The Lyttelton family (sometimes spelled Littleton) is a British aristocratic family. Over time, several members of the Lyttelton family were made knights, baronets and peers. Hereditary titles held by the Lyttelton family include the viscountcies of Cobham (since 1889) and Chandos (since 1954), as well as the Lyttelton barony (since 1794) and Lyttelton baronetcy (since 1618). Several other members of the family have also risen to prominence, particularly in the field of cricket.
History Branches of the Littleton/Lyttelton family
The Lyttleton pedigree is set out in the Heraldic Visitation of Worcestershire.Pedigree of Lyttelton: Phillimore, W. P. W., ed. (1888). The Visitation of the County of Worcester made in the year 1569, with other pedigrees relating to that county from Richard Mundy's collection. Harleian Society, 1st ser. Vol. 27. London., pp.92-4 The Littleton/Lyttelton family had its origins at the manor of South Lyttleton, near Evesham, in Worcestershire. On the death of Thomas de Littleton, lord of the manor of Frankley in Worcestershire (inherited on the marriage of his great-grandfather Thomas Littleton to Emma de Frankley, daughter and heiress of Simon de FrankleyVivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, pedigree of Westcott of Raddon, pp.778-9), the last in the male line, his sole heiress became his only daughter Elizabeth Littleton, who married Thomas Westcott/Westcote, Esquire, "the king's servant in court", who served as Escheator of Worcestershire in 1450.Burke's Genealogical and Historical History of the Commons, re "Littleton of Teddesley"
Of her four sons, the eldest, Thomas (later the distinguished judge), took his maternal surname and arms of Lyttleton (or Littleton), whilst the others Guy (2nd son), Edmund (3rd son) and Nicholas (4th son), retained their paternal surname and arms of Westcott.
Edmund Westcote died unmarried, whilst his brother Nicholas Westcote married Agnes Vernon, the daughter and heiress of Edmund Vernon, and was ancestor of the Westcotes of Staffordshire; Guy Westcote married a daughter of the Greenevile family of Gloucestershire, and was ancestor of the Westcotes of Raddon in the parish of Shobrooke in Devon (among whom was his great-grandson the antiquary Thomas Westcote of RaddonVivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, pedigree of Westcote of Raddon, pp.778-9) and of Somerset.
Sir Thomas Littleton (c. 1407–1481), became a distinguished judge and legal writer, referred to as "one of the great law luminaries of his country", and is immortalized by one work alone, his celebrated Treatise on Tenures.. He was appointed a judge of the Court of Common Pleas in 1464, and inherited the Frankley estates from his mother. He was survived by three sons, William, Richard and Thomas, from whom originated three lines of Littleton/Lyttelton landed gentry in the West Midlands, all of which acquired baronetcies in the 17th century: Thomas Littleton, the third son, is recorded as Thomas Litleton of Speechly and incumbent of Spetchley, Worcestershire. His descendant Adam Littleton received the Littleton Baronetcy, of Stoke Milburgh, in 1642.
Richard Littleton, the second son, married the heiress of Pillaton Hall in Staffordshire. His descendant Edward Littleton received the Littleton Baronetcy, of Pillaton Hall, in 1627. The title became extinct in 1812 on the death of the 4th Baronet. The lands then passed to a nephew, Edward John Walhouse, who adopted the surname of Littleton and was created Baron Hatherton in 1835.
William Littleton (1450–1507), the eldest son, inherited the lands at Frankley, and was knighted after the Battle of Stoke (1487), one of the last major engagements of the Wars of the Roses. He was succeeded by his son John Littleton (c. 1500–1533), who was succeeded by his son John Lyttelton (1520–1590). He was made constable of Dudley Castle and keeper of the old and new parks there in 1553. In 1565 he bought the manor of Hagley from John St. Leger.. Together with Frankley and Upper Arley, which he inherited, this formed the core of the Lyttelton family estate. He was knighted by Elizabeth I at Kenilworth in 1566. He was succeeded by his son Gilbert (c.1570–1599), the High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1584, who was the father of John († 1601) and Humphrey († 1606). Humphrey was executed for his part in the Gunpowder Plot. John Lyttelton served as a Member of Parliament but was concerned in the rebellion of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex in 1601. He was tried for high treason, but was reprieved from execution. His estates in Frankley, Halesowen, Hagley and Upper Arley were forfeited to the Crown, but were restored to his widow Meriel (daughter of Sir Thomas Bromley, Lord Chancellor of England) on the accession of James I. She survived him 28 years and cleared the estates of debt, bringing up her children as Anglicans. The eldest son, Thomas Lyttelton (1593–1650) received the Lyttelton Baronetcy, of Frankley in the County of Worcester, in the Baronetage of England, in 1618.
The Lytteltons of Frankley and Hagley
Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 1st Baronet of Frankley (1593–1650), devoted much time to developing his estates in Frankley, Halesowen, Hagley and Upper Arley, and later represented Worcestershire in the House of Commons. His son, the 2nd Baronet, sat as Member of Parliament for Lichfield. He was succeeded by his younger brother, the 3rd Baronet, who represented Bewdley in Parliament. He was succeeded by his son, the 4th Baronet. He was Member of Parliament for Worcester and Camelford.
In 1708, the 4th Baronet married Christian Temple, daughter of Sir Richard Temple, 3rd Baronet of Stowe. In 1718, her brother was created Baron Cobham, of Cobham in the County of Kent, and Viscount Cobham, with special remainder (in default of his own heirs male) to his sister Christian and her heirs male and in default of them to the heirs male of Christian. This latter remainder took effect in 1889 when her descendant Charles Lyttelton, 5th Baron Lyttelton succeeded as 8th Viscount Cobham.
