Lammertay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Lammertay is a name that came to England in the 11th century wave of migration that was set off by the Norman Conquest of 1066. Lammertay comes from the Old German personal name Lambert or Lanbert. These names are both composed of the elements land, which means land or territory and berht, which means bright or famous.

"Lambeth is a word of Anglo-Saxon origin, a corruption of lam-hithe, signifying the loam-hithe or muddy landing-place, and making one of the chief hithes or landing places on the banks of the Thames in Anglo-Saxon times." 1

Jaenbert, Janbriht, Jambert, Genberht, Lambert or Lanbriht (d. 791), was Archbishop of Canterbury, consecrated abbot of St. Augustine's at Canterbury in 760, and was regarded with friendship by Eadbert, king of Kent. "When foiled in his attempt to secure the body of Archbishop Bregwin for burial in his monastery, he appealed against the claim of the monks of Christ Church. His resolute behaviour excited the admiration of his opponents; they knew that he was prudent and able, and they had, it is said, no fancy for defending their claim at Rome. Accordingly they elected him to the vacant archbishopric, and he appears to have been consecrated on Septuagesima Sunday, 2 Feb. 766, and to have received the pall from Pope Paul I, probably in the course of 767." 2

"Lambert, Lanbert 'land-bright', a popular name from the 12th century, [was] probably introduced from Flanders where St Lambert of Maestricht was highly venerated." 3

Early Origins of the Lammertay family

The surname Lammertay was first found in Surrey where they were descended from the ancient Count of Mons and Louvain, born 940 A.D. died 1004. His three sons were Baldwin, Ralph, and Hugh Lambert. Accompanying Duke William to England at the Battle of Hastings, a Norman chief, Haco Lambert acquired lands from Duke William and is recorded in the Domesday Book.

Descended was Henry Fitz Lambert living in 1235 who was a benefactor of the church at Lincoln. Early records of the family were found the in the parish of Kirkby in Malham Dale in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

"The church is a large and handsome building, of the style that prevailed in the reign of Henry VII., and is the burial-place of the Lambert family, of whom General Lambert was distinguished, on the side of Cromwell, in the civil war." 4

Early History of the Lammertay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lammertay research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1153, 1532, 1536, 1600, 1601, 1615, 1619, 1628, 1647, 1649, 1659, 1660, 1684, 1691, 1702, 1742 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Lammertay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lammertay Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Lammertay include Lambert, Lambard, Lamberth and others.

Early Notables of the Lammertay family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Lambarde, and English draper who served three times as Master of the Drapers' Company, an alderman and a sheriff of London; and his son, William Lambarde (1536-1601), an English antiquarian, writer on legal subjects, and politician; John Lambert (1619-1684), an English Parliamentary general and politician, imprisoned in the Tower of...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lammertay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lammertay family to Ireland

Some of the Lammertay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 128 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lammertay family

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Lammertays to arrive on North American shores: Anne Lambert, who settled in Virginia in 1653.

Citations +

Hargrave, Basil, Origins and Meanings of Popular Phrases & Names. London: T. Werner Laurie Ltd, Cobham House, 24 and 26 Black Friars Lane, 1949. Print
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.