Laken History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

The Welsh name Laken was comes from an Old English pet form of the popular medieval personal name Lawrence, which is in turn from the Latin personal name Laurentius.

Early Origins of the Laken family

The surname Laken was first found in Shropshire, 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 Laken family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Laken research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1250 and 1400 are included under the topic Early Laken History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Laken Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Laken has occasionally been spelled Lacon, Laken, Lakyn, Lakin, Laking and others.

Early Notables of the Laken family

More information is included under the topic Early Laken Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Laken family

The Welsh migration to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries contributed greatly to its rapid development. These migrants were in search of land, work, and freedom. Those Welsh families that survived the long ocean journey were critical to the development of new industries and factories, and to the quick settlement of land. They also added to an ever-growing rich cultural heritage. A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Laken: Richard Lacon with his wife and daughter and servants settled in Barbados in 1680; Lancelot Lacon settled in Barbados in 1635; Charles Lacon settled in the Leeward Islands in 1635.

The Laken 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: Probitas verus honos
Motto Translation: Probity is true honor.