Lofwake History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsLofwake is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Lofwake family lived in Lancashire. Tower indicates that the original bearer lived in the tower of a castle. 1 In Normandy, the name was originally "De Tours, [having] descended from the Umfrevilles of Normandy, Barons of Prudhoe." 2 3 Early Origins of the Lofwake familyThe surname Lofwake was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from ancient times, and were the Lords of the manor of Lowick or Lofwick. William of Tours accompanied William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings, and was granted estates under tenant in Chief, the Baron of Kendall. Some branches of this distinguished line remained in Lancashire, while others branched south to Sowerby in Lincolnshire, and Isle of Ely. Others of this family adopted the name Lowick and Lofwick and remained in Lancashire. "William de Lancaster, first Baron of Kendal, granted certain lands here, temp. Henry II., to the Towers family, who conveyed them to the Lofwics in the reign of John. The estate was held by the Lofwics until it passed by marriage, in the reign of Henry VI." 4 Gilbert le Tower was one of the first entries for the family in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 5 Further to the north in Scotland, "the family of Towers of Inverleith descended from Walter Towers, a Frenchman, merchant in Edinburgh in the reign of David II and William de Tours, vallet of Scotland, was made prisoner in a battle on the March of Scotland, 1359." 6 Early History of the Lofwake familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lofwake research. Another 199 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1352, 1423, 1457, 1462, 1508, 1558, 1605, 1633, 1640 and 1649 are included under the topic Early Lofwake History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Lofwake Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Tower, Towers, Toure, Toures, Lowick, Lofwick and others. Early Notables of the Lofwake familyMore information is included under the topic Early Lofwake Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Lofwake family to IrelandSome of the Lofwake family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Lofwake familyTo escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Lofwake or a variant listed above: Joane Tower who settled in Virginia in 1670; John Tower settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1637; John Tower settled in New England with five children in 1641.
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