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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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Love is a name that dates far back into the mists of early British history to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes. It is derived from an Old English personal name Lufu which affectionately referred to Love. In this case, the name was a "personal name and pet name [Middle English love, luf(e), Old English lufu, from, love]. Lufu was an A.-Saxon fem. name." 1

The surname Love was adopted in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. 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 earliest surnames in England were found shortly after the Norman Conquest and are of Norman French rather than native English origins.

However, two other sources disagrees with this generally accepted origin and in "this name relates not to the tender passion, but is an old modification of the French Loup, wolf." 2 3

Early Origins of the Love family

The surname Love was first found in Oxfordshire, where one of the first records of the family was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as a forename as in Love del Hok. The same rolls lists Alan le Love and Walter Love in Cambridgeshire. 4

Another source claims "Love is an ancient Kentish surname. Reginald Love held property around Chatham and Rochester in the reign of Henry V. The Loves have long been an old Staplehurst [, Kent] family of gentry; a hundred years since there were several inscriptions to this family, some of them obliterated, in the church and churchyard." 5

Up in Scotland, early records there revealed Thomas Lufe who appeared as witness in Glasgow, 1472, and Yhone Luyif was a tenant in the barony of Glasgow, 1521. William Lufe and Ranald Lufe were rebels at the horn in 1534, and John Lufe rendered to Exchequer the accounts of the bailies of the burgh of Renfrew in 1567. 6

Early History of the Love family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Love research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1095, 1470, 1596, 1608, 1610, 1661, 1682 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Love History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Love Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Love are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Love include: Love, Lufe, Luf and others.

Early Notables of the Love family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Richard Love (1596-1661), an English churchman and academic, Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, member of the Westminster Assembly, and Dean of Ely; Nicholas Love (1608-1682), an English law...
  • On the more infamous side, Peter Love (d. 1610), was an English pirate, believed to have been from Lewes, Sussex. As captain of the Priam, he entered into an agreement with the Hebridean outlaw Neil M...

Love World Ranking

In the United States, the name Love is the 311st most popular surname with an estimated 87,045 people with that name. 7 However, in Canada, the name Love is ranked the 958th most popular surname with an estimated 5,629 people with that name. 8 And in Australia, the name Love is the 441st popular surname with an estimated 8,519 people with that name. 9 New Zealand ranks Love as 475th with 1,438 people. 10 The United Kingdom ranks Love as 594th with 11,008 people. 11

Ireland Migration of the Love family to Ireland

Some of the Love family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Love migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Love or a variant listed above:

Love Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mr. William Love, who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia aboard the ship "Discovery" in 1607 12
  • Agnes Love, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 13
  • Tho Love, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 13
  • Jon Love, who landed in Virginia in 1637 13
  • Richard Love, who settled in Virginia in 1642
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Love Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Eliz Love, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 13
  • Giles Love, who landed in Virginia in 1703 13
  • Sara Love, who landed in Virginia in 1704 13
  • Charity Love, who landed in Virginia in 1714 13
  • David Love, who settled in Boston in 1763
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Love Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Anne Love, who arrived in America in 1805 13
  • M Love, who landed in America in 1805 13
  • George Love, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 13
  • Elias Love, who arrived in South Carolina in 1808 13
  • Samuel Love, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Love migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Love Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • John Love, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Mr. James Love U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 14
Love Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Ephrem Love, aged 21, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Billow" in 1833
  • Isabella Love, aged 23, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Highlander" in 1834
  • Joseph Love, who arrived in Canada in 1836

Australia Love migration to Australia +

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

Love Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Samuel Love, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 25th August 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
  • Mr. John Love, English convict who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
  • Mr. William Love, British Convict who was convicted in Suffolk, England for 14 years for embezellment, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 17
  • Mr. Daniel Love, (b. 1812), aged 21, Scottish linen weaver who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years for robbery, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 14th October 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1901 18
  • Mr. John Love, English convict who was convicted in Southampton, England for life, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 27 September 1834, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 19
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Love migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Love Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • John Love, who landed in Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand in 1830
  • John Love, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • Daniel Love, who landed in Queen Charlotte Sound, New Zealand in 1840
  • Mr. Love, American settler travelling from California aboard the ship "Titan" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 12th February 1852 20
  • Mr. Alexander Love, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 20
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Love migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 21
Love Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Valentine Love, aged 18, who landed in Barbados in 1635 aboard the ship "Falcon" 13
  • Mr. Richard Love, (b. 1607), aged 28, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Matthew" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 22

Contemporary Notables of the name Love (post 1700) +

  • Hettie Simmons Love (1922-2023), one of the first African-Americans to earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from any Ivy League University
  • Susan Margaret Love (1948-2023), American surgeon, a prominent advocate of preventive breast cancer research, and author, best known for pioneering work fueled by her criticism of the medical establishment's paternalistic treatment of women
  • Thomas E. "Tom" Love (1937-2023), American billionaire businessman, owner, founder, and executive chairman of Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores
  • Barbara Joan Love (1937-2022), American feminist writer and the editor of Feminists who Changed America (1963–1975)
  • Shirley D. Love (1933-2020), American politician and broadcast journalist
  • Justin Love (1978-2020), American professional basketball player and coach
  • Iris Cornelia Love (1933-2020), American classical archaeologist, best known for the rediscovery of the Temple of Aphrodite, Knidos
  • Sandra Love (1945-2018), American Democratic Party politician, Member of the New Jersey General Assembly (2008-2010) 23
  • Woodbury G. Love, American Republican politician, Member of Maine State House of Representatives from Lincoln County, 1919-20 23
  • William McBride Love, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1972 23
  • ... (Another 116 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMAS Sydney II
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Herbert W Love (b. 1900), English Leading Stoker serving for the Royal Navy from Bristol, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 25
  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  9. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  10. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  11. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  12. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  13. 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)
  14. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  19. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie
  20. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  22. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's (Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  23. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, April 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  24. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  25. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
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