leming

1) A popular name for an ox, probably the Middle English word for ‘lightning’, an ironic nickname.

1545 one yocke of oxen the one called Lemynge and the other Burnett, Conisbrough

1553 and to my dowghter Alice Wattes one oxe called lemynge, Wakefield

1567 one yoke of oxen called ... Lyghtbowne and Lemynge, Crofton. Although the surname Leeming can derive from a place-name, the nickname is likely to be the source in Ribblesdale: 1379 sutor Willelmus Lemyng, Paythorne

Johannes Lemyng, Stainforth.

dates 1379 1545 1553 1567

Related Content Loading...

Photo by Kreuzschnabel CC BY-SA 3.0