Louther History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Louther is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Louther family lived in Lowther, now in the civil parish in Eden District, Cumbria. Historically in Westmorland, Lowther was first recorded as Lauder c. 1175 and it thought to have been named from the River Lowther. 1 "It formerly contained a village of the same name, which was demolished in 1682, by Sir John Lowther, who soon afterwards built another, called New-town, where carpet and linen manufactories were established." 2 "Lowther Castle, the residence of the family of that name, stands majestically in a park of 600 acres, and combines the grand effect of a fortification with the splendour of a palace; the fabric is modern, having been commenced in 1802, upon the site of the ancient Hall, which was nearly destroyed by fire in 1720. " 2

Early Origins of the Louther family

The surname Louther was first found in Westmorland, an area in the North East of England (now part of Cumbria,) where the family is "eminently a knightly family, traced by Brydges to Sir Gervase de Lowther, living in the reign of Henry III. Other authorities make Sir Hugh de Lowther, knight for this county, in the 28th of Edward I., as the first recorded ancestor; his great-grandson was at Agincourt in 1415." 3

Lowther is a parish in Westmorland. "It formerly contained a village of the same name, which was demolished in 1682, by Sir John Lowther, who soon afterwards built another, called New-town." 2

Early History of the Louther family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Louther research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1215, 1583, 1588, 1589, 1593, 1605, 1626, 1628, 1640, 1641, 1655, 1659, 1660, 1668, 1675, 1692, 1693, 1696, 1700, 1713, 1723 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Louther History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Louther Spelling Variations

Endless 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 Lowther, Louder, Lowder, Louther and others.

Early Notables of the Louther family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Richard Lowther of Lowther, High Sheriff of Cumberland in 1588; Gerard Lowther of Penrith, High Sheriff of Cumberland in 1593; Sir John Lowther of Lowther Hall; Richard Lowther (ca. 1583-1659), an English lawyer and politician, Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed 1626, Member of Parliament for Appleby 1640; Sir John Lowther, 1st Baronet (1605-1675), an English lawyer, landowner, and politician who sat in the House of Commons...
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Louther Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Louther family to Ireland

Some of the Louther family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Louther migration to the United States +

To 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 Louther or a variant listed above:

Louther Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Louther, who arrived in New York in 1825 4

Louther migration to Australia +

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

Louther Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Louther, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Standard" 5

The Louther 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: Magistratus indicat virum
Motto Translation: The magistracy shows the man.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
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)
South Australian Register Friday 14 October 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Standard 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/standard1853.shtml