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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The Laster surname comes from the Middle English word "last," which was the name of a wooden mould in the shape of a foot used by a cobbler in the making or repairing of shoes. In Old English, the name was "laeste" which literally meant "footprint." The name was most likely an occupational name for a person who made cobbler's lasts. Also there is some evidence that the name could have been Norman in origin as records show Philip Augustus granted lands in Normandy to Robert de Los. It is thought that this same family landed in England where there are records of Walter and William Luz in 1198.
The surname Laster was first found in Suffolk. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in 1275 with Thomas le Lastur who was listed in the Assize Rolls. Over a century later, in 1385, Richard Last was listed in the Fleet of Fines as holding estates in the same county.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Laster research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1395, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Laster History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Laster include Laster, Lastur, Lastor, Last and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Laster Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the United States, the name Laster is the 3,645th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1
Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Laster or a variant listed above: