The Lythell family of Cambridgeshire

The Lythell surname forms part of my maternal ancestry, with my most recent ancestor being my 4x Great Grandmother, Rebecca Lythell, who was born in about 1820.

Lythell at Stretham

Rebecca was one of the (at least) third generation of Lythells to live in Stretham, Cambridgeshire, in the East of England. The earliest record I've found was her grandfather (and my 6x Great Grandfather) John Lythell who first appears in the village on 30th May 1768 when he married his wife (and subsequently my 6x Great Grandmother) Mary Finch at the parish's St. Mary's Church.

Amongst their eight children was my 5x Great Grandfather, John Lythell, born circa 1772. He worked as a labourer, probably as his father did.

By the time he died in 1830 aged 58 years, he'd become a father 13 times, seemingly through four wives. His final wife, Frances Howard was my 5x Great Grandmother, and the mother of Rebecca.

A paternal Lythell connection

It's one of John's many children - Elijah Lythell that gives my paternal Martin family a connection to the surname. This time it is not ancestral, but Elijah's granddaughter Rebecca Ann Lythell, who was born in 1879, went on to marry my paternal Great Grandfather's older brother, Walter James Martin.

Lythell family connections

The Lythell family are linked to a few of my ancestral families including:

• Dewsbury
• Finch
• Howard
• Martin

Variants of the Lythell surname

Whilst Lythell seems to be the most common modern spelling of the name, and frequent spelling in my ancestry, there are a number of variants in the Cambridgeshire records. These include:

• Lisle
• Lithal
• Lithel
• Lithewell
• Lythal
• Lytheal
• Lythel