Lent

Lent
This unusual surname recorded as Lent, Lente, Lentt, and possibly Lant and Lante, is said to be English. It would seem to be an early medieval Christian nickname for a person born in the religious period of Lent, that is the forty weekdays between Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and follows a trend for such names such as Easter, Christmas, Nowell and even Trinity. However Lent is also a period associated with gloom and poverty, so it is possible that the surname has other connatations. It is also perhaps surprisingly a name ignored by most directories of surnames. The honourable exception would seem to be that of the famous Victorian etymologist Canon Charles Bardsley. Writing in 1880 he confirms the origin, and records William Lent in the Hundred Rolls of Oxford in 1273, and Willelmus Lenten in the Poll Tax rolls of Yorkshire in 1379. Recordings in the city of London taken from early surviving registers include include Temperance Lante, the daughter of Richard Lante, christened at the church of St Peter-le-Poer, on April 1st 1658, and Hengoe Lentt a chistening witness to his son also called Hengoe, at St Thomas the Apostle, on March 20th 1675.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • lent — lent, lente [ lɑ̃, lɑ̃t ] adj. • 1080; lat. lentus 1 ♦ Qui manque de rapidité, met plus, trop de temps. La tortue, animal lent. Véhicules lents. Il est lent, lent dans tout ce qu il fait. ⇒ lambin, 1. mou, traînard. « la vieille nourrice si lente …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • lent — lent, ente (lan, lan t ) adj. 1°   Proprement, souple, flexible, sens qui est un latinisme rarement usité et seulement en poésie. À moins qu avec adresse un de ses pieds lié Sous un cuir souple et lent ne demeure plié, A. CHÉN., Idylles, Fille du …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • Lent — • An article on the origins of Lenten fasting Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Lent     Lent     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • lent — LENT, [l]ente. adj. Tardif, qui n est pas viste, qui se remuë, qui agit avec peu de promptitude. L asne est un animal lent & pesant. le mouvement de Saturne est plus lent que celuy des autres planetes. que cet homme est lent! il est si lent en… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Lent — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Familie: Wilhelm Johann Heinrich Lent (1792–1868), deutscher (Berliner) Jurist und Präsident des Oberlandesgerichts Hamm Alfred Lent (1836–1915), deutscher (Berliner) Architekt sowie Eisenbahnbaumeister… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • lent — LENT, Ă, lenţi, te, adj. Încet, domol. – Din fr. lent, lat. lentus. Trimis de LauraGellner, 19.05.2004. Sursa: DEX 98  Lent ≠ brusc, iute, rapid, repede Trimis de siveco, 03.08.2004. Sursa: Antonime  LENT adj., adv. 1 …   Dicționar Român

  • lent|en — or lent|en «LEHN tuhn», adjective. 1. of Lent; during Lent; suitable for Lent. 2. such as may be used in Lent; meager; plain; dismal or somber. ╂[Old English lencten; see etym. under Lent (Cf. ↑Lent)] …   Useful english dictionary

  • Lent|en — or lent|en «LEHN tuhn», adjective. 1. of Lent; during Lent; suitable for Lent. 2. such as may be used in Lent; meager; plain; dismal or somber. ╂[Old English lencten; see etym. under Lent (Cf. ↑Lent)] …   Useful english dictionary

  • Lent — /lent/, n. (in the Christian religion) an annual season of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday and lasting 40 weekdays to Easter, observed by Roman Catholic, Anglican, and certain other churches. [bef.… …   Universalium

  • lent — /lent/, v. pt. and pp. of lend. * * * In the Christian church, a period of penitential preparation for Easter, observed since apostolic times. Western churches once provided for a 40 day fast (excluding Sundays), in imitation of Jesus fasting in… …   Universalium

  • Lent — Lent, n. [OE. lente, lenten, leynte, AS. lengten, lencten, spring, lent, akin to D. lente, OHG. lenzin, langiz, G. lenz, and perh. fr. AS. lang long, E. long, because at this season of the year the days lengthen.] (Eccl.) A fast of forty days,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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