This is a medieval English locational surname. It originates from the ancient parish of Litherland, near the city of Liverpool, in the county of Lancashire. In the 21st century Litherland is divided into Uplitherland and Downlitherland. It is first recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086 as Liderlant, and as Litherland in the Fines Court rolls of Lancashire in the year 1212. This was during the reign of King John of England (1199 - 1216). The derivation is from the pre 7th century Norse word "hlithar" meaning a slope, with the suffix "-land", to give the meaning of an estate on sloping land. The surname is first recorded in the latter part of the 13th century, (see below), and is particularly prevalent in the early surviving church registers of Lancashire. Examples of recordings include Anne Litherland who was christened at Farnworth near Prescot, on October 10th 1562, whilst in the Wills Register for the north of England kept in Elizabethan times at Chester, is the recording of William Litherland of Whiston in 1568. Much further afield, Henry Litherland and Margarett Wright were married at St. Helen's Bishopgate, in the city of London, on February 11th 1592. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of William de Litherland, the lord of the manor of Litherland, from whom the modern name holders may descend. This was dated 1272, in the the Hundred Rolls of Lancashire, during the reign of King Edward 1st of England, 1272 - 1307.

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