Light (surname)

Light is a surname.

Etymology
Coming from Middle English, there are several possible meanings. In Middle English, lyght means a happy, cheerful person. The Old English leoht could be a person who is ‘bright’ or ‘cheerful’.

The two forms of light - leoht and lioht had distinct meanings, but became mixed over time. The Middle English word lite, coming from Old English l¯t ‘little’, also became lyght.

People

 * Alan Light (born c. 1966), Americanjournalist and music reviewer
 * Alan Light (comics) (born 1953), founder of the Comics Buyer's Guide
 * Alex Light (born 1994), American football player
 * Bill Light (born 1949), American farmer and politician
 * Billy Light (1913–1993), English footballer
 * Danny Light (1948–2014), English footballer
 * Douglas Light (fl. 1990s–present), American author
 * Edward Light (1747–1832), English musician, inventor of the harp-lute
 * Elisha Light (1873–1952), English cricketer
 * Enoch Light (1907–1978), American classical violinist and bandleader
 * Francis Light (1740–1794), founder of the British colony of Penang
 * George Thomas Light (1820–1896), organist and architect in South Australia
 * Henry Light (1782/3–1870), third governor of British Guiana
 * H. Wayne Light (1945–2015), American academic and author
 * James Light (cricketer) (born c. 1803), English cricketer
 * James Light (director) (1895–1964), American director and actor
 * James F. Light (1921–2002), American literature scholar and university VP and provost
 * Jay Light (musician) (fl. 1970s–present), American musician
 * Jay Owen Light (1941–2022), American academic and university dean
 * Jennifer S. Light (fl. 2000s), American academic and author
 * John Light (actor) (born 1973), English cinema, television and theatre actor
 * John H. Light, American lawyer, Connecticut politician and Attorney General
 * Judith Light (born 1949), American television actress
 * Kevin Light (born 1979), Canadian rower
 * Matt Light (born 1978), American football player
 * Paul Light (fl. 1980s–present), English academic and university chancellor
 * Richard Upjohn Light (1902–1994), American neurosurgeon, aviator, cinematographer, and president of the American Geographical Society
 * Timothy Light (born 1938), professor emeritus at Western Michigan University
 * Walter Light (1927–1979), American musician
 * Walter Frederick Light (1923–1996), Canadian businessman
 * William Light (1786–1839), first Surveyor-General of South Australia
 * William Light (cricketer) (1878–1930), English cricketer
 * William Sidney "Cap" Light (died 1893), Texas lawman