Show ContentsLich History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Lich arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Lich family lived in Suffolk. Their name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Loges in Calvados, Normandy.

Not all of the family emigrated to early England as we found Richard, William, Ralph, Robert de Loges, Normandy, 1180-95 listed in the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae. "Geroius de Logis occurs in Normandy 1050. From him descended Bigod de Loges, Baron of Aldford, Chester, and Odard de Loges, Baron of Wigton, Cumberland, temp. William I. The family also appears in Berkshire and Devon." [1]

The name is also derived from the Middle English word "logge" which means "small cottage, place to rest in." By extension the variant Logge, was derived from "lytylle howse" and denoted 'dweller at the cottage', but probably often in a more technical sense, with reference to the masons' logge. The early "atte Logge" use often denoted the warden of the masons' lodge. [2]

The surname also denotes "a temporary building; sometimes a more permanent one. In many instances a manor-house of small pretensions is called a Court-Lodge [from the] French loge, a lodge or cabin, particularly in Forest districts." [3]

Early Origins of the Lich family

The surname Lich was first found in Suffolk where Adam atte Logge was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. Years later in Yorkshire, we found Johannes del Loge recorded in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. [2]

Roger de la Logge was listed in the Close Rolls, 32 Edward I (during the 32nd year of King Edward I's reign.) [4] In Somerset, William atte Logg was listed there 1 Edward III. [5]

Early History of the Lich family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lich research. Another 181 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1520, 1558, 1562, 1563, 1575, 1582, 1625, 1648, 1649, 1677, 1689, 1716, 1719, 1730, 1744, 1751, 1756, 1759, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774, 1782, 1787, 1793, 1801, 1821, 1822, 1828, 1832, 1838, 1839 and 1873 are included under the topic Early Lich History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lich Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Lodge, Loge and others.

Early Notables of the Lich family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Thomas Lodge, Lord Mayor of London (1562-1563); and his son Thomas Lodge (c. 1558 -1625), an English dramatist and writer.William Lodge (1649-1689), was an English engraver and printmaker from Yorkshire and John Lodge (d. 1774), was an archivist, born at Holton, Lancashire, the son of Edmund Lodge, farmer. He was educated at Clapham school, Yorkshire, under Mr. Ashe, and was admitted sub-sizar of St. John's College, Cambridge on 26 June 1716 (College Admissions Register). He graduated B.A. in 1719, M.A. in 1730. He settled in Dublin previously to 1744, in which year...
Another 318 words (23 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lich Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Lich migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Lich or a variant listed above:

Lich Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Johannes Lich, who landed in America in 1834 [6]
  • Martin Lich, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850-1865 [6]


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  6. 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)


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