Lascelles History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Lascelles family lived in the village of Lacella in the French region of Orne, where they were titled the Barons of Messie.
"William de Lacelles, who in 1165 held two fees in Yorkshire, was plaintiff in a suit against his uncle Ralph for Lacelle and the barony of Messie, which Ralph inherited to him as an inheritance." 1
"This Norman adventurer seems to have been requited for his services by grants in the Northern Counties, particularly in Yorkshire, where his descendants were seated at a very early period." 2
Early Origins of the Lascelles family
The surname Lascelles was first found in Yorkshire, where the family was "a family of ancient standing in this county, descended from John de Laselles, of Hinderskelfe, now called Castle Howard, in the wapentake of Bulmer, in the North riding, living in the ninth year of Edward II. For seven generations immediately following they were called 'Lascelles alias Jackson.' " 3
Sowerby in the North Riding of Yorkshire was an early home to some of the family. "This place, at an early period, was the property of the Lascelles family, who in the reign of Elizabeth granted it to the Meynells, whose descendant Thomas Meynell, Esq., is now lord of the manor." 4
"Roger de Lascelles is mentioned in 1131 as one of the 'men' of Earl of Stephen of Richmond, and held Scruton and Kirby in the North Riding [of Yorkshire]." 5
Early History of the Lascelles family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lascelles research. Another 349 words (25 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1086, 1165, 1273, 1295, 1380, 1574, 1603, 1612, 1624, 1647, 1655, 1658, 1665, 1667, 1668, 1690, 1713, 1719, 1734, 1737, 1745, 1753 and 1801 are included under the topic Early Lascelles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Lascelles Spelling Variations
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Lascelles, Lassells, Lascell, Lassell, Lasselle, Lasell, Laselle, Lascelle, Lasceles, Lacelles, Lassels, Lacelles, Lacells, Lascells, Lasselis, Lescellis, Lessels and many more.
Early Notables of the Lascelles family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was
- Richard Lassels (also Lascelles) (c.?1603-1668), English Roman Catholic priest and a travel writer
- Thomas Lascelles (Lassells) (ca.1624-1658), English officer in the Commonwealth's army and a landowner
- Thomas Lascelles (Lascelles and Lassells) (c.1624-c.1658), an officer in the Commonwealth's army and a landowner
- Francis Lascelles (1612-1667), of Stank Hall Kirby Sigston Yorkshire, English landowner and politician
- Henry Lascelles (1690-1753), an English-born Barbados plantation owner, Director of the British East India Company (1737-1745)
Lascelles migration to the United States +
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Lascelles or a variant listed above:
Lascelles Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Henry Lascelles who settled in Georgia with his son in 1735
- Henry Lascelles, who sailed to Georgia in 1735
- Henry Lascelles, who settled in Georgia in 1735
Lascelles migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Lascelles Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- W. Lascelles, who immigrated to Nova Scotia in 1749
Lascelles Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Agnes Lascelles, who settled in New Brunswick in 1825
- Richard Lascelles, who was recorded in the 1871 census of Ontario
Lascelles migration to New Zealand +
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:
Lascelles Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. George Lascelles, South African settler travelling from Cape Town aboard the ship "Eveline" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 22nd January 1865 6
Contemporary Notables of the name Lascelles (post 1700) +
- Sir Alan Lascelles (1887-1981), English private secretary to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II
- Mary Lascelles, British professor of English language and literature at Oxford University
- Patricia Elizabeth Lascelles (1926-2018), Countess of Harewood, née Tuckwell, Australian-born, British violinist and fashion model from Melbourne
- Henry Ulrick Lascelles GCVO, DL (1846-1929), 5th Earl of Harewood, British peer
- Henry Thynne Lascelles (1824-1892), 4th Earl of Harewood, British peer
- Henry Lascelles DL (1797-1857), 3rd Earl of Harewood, British peer and Member of Parliament
- Henry Lascelles DL (1767-1841), 2nd Earl of Harewood, British peer and Member of Parliament
- Edward Lascelles (1740-1820), 1st Earl of Harewood, British peer
- Henry Lascelles (1882-1947), 6th Earl of Harewood, British peer who married Princess Mary, the only daughter of King George V, in 1922
- Sir Francis William Lascelles (1890-1979), British Clerk of the British Parliament in the 1950s
- ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Citations +
- 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)
- Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
- Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html