land terms:  Note: To a certain extent land terminology varies state by state and country by country. Although numerous terms have been included herein, Combs &c. also recommends TNGenNet's Land Terminology report.

L.D.: in the Southern U.S., often an abbreviation for Lorenzo Dow, a Methodist Preacher

Labon: variant spelling for Laborn, Labourn

Lar, Larry: nicknames for Laurence, Lawrence (variant spelling: Larrance)

lay subsidy rolls: (England) tax lists (non-clerical). Example. See also About Lay Subsidy Rolls by the London PRO

legend: a plausible story held to be true (and sometimes they actually are true, but more often they're a mixture of truth and other narrative elements). Related terms:

myth: a sacred story, believed in, though not necessarily literally (think of the Biblical creation).

folktale: a story that isn't true and isn't thought to be (talking animals go here).

belief: not a story at all. People think it's true, and it might be. Beliefs function the same whether they're true or not.

urban myth: should be urban legend.

superstition: should be belief

-- Provided by Combs &c. folklorist Antone Minard

Letha, Lettie: nickname for Leatrice, Lettice, Leticia, Lettuce, Lutisha, Lydia, Violet, Violetta (Viletta).

Levicia, Levisa, Louvisa: variant spelling/pronounciation for Louisa

levy: tax; the term "levy-free" indicated that an individual was exempt from taxation. See also tithe. Example

Libbie, Libby: nickname for Elizabeth

Liddie, Liddy: nickname for Lydia, Letha, Lithe

Lisa, Liza: nickname for Elizabeth

Lissie, Lissy: nickname for Malissa, Melissa

livery: (1) in old English law, a delivery of possession of their lands to the king's tenants in capite or by knight's service; also a writ to sue for same (see next); (2) a particular dress or garb (customary uniform) appropriate to certain persons, as the members of a guild, noblemen, gentlemen, etc.; (3) the privilege of a particular guild or company of persons, the members thereof being called "livery-men;" (4) a contract of hiring out work-beasts, particularly horse, to the use of the hirer (livery stable.

livery in deed: (feudal) investiture; delivery of possession; the corporal transfer of lands or tenements by a grantor to the grantee. Livery of seizin was the ceremony of transfer; livery in deed indicated the parties went to the land together and there delivered a twig, clod, key, or other symbol in the name of the whole; livery in law indicated a ceremony was performed, not upon the land, but in sight of it. Example

Livvy: nickname for Olivia

Liza, Lizzie: nickname for Eliza or Elizabeth

Lottie, Lotta: nickname for Charlotte

Luke: nickname for Luther