Lyons (surname)

Lyons is a surname with a variety of origins, from England, Ireland, Scotland, or perhaps France. The English surname Lyons can be traced back to the Norman French, when it was introduced after the Norman Conquest in 1066. It could originally have been an individual's nickname, from the Old French lion, signifying a brave or fierce warrior, or even an individual's name like Leo. Alternately it could be a locational name from the small town of Lyons-la-Forêt in Normandy or less likely the central French town of Lyons. It is believed that both of these towns derive their names from old Celtic tongues spoken in Gaul – see Lugdunum (Lyon), and Lyons-la-Forêt.

The Surnames of Ireland by Edward MacLysaght describes Lyons having its roots as a surname from the County Galway name of Ó Laighin, meaning grey. It could also be a variant of the Irish Ó Liatháin of County Cork. It may also be a variant of the typically Scottish surname Lyon.

List of persons with the surname Lyons

Lyon

Lyon or Lyons (UK /liːˈɒn/ or /ˈliːɒn/;French pronunciation: [ljɔ̃], locally: [lijɔ̃]; Arpitan: Liyon [ʎjɔ̃]) is a city in east-central France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. The correct spelling in French is Lyon, but the spelling Lyons is sometimes specified in English, particularly in newspaper style guides. Lyon is located about 470 km (292 mi) from Paris, 320 km (199 mi) from Marseille, 420 km (261 mi) from Strasbourg, 160 km (99 mi) from Geneva, and 280 km (174 mi) from Turin. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.

The municipality (commune) of Lyon has a population of 500,715 (2013) and is France's third-largest city after Paris and Marseille. Lyon is the seat of the metropolis of Lyon, and the capital of both the department of Rhône and the region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The greater metropolitan area of Lyon, a concept for statistical purposes that is not an administrative division, has a population of 2,214,068 (2012), which makes it the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Île-de-France (Paris).

Lyons (NJT station)

Lyons is a New Jersey Transit station in Basking Ridge, New Jersey along the Gladstone Branch of the Morris & Essex Lines. The station serves south Basking Ridge as well as the Hills and Liberty Corner. Two railroad crossings are located on each side of the station for the far side parking. Also, unlike many of the other stations in this area of the line, this station is one the only ones that are handicap accessible. To the right of the station is an elevated platform for disabled persons. Outside the right grade crossing of station is a bridge on which trains pass over South Finley Avenue.

The single station building, on the north side of the single track, is of brick construction and was built 1931 to coincide with electrification. A brass ornamental arch stands on the westernmost part of the platform. Permit parking is available on the station side of the tracks, as well as a large lot for permit and daily parking on the far side of the track. Lyons station was the second-to-last station depot built by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, behind the station at Syracuse, New York in 1941.

Lyons, Illinois

Lyons is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,729 at the 2010 census. The Chicago Portage National Historic Site is located in Lyons.

History

Incorporated in 1888, Lyons is steeped in earlier historical roots. In 1673 French Explorer Louis Joliet and Jesuit missionary Father Pierre Marquette left Green Bay, Wisconsin, by canoe in search of a western passage to the Pacific. As they traveled into the Spanish controlled area of Louisiana, they realized that the mighty Mississippi River drained into the already well known Gulf of Mexico. With winter approaching, they headed north as quickly as possible. To save time, the Potawatomi Indians who were with them encouraged changing their route to the Illinois River. The short cut led to the Des Plaines River and caused the French travelers to discover “Le Portage.” This half-mile wide area of land connecting the Chicago River and the Des Plaines River, over which they could carry their canoes and supplies, was to become the discovery for which they would both become famous. Later known as the Chicago Portage, this small area became the “Gateway to the West” and was used by thousands of early settlers and traders traveling both east and west. The discovery of “Le Portage” was part of the impetus that led to Chicago becoming a center for the world trade.