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Show ContentsLovell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The Lovell surname is derived from the Norman French word "lou," meaning "wolf," with the diminutive suffix "el." 1 2

Early Origins of the Lovell family

The surname Lovell was first found in Somerset. Robert, Lord of Breherval and Yvery in Normandy is regarded as the progenitor of this family. His father was Eudes, sovereign Duke of Brittany. His is listed in the Roll of Battle Abbey and received from the Conqueror a grant of the Lordships of Kary and Harpetre, in the county of Somerset. He eventually returned to his native Duchy and died a monk in the abbey of Bec, leaving three sons. The eldest, one Ascelin Gouel de Perceval succeeded his father as Lord of Breherval. As a violent man, he acquired the surname "Lupus." In turn his son was surnamed "Lupellus," or little wolf which was softened to "luvel." He had five sons; one of which was Henry, ancestor of Lords Lovel of Kary. 3

The Lovels of Tichmersh who had summons to Parliament in 1297 were a baronial family of considerable distinction. By example, Sir Richard Lovel was summoned to Parliament from 1348-1350.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only three entries for the family: Lovel le Clerc, Essex; Caterina Lovel, Oxfordshire; and Lovel (without surname), Surrey. 4

Early History of the Lovell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lovell research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1454, 1483, 1487, 1631, 1709, 1713, 1737 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Lovell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lovell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lovell, Lowell, Lovel, Leavell, Lowles and others.

Early Notables of the Lovell family

Notable among the family at this time was

  • Francis Lovell, (1454-c. 1487), friend and supporter of Richard III, made Viscount Lovell on January 4th 1483

Lovell World Ranking

In the United States, the name Lovell is the 1,300th most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 5 However, in Australia, the name Lovell is ranked the 699th most popular surname with an estimated 5,628 people with that name. 6 And in New Zealand, the name Lovell is the 874th popular surname with an estimated 839 people with that name. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Lovell as 739th with 9,067 people. 8

Ireland Migration of the Lovell family to Ireland

Some of the Lovell 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.

United States Lovell migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lovell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robert Lovell, who arrived in New England in 1635 9
  • Robert Lovell, aged 40, who arrived in New England in 1635 from Weymouth, England possible boat is Mary Gould 9
  • Winifred Lovell, who landed in Virginia in 1637 9
  • Elizabeth Lovell, who landed in Maryland in 1650-1663 9
  • Ann Lovell, who landed in Virginia in 1651 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Lovell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Lovell, who landed in America in 1801-1802 9
  • W A Lovell, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 9
  • M Lovell, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1855 9

Canada Lovell migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lovell Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • John Lovell, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1778

Australia Lovell migration to Australia +

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

Lovell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Lovell, English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for life, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
  • Mr. Charles Lovell who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dick" on 2nd October 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Mr. Robert Lovell, (b. 1803), aged 27, English labourer who was convicted in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Dunvegan Castle" on 13th March 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1857 12
  • Mr. John Lovell who was convicted in Beford, Bedfordshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Circassian" on 4th November 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 13
  • Miss Sophia Lovell, English convict who was convicted in Ely (Isle of Ely), Cambridgeshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Diana" on 4th December 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Lovell 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:

Lovell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Lovell, aged 23, a farmer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mary Ann" in 1842
  • Napoleon Lovell, aged 28, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "John Wickliffe" in 1848 15
  • Emily Lovell, aged 28, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "John Wickliffe" in 1848 15
  • Mrs. Lovell, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Despatch" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1854 15
  • Mr. Lovell, Australian settler travelling from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia aboard the ship "Blue Jacket" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 7th February 1862 15
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Lovell 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. 16
Lovell Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Phillipp Lovell, (b. 1601), aged 34, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 17
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Lovell, (b. 1602), aged 33, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 17
Lovell Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century
  • James Lovell, who landed in Antigua (Antego) in 1756 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Lovell (post 1700) +

  • James Arthur "Jim" Lovell Jr. (b. 1928), American former NASA astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot and mechanical engineer, most famous as the commander of Apollo 13, the mission that suffered an explosion enroute to the Moon but safely returned 18
  • Charles C. Lovell (1929-2023), American jurist, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Montana
  • William H. Lovell, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Chemung County Democratic Party, 1910 19
  • Willard M. Lovell, American Republican politician, Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Windsor, 1912 19
  • Warren Lovell, American politician, Member of New Hampshire State Senate 6th District, 1833-35 19
  • Walter A. Lovell, American Republican politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Erie County 5th District, 1911 19
  • Vernon R. Lovell, American politician, Mayor of Fargo, North Dakota, 1910-12 19
  • U. A. Lovell, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Arkansas, 1960 19
  • Sarah Lovell (1922-1994), American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Detroit, Michigan, 1957; Socialist Workers Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1960, 1964, 1968 19
  • Sue Lovell, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1996, 2004, 2008; Member of Democratic National Committee from Texas, 2004-08 19
  • ... (Another 28 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bradford City stadium fire
  • Peter Charles Lovell (1942-1985), from Bradford who attended the Bradford City and Lincoln City Third Division match on 11th May 1985 when the Bradford City stadium fire occurred and he died in the fire
HMS Cornwall
  • Clarence Young Lovell (d. 1942), British Leading Cook aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 20
Prince of Wales colliery
  • Mr. James Lovell (b. 1844), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales Colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 21
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. John Lovell (d. 1912), aged 38, English Grill Cook from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 22
  • Mr. John Hall "Henry" Lovell (d. 1912), aged 20, English Third Class passenger from Northlew, Devon who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 22

Suggested Readings for the name Lovell +

  • The Genealogy of the James W. Lovell Family by Marshall Wilson Lovell.
  • The Lovewell (also Lovell) Family by Gloria G. Lovewell.
  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, 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. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  7. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  8. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  9. 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)
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Dick
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dunvegan-castle
  13. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 8th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/circassian
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Diana
  15. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  17. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  18. NASA Astronauts Homepage. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) James Lovell. Retrieved from http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/lovell-ja.html
  19. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  20. Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
  21. Entombed in flood and flame (retrieved 3rd August 2021). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20120603025705/http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/history/prince.htm
  22. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
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