|
![Show Contents]() Lence History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England France
The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change, including many immigrants with new names. Among these were the ancestors of the Lence family, whose name comes from the Germanic personal name Lanzo, which was initially a short form of numerous compound names with the first portion land, which means land or territory. The name became popular among the Normans because of its association with the Old French word lance, which means spear. After the Norman Conquest, the Old English naming system gradually dissolved. Old English names became less common and were replaced by popular continental European names. The Normans imported a vast number of Norman French personal names, which largely replaced traditional Old English personal names among the upper and middle classes Early Origins of the Lence familyThe surname Lence was first found in Norfolk, where they held a family seat from the Middle Ages. However, we did find a solitary early listing of the family in Penarth, Cornwall. "Penarth or Penair, which in the days of Hals belonged to the family of Launce, was by them sold to the Boscawens." 1 Early History of the Lence familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lence research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1196, 1237, 1273, 1516, 1662, 1663 and 1802 are included under the topic Early Lence History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Lence Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Lance, Laence, Lence, Lancie and others. Early Notables of the Lence familyMore information is included under the topic Early Lence Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Lence familyMany English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Lence or a variant listed above: Gowin Lance, who sailed to Virginia in 1638; Philip Lance, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1749; James Lance, who arrived in New York in 1820; John Lance, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1820.
- Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
|
