Lovelace History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

Ireland

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The surname Lovelace is derived from the Old English word "laweles," which means "lawless" and is ultimately derived from the Old English word "laghles," which means "outlaw." As a surname, Lovelace came from a nickname for a person who was an outlaw, or was uncontrolled or unrestrained. The Gaelic form of the surname Lovelace is Laighléis.

Early Origins of the Lovelace family

The surname Lovelace was first found in Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South Wales, anciently part of the Welsh kingdom of Glywysing, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Lovelace family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lovelace research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1564, 1599, 1610, 1616, 1618, 1621, 1626, 1634, 1641, 1657, 1670, 1675, 1693, 1735, 1789 and 1799 are included under the topic Early Lovelace History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lovelace Spelling Variations

Church officials and medieval scribes often spelled early surnames as they sounded. This practice often resulted in many spelling variations of even a single name. Early versions of the name Lovelace included: Lawless, Lovelace, Lovelass, Loveless and others.

Early Notables of the Lovelace family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was

Richard Lovelace, 1st Baron Lovelace (1564-1634), of Hurley in the County of Berkshire, English MP and peer, High Sheriff of Berkshire (1610) and High Sheriff of Oxfordshire (1626)
John Lovelace, 2nd Baron Lovelace (1616-1670), British peer
Richard Lovelace (1618-1657), an English poet in the 17th century, a cavalier poet who fought on behalf of the king during the Civil War
John Lovelace, 3rd Baron Lovelace (1641-1693), British peer

Lovelace Ranking

In the United States, the name Lovelace is the 2,640^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1

Lovelace migration to the United States +

Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Lovelace:

Lovelace Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Francis Lovelace, who arrived in Virginia in 1651 2

Lovelace Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Edward Lovelace, who settled in New England in 1764
Thomas Lovelace, who arrived in Mississippi in 1798 2
John, Lovelace Sr., who arrived in Mississippi in 1798 2

Lovelace Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Louiza Lovelace, aged 24, who landed in New York in 1854 2
Geo Lovelace, aged 25, who landed in New York in 1854 2

Lovelace 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:

Lovelace Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Maria Lovelace, aged 20, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Stately" in 1851
Miss Maria Lovelace, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Stately" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 1st June 1851 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Lovelace (post 1700) +

Willis Randolph Lovelace Jr. (1912-1965), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from New Mexico, 1960 4
William Yancey Lovelace, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Alabama, 1924 4
Linda Lovelace (1949-2002), born Linda Susan Boreman, American pornographic actress and later bacame a spokeswoman for the anti-pornography movement
William Randolph Lovelace II (1907-1965), American physician appointed NASA’s Director of Space Medicine in 1964, eponym of the Lovelace lunar crater
Maud Hart Lovelace (1892-1980), American author
David Lovelace (b. 1970), American animator and musician
Alan M. Lovelace (b. 1929), Deputy Administrator of NASA from 1976 to 1981
Houston Lovelace, American Republican politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1964 4
George S. Lovelace, American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1924; Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1924 4
Frank B. Lovelace, American Republican politician, Mayor of Poughkeepsie, New York, 1925-27 4
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Lovelace 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 et numine
Motto Translation: By virtue and prudence.