Lassiter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Lassiter has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in Leicester, in Leicestershire. Leicester is the capital of the county and its name is derived from the Old English element ceaster, which meant "Roman town." 1

Early Origins of the Lassiter family

The surname Lassiter was first found in Cheshire at Leycester, more commonly known as Leicester, a city now in the unitary authority area in the East Midlands. The first record of the place name was found in the early 10th century as "Ligera ceater" but by the Domesday Book of 1086 the place name had evolved to Ledecestre. 2

Literally the place name means "Roman town of the people called Ligore," having derived from the Tribal name + the Old English word "ceater." 1 As far as the surname is concerned, the family are "descended from Sir Nicholas Leycester, who acquired the manor of Nether-Tabley in marriage, and died in 1295." 3

But another source notes that Hugo de Legrecestra was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Leicestershire in 1130, followed by Nicholas de Leycester who was listed in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1287. 4

And another source notes that the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list what is probably the first instance of the name as Robert de Lestre. 5

Yorkshire was home to an early branch of the family: Richard de Laycestre in 1305; Henry Lycester in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls in 1381; William Leycetter in 1480; and Henry Lasisture in 1503. 4

Early History of the Lassiter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lassiter research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1586, 1588, 1604, 1605, 1614, 1620, 1642, 1643, 1647, 1674, 1678, 1684, 1705, 1706, 1715, 1727, 1732, 1742, 1762, 1770 and 1827 are included under the topic Early Lassiter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lassiter Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Lassiter have been found, including Leycester, Leicester, Leister, Lester and others.

Early Notables of the Lassiter family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Peter Leycester (Leicester), 1st Baronet (1614-1678), an English antiquarian and historian, supporter of the Royalist side in the Civil War. He was born at Nether Tabley, near Knutsford, Cheshire, England, the eldest son of Peter Leycester (1588-1647) and Elizabeth Mainwaring. In 1642 he married Elizabeth Gerard, the third daughter of Gilbert, 2nd Baron Gerard. They had three sons and three daughters. He died at his home in 1678 and was buried at Great Budworth, Cheshire. He was succeeded in the baronetage by...
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lassiter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lassiter Ranking

In the United States, the name Lassiter is the 1,900^th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Lassiter family to Ireland

Some of the Lassiter family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lassiter migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Lassiter, or a variant listed above:

Lassiter Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Francis R. Lassiter, aged 39, who landed in America, in 1906
Lizzie C. Lassiter, aged 45, who immigrated to the United States, in 1911
William Lassiter, aged 43, who landed in America, in 1911
James Lassiter, aged 18, who landed in America, in 1919
Harold T. Lassiter, aged 39, who immigrated to America, in 1922

Contemporary Notables of the name Lassiter (post 1700) +

Kwamie Lassiter (1969-2019), American NFL Football safety who played from 1995 to 2004
Luther Lassiter (1918-1988), world-renowned American pool player with six world championships and numerous other titles
Bob Lassiter (1945-2006), controversial and highly influential American radio talk show host in the 1980s and '90s
Roy Lassiter (b. 1969), retired American soccer striker
R. W. Lassiter, American politician, Member of North Carolina State Senate, 1862-65, 1868-69 7
Nathan Lassiter, American politician, Member of North Carolina House of Commons from Dobbs County, 1788-89 7
John W. Lassiter, American Republican politician, Candidate for Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, 2009 7
Jesse B. Lassiter, American politician, Delegate to Florida State Constitutional Convention from Washington County, 1865 7
Jesse Lassiter, American politician, Member of North Carolina House of Commons from Lenoir County, 1825 7
Francis Rives Lassiter (1866-1909), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, 1893-96; U.S. Representative from Virginia 4th District, 1900-03, 1907-09 7
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Lassiter Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pro rege et patria
Motto Translation: For King and country.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html