In 1751, the 4th Baronet was succeeded by his eldest son, the 5th Baronet, who was a prominent politician. In 1755 he was created Baron Lyttelton, of Frankley in the County of Worcester, in the Peerage of Great Britain. He was succeeded in his titles by his son, the 2nd Baron, who briefly represented Bewdley in the House of Commons.
The 2nd Baron had no legitimate issue and on his death in 1779, the Lyttelton barony (created in 1755) became extinct. However, he was succeeded in the Lyttelton baronetcy (created in 1618) by his uncle, the 7th Baronet. He also represented Bewdley in Parliament and served as Governor of South Carolina and of Jamaica. In 1776, three years before he succeeded in the baronetcy, he was created Baron Westcote, of Balamere in the County of Longford, in the Peerage of Ireland. In 1794 he was further created Baron Lyttelton, of Frankley in the County of Worcester, in the Peerage of Great Britain. His eldest son, who later succeeded as the 2nd Baron, also sat as Member of Parliament for Bewdley. His half-brother, the 3rd Baron, represented Worcestershire in the House of Commons and also served as Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire. His son, the 4th Baron, was briefly Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies in 1846 under Sir Robert Peel and also served as Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire. Upon his death, he was succeeded by his son, the 5th Baron, who had previously represented East Worcestershire in Parliament as a Liberal.
In 1889 he also succeeded his distant relative, the late 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, as 8th Viscount Cobham. His son, the 9th Viscount Cobham, was Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire from 1923 to 1949. He was succeeded by his son, the 10th Viscount. He served as Governor-General of New Zealand from 1957 to 1962 and was made a Knight of the Garter in 1964 and also served as Chancellor of the Order of the Garter. His nephew, Oliver Lyttelton, was made Viscount Chandos, of Aldershot in the County of Southampton, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1954 and a Knight of the Garter in 1970. The 3rd Viscount Chandos was given a life peerage as Baron Lyttelton of Aldershot, of Aldershot in the County of Hampshire, in 2000.
Lyttleton Family in America
Nathanial Littleton the son of Sir Edward Littleton of Henley is stated in a family pedigree book once in possession of Lord Hatherton as "Nathanial emigrated to Virginia in 1635, a gentleman of the Earl of Southampton's Company in 1625." Nathanial married Ann Southey in Virginia and they had two sons named Southey and Edward as well as one daughter named Esther who married a man named Colonel John Robins. Nathanial died around September 4, 1654. Nathanial still has numerous descendants living in the United States today.
According to the book Second Edition of Royal Descents of 900 Immigrants by professional genealogist Gary Boyd Roberts, Mary (Underhill) Stites was the daughter of Humphrey Underhill and Maragret Hall. Mary was a descendant of Sir Thomas Littleton's granddaughter Anne through his son Richard Littleton. Anne married Thomas Middlemore of Edgbaston. Mary immigrated to Hempstead, New York from England and married Richard Stites. One of Mary's notable descendants is First Lady Jill Biden the wife of U.S. President Joe Biden.
Members of the family Frankley/Hagley branch
Early members Sir William Littleton (1450–1507), of Frankley, eldest son of Sir Thomas Littleton (c. 1407–1481), justice and author. He succeeded to his father's estates and was knighted after the Battle of Stoke. Sir William Littleton was succeeded by his son: John Littleton (c. 1500–1533), who was succeeded by his son: Sir John Lyttelton (1520–1590), who was succeeded by his son: Gilbert Lyttelton (c.1540–1599), who was the father of John († 1601) and Humphrey († 1606) John Lyttelton (MP) (1561–1601), who was succeeded by his son: Thomas Lyttelton (1593–1650, who was made a Baronet in 1618)
Baronets (1618)
Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 1st Baronet (1593–1650) Sir Henry Lyttelton, 2nd Baronet (1624–1693) Sir Charles Lyttelton, 3rd Baronet (1628–1716) Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 4th Baronet (1686–1751) Sir George Lyttelton, 5th Baronet (1709–1773, created Baron Lyttelton in 1756)
Barons Lyttelton (1756)
George Lyttelton, 5th Baronet, 1st Baron Lyttelton (1709–1773) Thomas Lyttelton, 6th Baronet, 2nd Baron Lyttelton (1744–1779)
Barons Westcote (1776) William Henry Lyttelton, 7th Baronet (1724–1808, created Baron Westcote in 1776 and Baron Lyttelton in 1794)
Barons Lyttelton (1794)
William Henry Lyttelton, 7th Baronet, 1st Baron Westcote, 1st Baron Lyttelton (1724–1808) George Lyttelton, 2nd Baron Lyttelton (1763–1828) William Lyttelton, 3rd Baron Lyttelton (1782–1837) George Lyttelton, 4th Baron Lyttelton (1817–1876) Charles Lyttelton, 5th Baron Lyttelton (1842–1922, succeeded as 8th Viscount Cobham in 1889)
Viscounts Cobham (1718)
Charles Lyttelton, 5th Baron Lyttelton, 8th Viscount Cobham (1842–1922) John Lyttelton, 9th Viscount Cobham (1881–1949) Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham (1909–1977) John Lyttelton, 11th Viscount Cobham (1943–2006) Christopher Charles Lyttelton, 12th Viscount Cobham (b. 1947)
The heir apparent is the present holder's son Hon. Oliver Christopher Lyttelton (b. 1976).
Viscounts Chandos (1954)
Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos (1893–1972), after whom the Lyttelton Theatre is named Antony Lyttelton, 2nd Viscount Chandos (1920–1980) Thomas Lyttelton, 3rd Viscount Chandos (b. 1953)
The heir apparent is the present holder's son Hon. Oliver Antony Lyttelton (b. 1986).
Other notable members
Charles Lyttelton (1714–1768), Bishop of Carlisle; third son of the 4th Baronet