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Origin of Letmon / Letman Family Name in Dublin

Dublin

I have collateda wide range ofrecords over the years (census, births, marriages, deaths) relating to the Letmon / Letman / Lettmanside of my family line who are shown as living in Dublin (Roman Catholics) since the early 1800s in the Summerhill and Ballybough areas of the City.

Letmon / Letman / Lettmanis not a typically Irish name,but I've never been able to get to the root of its origin. The only people with this name in Dublin are literally known family members of mine, so it also stands out asvery specificto our family.

My research only goes back as far as 1806 with the first Letmon/Letman/Lettman baptism in Dublin. If anyone has anyfurther knowledge of thisfamily in Dublin,I would love to know more. (The name is spelt three differentways on documentsover the years.)

Many thanks in advance.

55Runner

4 replies

There is no mention of that surname in MacLysaght's Surnames of Ireland, but that's not surprising if it is a relatively late arrival.  Lett and Lettmann are ways to say Latvian in German, and German forms of names were often found among immigrants from the Baltics and Eastern Europe, so perhaps they were Latvian immigrants who ended up in Ireland (there have been various immigrant groups over the years, such as the German butchers who were once concentrated in North Dublin).  About 2/3 of the Latvians are Catholic, and the fact that your Lettman's were concentrated in an urban environment like Dublin would not be surprising if they were 18th-19th century immigrants.

kevin45sf@yahoo.com

 

Hi Kevin

Thank you so much for your reply.  

That's a really interesting point that you raise about the connection between the words Lett and Latvia because when I had my Ancestry DNA done a few years ago, it showed a significant European Jewish marker with specific links to Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus.  

Despite exploring various distant DNA cousin matches etc., I'ven never been able to get to the root of any of it .... but this is now a new and interesting avenue that I can pursue.  

Thank you once again! 

 

 

 

55Runner

I had a quick look at the early years of the England/Wales census (1851 to 1881) - 128 Letman, 23 Lettman and 3 Letmon - many born in England, but spotted a few interesting places overseas that might be of interest (this was a spot check - could be others....)

Meyer Letman in London in 1851, born c1799, a merchant born  Grand Duchy of Aldenburg, probably a ref. to the 'Grand Duchy of Oldenburg '
Jacob Letman in Manchester in 1851, born c1833 born "Poland"

 

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Shane,

Thank you very much for your note.  They're really interesting leads for me to follow.  

The family's route to Ireland may well have been via England in some way. More interesting avenues for me to explore!

Thank you again for that. Really good information.

 

 

55Runner

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