Lask History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Lask was first used as a surname by descendants of the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. The ancestors of the Lask family lived in the old lands of Leask, which were in the parish of Slains in Aberdeen; this place is now called Pitlurg. The surname Lask belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
Early Origins of the Lask family
The surname Lask was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland, where they held a family seat. William de Laskereske was listed on the Ragman Rolls and rendered homage to King Edward I of England in 1296. Following this early entry, William of Lask, dominus ejusdem, was granted a yearly gift of a pound of wax, from his land of Logy iuxta Elone, to the church of St. Mary of Ellon in 1380. A relative of his, Thomas de Lask or Laysk was a baillie (equivalent to a court bailiff) in the barony of Fyndon in 1390 and in 1391, he witnessed a charter by the Earl of Orkney, Henry St. Clair. 1
Early History of the Lask family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lask research. Another 322 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1405, 1413, 1438, 1445, 1461, 1963 and 1968 are included under the topic Early Lask History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Lask Spelling Variations
Repeated and inaccurate translation of Scottish names from Gaelic to English and back resulted in a wide variety of spelling variations with single names. Lask has appeared Leask, Laysk, Laisk, Lask, Lowsk, Lowask and others.
Early Notables of the Lask family
Notable amongst the Clan at this time was
- James of Lask, who was listed in the Orkneys as a "Lawman," in 1438
Lask migration to the United States +
Many Scottish families suffered enormous hardships and were compelled to leave their country of birth. They traveled to Ireland and Australia, but mostly to the colonies of North America, where many found the freedom and opportunity they sought. It was not without a fight, though, as many were forced to stand up and defend their freedom in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of these Scots abroad have rediscovered their heritage in the last century through the Clan societies and other organizations that have sprung up across North America. Immigration and passenger ship lists show some important early immigrants bearing the name Lask:
Lask Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Theresa Lask, who landed in Texas in 1840-1850 2
- Theresa Lask who settled in Texas in 1845
- Susanne Lask, who settled in Texas in 1860
The Lask 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 cresco
Motto Translation: I grow by virtue.
Citations +
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- 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)