Lupus History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Portugal
Spain
Ireland

The ancient name Lupus is a Norman name that would have been developed in England after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. This name is thought to have evolved from a nickname for a person who bore some resemblance to a wolf, either in appearance or behavior 1 2 "often Latinized as Lupus and found in the French forms Lou and Love." 3

Early Origins of the Lupus family

The surname Lupus was first found in The Pipe Rolls, or Sheriff's Annual Accounts of the Counties of Cumberland, Westmorland and Durham during the reigns of Henry II, Richard I and John where the forename Ulf de Appelbi was recorded in 1163. The same rolls listed Ulf Stodhyrda in 1196. 4

In Lincolnshire, the Pipe Rolls of 1166 included an entry for Robert Wulf as holding lands there at that time. 3

Later the Cartularium Abbatiale de Whiteby, Ordinis S. Benedicti had two records, this time as a surname: Roger Ulfe; and William filius Ulfe in 1350. 4

Early History of the Lupus family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lupus research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1550, 1560, 1578, 1739, 1755, 1760, 1791, 1803 and 1823 are included under the topic Early Lupus History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lupus Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Lupus are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Lupus include Wolfe, Wolf, Woolf, Woolfe, Wolff, de Wolfe and many more.

Early Notables of the Lupus family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Arthur Wolfe, 1st Viscount Kilwarden (1739-1803), Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, the son of John Wolfe of Forenaughts, co. Kildare, and of Mary, only daughter of William Philpot. He entered at Trinity College, Dublin, in 1755, and, having obtained a scholarship, graduated B.A. in 1760.Charles Wolfe (1791-1823), the Irish poet, was born at Blackhall, co. Kildare, on 14 Dec. 1791. He was one of a family of...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lupus Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lupus family to Ireland

Some of the Lupus family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lupus migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Lupus, or a variant listed above:

Lupus Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Juon Lupus, aged 17, who settled in America from Felkenger, in 1906
Janos Lupus, aged 33, who immigrated to the United States, in 1909
Dane Lupus, aged 19, who landed in America, in 1913
Julio Lupus, aged 34, who landed in America, in 1922
Marthe Lupus, aged 18, who landed in America from Metz, France, in 1922
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Lupus (post 1700) +

Hugh Lupus Grosvenor KG, PC, JP, (1825-1899), 1st Duke of Westminster, English landowner, politician and racehorse owner

The Lupus Motto +

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: Fides in adversis
Motto Translation: faith in adversity

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)