lud said " well have you a god of all of those things?" the guard had to say no and he let him in in the end.
also knows as Lod, Lyd, Lwyd , this is where O Loideáin comes from.

[*Guest*]

Hi, my name is Steven Lyden.

My father was born in London in 1934, however his father was from Glasgow and worked on the Clyde (I think he was a riviter when the Queen Mary was being built) and moved south during the economic depression in the twenties. It sounds as if our families are linked somewhere along the line. Contact me for any more information.
Cheers, Steve Lyden.
stevelyden@tiscali.co.uk

[marina]

what about LAYDEN ?

[*curstag*]

It is my understanding that the name O Loideáin is derived from the pagan God Lud, ( GOD of everything). In the heavens, Lud approached the Gates of a temple and asked to be let in. The guard asked him who he was. I am the God of Peace he replied, the guard informed him that there already was a God of Peace. Lud said "i am the God of Love", the guard replied we already have one of those too. Lud said " i am also the God of music, death, marriage, war, sun, moon etc to whcih the guard told he he already had each of the those.
Lud said " well have you a god of all of those things?" the guard had to say no and he let him in in the end.
also knows as Lod, Lyd, Lwyd , this is where O Loideáin comes from.

Many thanks Laura, I was finding it nearly impossible to find the origins and meaning of my family name. This has cleared up something I've been researching for two years now! I'll be letting my relatives know. I had got back to Irleand in my genealogical research but the records start to get a bit sketchy by the time you get to the 18th Cent.

Many thanks. I don't know what Irish for happy new year is but I'll wish you a Scottish 'Bliabhna Math Ur!!!!'

[*curstag*]

Hi, my name is Steven Lyden.

My father was born in London in 1934, however his father was from Glasgow and worked on the Clyde (I think he was a riviter when the Queen Mary was being built) and moved south during the economic depression in the twenties. It sounds as if our families are linked somewhere along the line. Contact me for any more information.
Cheers, Steve Lyden.
stevelyden@tiscali.co.uk

I've been doing my family tree for about two years now and also met a second cousin I didn't know I had who had also done a lot of work. What are your father and grandfathers names. We may be able to fit you into our tree. You never know!

Christine

[Paul Kelly]

I think Layden or Leyden is generally considered to be a Scottish surname. The name seems to have been particularly common in Roxburgh in the Scottish Borders. However, according to the Irish Times website which I attached to post #2, Leyden (or Layden) is sometimes an alternative spelling of the Irish surname Lyden. Also, looking through the International Genealogical Index (the 2nd website which I attached to post #2), it is clear that many of the Leydens/Laydons in Scotland are of Irish extraction, especially in Glasgow and Lanarkshire. It is likely that some of the 19th century Irish Lyden immigrants to Scotland had their surnames recorded in the Scottish form of Leyden/Layden.

[marina]

thank you x

[clairelyden]

Hi

I know you put this entry on a year ago, but I have started to research my family tree and came across your entry. I am a Lyden from Clydebank, the only Lyden's I know in Clydebank are my relatives, I would love to know what you found out.

I have also heard of the story that the name Lyden came from Holland, apparently there is a town called (or once called) Lyden in Holland.

Claire

[*cabrini abbatiello*]

Yes I can help with the surmane Timpany.

I my family tree we have a Robert Timpany a very interesting man he is in the Revolution war.

Timpany name has been alterd. please email me at ctenpenny@nyc.rr.com I will glady give more information about timpany. I'm at work now so I can sent to information to you.

cabrini abbatiello
USA

[*tony lyden*]

hi, my name is tony lyden,im from ruislip manor,my father had seven brothers,and there father was from sligo,reading this has got me interested so im going to ask some questions from my family and get back to everyone. cheers tony

[*Rebecca Cook*]

Hi My name is Rebecca,

My mother Josephine Hamilton Lyden was born in Clydebank Scotland and her father was Joseph Lyden, apparently nearly all the first born males were called Joseph and because my mum was an only child she was called Josephine. Her parents married, had my mother and her father Joseph Lyden all died in the one year. My mother and Grandmother moved to Australia to Port Macquaire in New South Wales. My mother never spoke of her family and she has now passed away and I am trying to find out my family tree from her side of the family. Does anyone have any information regarding the Lyden family from Clydebank I believe they used to work with boats.
Many thanks

bec cook

[**Samantha Lyden**]

Hi everyone,

My name's Samantha Lyden, my grandfather is James Lyden and he and his family are originally from Kilsyth Glasgow which isn't very far from Clydebank! I know we still has family there, although i haven't seen any of them since I was a child. Thanks