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Lyons Family Crest and Surname Origin

A short guide to the Lyons surname: its meaning, its roots in Ireland, and its heraldry.

Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Lyons coat of arms for you.

Origin of the Lyons name

Lyons has two main Irish origins. It is the usual English form of Ó Laighin, a family of east County Galway, and in County Cork it stands for Ó Liatháin, also anglicized Lehane. Elsewhere it can be an English or Norman name from Lyons-la-Forêt in Normandy. The surname is common in Ireland, England and the United States.

Our historical archives hold much more on the Lyons name: dates, names and records of early bearers.

This overview covers the Lyons name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.

Get your full Lyons family history

The researched Lyons pack traces meaning, early bearers and migration routes, and includes a personalized Lyons coat of arms.

Lyons name FAQ

What does the Lyons name mean?

Descendant of Laighean; from Lyons (Normandy). Common variants include Lyon, Lyne, Lehane.

Where does the Lyons surname come from?

It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.

Is there a Lyons coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Lyons crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Lyons coat of arms based on historic heraldry.

Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).