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![Show Contents]() Lence Surname History
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The ancestors of the Lence family arrived in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Lence came 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 VariationsMultitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was 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 familyBecause of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore 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
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