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.
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