Laslay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The surname Laslay comes from the place name Lassi, in the department of Calvados in Normandy.

Early Origins of the Laslay family

The surname Laslay was first found in Yorkshire, where Ibert de Lacy, son of Walter de Lacy (Lacie) was granted the castle and town of Pontefract and 164 lordships by William the Conqueror. Walter de Lacie (d. 1085) was one of the commanders that William the Conqueror "sent to Wales to subjugate the principality; and being victorious, he acquired large possessions there, in addition to those already obtained, as his portion of the spoil of Hastings. " 1

"His lands had been assigned to him in the West, where he held territory - to what exact extent is not known - under William Fitz Osbern, the first Norman Earl of Hereford; and upon the rebellion of William's son, Earl Roger de Britolio, the whole vast fief was conferred upon him by the Conqueror. He waged war successfully with the Welsh, defeating three of their princes with great slaughter in Brecon; and was killed in 1085 by a fall from a ladder while inspecting a new church he had founded at Hereford. " 2

Roger de Laci who also accompanied the Conqueror was rewarded with the tenure in capite of 116 lordships. It is presumed that the two were related but the relationship is unknown. 3

Rishton in Yorkshire was the place where a manor was held by Edmund de Lacye, who died 42nd Henry III. 4

There were at least two listings of the name in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379: Robertus Lascey; and Isabella Lassy. 5

Stanlow-House in the union of Great Boughton, Higher division of the hundred of Wirrall in Cheshire was an ancient family seat to one branch of the family. "An abbey of Cistercian monks was founded here in 1178, by John Lacy, constable of Chester; but on account of the inundations of the Mersey in 1296, it was removed to Whalley, in Lancashire." 4

Early History of the Laslay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Laslay research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1172, 1185, 1215, 1298, 1584, 1610, 1615, 1671, 1673 and 1681 are included under the topic Early Laslay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Laslay Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Laslay have been found, including Lacey, Lacy, Lassey, Lassy, de Lacey, de Lacy and others.

Early Notables of the Laslay family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who was recorded on the Falkirk Roll. The roll lists those who fought at Falkirk in 1298, when the forces of Edward I defeated William Wallace's Scottish army. Henry was a close counsellor of Edward I and Edward II, and his house in London gave its name to...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Laslay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Laslay family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Laslay were among those contributors: Lawrence Lacey, who settled in New England between 1620 and 1650; Jane Lacy, who sailed to Barbados in 1660; Elianor Lacy, who arrived in New England in 1663.

Citations +

Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)