Lightbody
One-Name Study

Topics

• About the Lightbody One-Name Study
• Variants
• Origin of the surname
• Historical occurrences
• Distribution of the name
• Data
• DNA project
• Links
• Contact Details

About the Lightbody One-Name Study

My maiden name is LIGHTBODY and I was left a copy of William LIGHTBODY’s Lightbody Records by my great uncle, Mathew Robin LIGHTBODY. Mathew had contributed information to the author for Branch 6, which is my own branch of the family. Later, I was in touch with William’s nephew, Peter LIGHTBODY, who passed to me much of the LIGHTBODY data he and his uncle had collected, including the notes for LIGHTBODY Records and LIGHTBODY English Records.

Since then I have been updating, expanding and amending all the worldwide records that I have, and could find. I am grateful to all those who have shared their LIGHTBODY information with me.

Variants

LIGHTBODY, LIGHTBODDY, LIGHTBODDIE, LIGHBODY, LEABODY, LEEBODY

Origin of the surname

Although the name LIGHTBODY could be considered to mean nimble fellow, many LIGHTBODYs have believed that the “t” in the name should not be sounded and that the name is of French origin – even that there was a connection with William the Conqueror and his entourage.

This idea became strangely and possibly relevant when I noted the French surname LEBAUDY. Research by Harry Poole in France revealed that most LEBAUDYs with telephone directory entries actually lived in Normandy!

There is also the surname LEEBODY/LEABODY which is found mainly in Ireland and which could be regarded as an intermediate surname between LEBAUDY and LIGHTBODY. I will always be grateful to Nelson McKelvie of Canada (now sadly deceased) who photographed a LIGHTBODY gravestone while on a visit to Creevycarnonan in Ireland. This gravestone commemorated one 'Robert LIGHTBODY' who died in the late 1890s. My subsequent research showed that when Robert's son registered his father's death, the name of the deceased was given as Robert LEEBODY.

Without Nelson's photograph it is unlikely that the use of the names LIGHTBODY and LEEBODY as interchangeable surnames for the SAME person would have been discovered so easily. Nelson's photograph is now one of the most significant finds made in the study of the origin and use of the surname LIGHTBODY and its variants.

LIGHBODY was used by some Scottish branches and other spellings include LEIGHBODY, LIGH(T)BODIE and LYCHTBODIE etc.

Historical occurrences

One of the earliest references to the name was James LICHTBODY in the Register of the Great Seal in Scotland in 1501.

Distribution of the name

The name and variants are mainly found in the Scottish Borders and Lanarkshire. Central Scotland, in general, later becomes important and there was the usual influx of LIGHTBODYs/LEEBODYs from Ireland to the West of Scotland and to Liverpool; many LIGHTBODYs also went to the main cities in Scotland and England. Some Irish branches remain in Ireland but, as with many other names in Great Britain and Ireland, there are descendants all around the world.

Data

I have built up extensive files, indexes, census returns, photographs, references and correspondence regarding the many LIGHTBODYs who have existed and still flourish – and the research is ongoing.

If you have any LIGHTBODY/LEEBODY queries, please contact me. If you find writing letters difficult, you may email my research partner on the email address below, and your message will be relayed to me.

The Diary of Hannah Lightbody 1786-1790, is a new book edited by David Sekers. It is a fascinating insight into the life and times of Hannah Lightbody (born 1766), the youngest surviving daughter of ADAM LIGHTBODY and ELIZABETH TYLSTON. Adam's ancestors hailed from Dumfriesshire in Scotland, but it was in LIVERPOOL that he and his brothers, William, Robert and Thomas became prosperous businessmen, mainly in the linen trade. Graced by an engaging portrait of Hannah herself, the diary is a rich source of genealogical information about Hannah's Lightbody branch, and in Appendix II there are details of family groups, Lightbody, Tylston, Greg/Hyde, Pares, Nicholson, Cropper/Percival and Brooks/Ashton.

Hannah's diary will also be of great interest to those researching Liverpool, the city and its society in the latter years of the 18th century. References are made to many well-known people, places and events, to which the footnotes provide an excellent guide. Some very useful genealogical information is also included.

To find out more, e-mail Dr Martin Fitzpatrick: mhf@aber.ac.uk or EnlightandDiss@aol.com.

DNA project

Harold E. Lightbody, from Illinois, USA, has set up a Lightbody DNA Project at Family Tree DNA. Please go to the link below for more information.

Links

Lightbody DNA Project: http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Lightbody

Contact details

For further information, contact:

Mrs Esther M Galbraith
11 Deveron Road,
Bearsden,
Glasgow
G61 1LJ
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:

This page last updated 20 May 2009.

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Profiles of other one-name studies registered with the Guild may be found here.