Laney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Laney was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Laney family lived in Staffordshire. Their name is derived from the Old English word lanu and literally translates as dweller in the Lane.

Early Origins of the Laney family

The surname Laney was first found in Staffordshire where the family claim descent from De La Lane as listed in the Roll of Battle Abbey. 1

This source continues "a family illustrious in history for the part they took in the preservation of King Charles II. After the battle of Worcester, Col. John Lane, head of the house, received the fugitive Prince at his mansion of Bentley, whence his Majesty was conveyed in disguise by the Colonel's eldest sister, Jane Lane, to her cousin Mrs. Norton's residence in Bristol. This loyal lady received after the Restoration an annual pension of £1,000 for life. Her brother, the cavalier Col. Lane was granted the especial badge of honour, the arms of England (three lions passant guardant on a red field) in a canton for his efforts." 1

The Royal Crown in the crest also bears to the family's recognition as does the family motto which translates as "Guard the King."

Bentley Hall [in Bentley, Staffordshire], the ancient manor-house of the Lane family, is distinguished as the residence of Colonel Lane. The Hall is a neat building standing on an eminence." 2

Early History of the Laney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Laney research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1591, 1609, 1626, 1630, 1644, 1651, 1660, 1661, 1662, 1663, 1667, 1675, 1689 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Laney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Laney Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Lane, Lawn, Lone, Loan, Lain, Laine and others.

Early Notables of the Laney family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Benjamin Lany (Laney) (1591-1675), an English academic and bishop from Ipswich, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge (1630-1644) and (1660-1662), Bishop of Peterborough (1660-1663) of Lincoln (1663-1...

Laney Ranking

In the United States, the name Laney is the 3,418^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Laney family to Ireland

Some of the Laney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Laney 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:

Laney Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Edward Laney, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Olympus
Edward Laney, aged 34, a baker, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1842
Mary Laney, aged 31, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1842
William Laney, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Olympus" in 1842

Contemporary Notables of the name Laney (post 1700) +

Malcolm Laney (1910-1985), American head coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team (1944–1945)
Alan Laney (b. 1951), American singer-songwriter and musician
Benjamin Travis Laney Jr., (1896-1977), American politician, 33rd Governor of Arkansas (1945-1949)
James E. "Pete" Laney (b. 1943), American politician, U.S. Democratic Party politician from West Texas, Speaker of Texas House of Representatives (1993-2003)
Willis Laney, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Navy, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
Richard C. Laney, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 28th District, 1954 4
Pete Laney, American politician, Member of Texas State House of Representatives, 1977- 4
John J. Laney, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Montana State Senate 20th District, 2010 4
James Thomas Laney (b. 1927), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, 1993-96 4
James E. Laney, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Texas State House of Representatives 85th District; Elected unopposed 1992, 1994; Elected 1996, 1998; Elected unopposed 2000; Elected 2002, 2004 4
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Laney 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: Garde le Roy
Motto Translation: Guard the king.

Citations +

Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html