Lofelace History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The surname Lofelace is derived from the Old English word "laweles," which means "lawless" and is ultimately derived from the Old English word "laghles," which means "outlaw." As a surname, Lofelace came from a nickname for a person who was an outlaw, or was uncontrolled or unrestrained. The Gaelic form of the surname Lofelace is Laighléis.

Early Origins of the Lofelace family

The surname Lofelace was first found in Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South Wales, anciently part of the Welsh kingdom of Glywysing, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Lofelace family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lofelace research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1564, 1599, 1610, 1616, 1618, 1621, 1626, 1634, 1641, 1657, 1670, 1675, 1693, 1735, 1789 and 1799 are included under the topic Early Lofelace History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lofelace Spelling Variations

Church officials and medieval scribes often spelled early surnames as they sounded. This practice often resulted in many spelling variations of even a single name. Early versions of the name Lofelace included: Lawless, Lovelace, Lovelass, Loveless and others.

Early Notables of the Lofelace family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Richard Lovelace, 1st Baron Lovelace (1564-1634), of Hurley in the County of Berkshire, English MP and peer, High Sheriff of Berkshire (1610) and High Sheriff of Oxfordshire (1626); John Lovelace, 2nd Baron Lovelace (1616-1670), British peer; Richard Lovelace (1618-1657), an English poet in...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lofelace Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lofelace family

Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Lofelace: James Lawless who settled in Virginia in 1739; Daniel, James, John, Joseph, Michael, Miles, Patrick and Walter Lawless, all arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1860.

The Lofelace 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: Virtute et numine
Motto Translation: By virtue and prudence.