Livingston

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A historic royal burgh in West Lothian, Scotland, known for its palace and role in Scottish history ; a city in Montana, United States, serving as the county seat of Park County ; a family name borne by notable historical figures and public figures
2. A town in central Scotland with a famous palace associated with Mary, Queen of Scots ; a municipality in south-central Montana near Yellowstone National Park ; a common surname in English-speaking countries
3. An ancient Scottish settlement west of Edinburgh with significant historical importance ; an American city in Montana founded in the 19th century ; a patronymic or family name of British and American origin

Etymology: Livingston began as a place name: a farmstead belonging to someone called Leving. The second element is Old English "tun", meaning an enclosure or homestead, the same root that gave English "town" its name. The first element is most likely a personal name, so the whole thing probably meant "Leving's farm." Surnames of this kind were often taken from the places a family lived, so the name passed from land to people. Its spelling reflects two lines of descent. "Livingstone" is a doublet, a second form of the same name that came down by a different route. In Scots the form is "Leivinstoun", and the Scottish village of Livingston in West Lothian carries the same name, so it is attached to both a place and the families who took it.