| ![Show Contents]() Lasswell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Ireland already had an established system of hereditary surnames when the Strongbownians arrived. Often the two traditions blended together quite well due to some of their basic similarities, but the incoming Anglo-Norman system brought in some forms that were uncommon amongst the Irish. One of these Anglo-Norman anomalies was the prevalence of local surnames, such as Lasswell. Local names were taken from the names of a place or a geographical feature where the person lived, held land, or was born. Originally, the place names were prefixed by de, which means from in French. This type of prefix was eventually either made a part of the surname if the place name began with a vowel or was eliminated entirely. The local surnames of these Strongbownian invaders referred to places in Normandy, or more typically England, but eventually for those Anglo-Normans that remained in Ireland, the nicknames referred to places or geographical features of the island: they became true local names. The Lasswell family appears to have originally lived in the settlement of Lassy in the region called Calvados in northern France. The name of this place is derived from the Gaulish personal name Lascius, which is of uncertain origin, and the local suffix -acum. The Gaelic form of the surname Lasswell is de Léis. However, there is a native Irish family of County Wexford named Ó Laitheasa who anglicize their surname as Lasswell. This name, which was originally Ó Flaithgheasa, is derived from the Gaelic word flaith, which means prince. 1 This was, in most cases, a nickname applied to someone with princely manners or a regal bearing. Early Origins of the Lasswell familyThe surname Lasswell was first found in County Limerick (Irish: Luimneach) located in Southwestern Ireland, in the province of Munster, where they had been granted lands by Strongbow after the invasion of Ireland in 1172. Early History of the Lasswell familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lasswell research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1298 is included under the topic Early Lasswell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Lasswell Spelling VariationsMedieval scribes and church officials spelt names simply the way they sounded, which explains the various name spelling variations of the name Lasswell that were encountered when researching that surname. The many spelling variations included: Lacey, Lacie, Lacy, de Lacy, Lasey, Lassey and many more. Early Notables of the Lasswell familyNotable amongst the family up to this time was Hugo de Lacy of Limerick, as well as Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who was recorded on the...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lasswell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Lasswell migration to the United States | + |
During the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name Lasswell:
Lasswell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Harold Lasswell, aged 22, who landed in America and settled at Chicago, Illinois, in 1924
| Contemporary Notables of the name Lasswell (post 1700) | + |
- Mary Lasswell (1905-1994), pen name Mary Lasswell Smith, Scottish-born, American author of humorous novels
- Harold Dwight Lasswell (1902-1978), American political scientist and communications theorist, professor of law at Yale University, President of the American Political Science Association (APSA) and of the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS)
- Fred Lasswell (1916-2001), American cartoonist, best known for his work on the comic strip Barney Google and Snuffy Smith
- Shirley Slesinger Lasswell (1923-2007), born Shirley Ann Basso, an American brand marketer, best known for licensing the rights to Winnie The Pooh to the Walt Disney Company in 1961
- A. C. Lasswell, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for Presidential Elector for New York, 1920 2
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: Meritas augentur honores
Motto Translation: Honours are enhanced by deserts.
- MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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Lasswell migration to the United States 
Ireland
England
