Show ContentsLancashire History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Lancashire family lived in the city of Lancaster, in Lancashire.

Early Origins of the Lancashire family

The surname Lancashire was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat as Constables of Lancaster Castle from very ancient times. One of the first records of the family was found in Litherland, one of the ancient manors of Aughton. "About the middle of the twelfth century it was granted to Warin de Lancaster, chief forester, by the serjeanty of keeping the lord's falcons." 1

The chapelry of Milburn, Westmorland is also of significance to the family in early times. "The chapel, dedicated to St. Cuthbert, was founded by William de Lancaster, about 1355. Many vestiges of encampments are visible. Howgill Castle, formerly the seat of the knightly families of Lancaster and Sandford, and which, with Grange Hall and Lownthwaite, belongs to the Earl of Thanet, lord of the manor, occupies a commanding situation, half a mile east of the village; some of its walls are 10½ feet thick." 2

Early History of the Lancashire family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lancashire research. Another 218 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1068, 1070, 1114, 1150, 1334, 1618, 1650 and 1717 are included under the topic Early Lancashire History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lancashire Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Lancaster, Lancashire, Lancester, Lancoster, Lancastell and many more.

Early Notables of the Lancashire family

Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lancashire Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Lancashire family to Ireland

Some of the Lancashire family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Lancashire migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Lancashire or a variant listed above:

Lancashire Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Daniel and Robert Lancashire, who settled in Virginia in 1684
Lancashire Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Lancashire, who landed in Mississippi in 1835 3
  • William Lancashire, who arrived in Mississippi in 1840 3
  • Jeffrey Lancashire, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1866 3

Australia Lancashire migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Lancashire Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
  • Mr. William John Lancashire, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
Lancashire Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Lancashire, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Lancashire (post 1700) +



  1. 'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
  5. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820


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