Lefroy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Lefroy family

The surname Lefroy was first found in Hampshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 14th century when they held lands.

Early History of the Lefroy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lefroy research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Lefroy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lefroy 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 Lefroy, Le Froy, Loffroy, Lofroy and others.

Early Notables of the Lefroy family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

the Lefroy family of Ireland

Migration of the Lefroy family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Lefroy or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Contemporary Notables of the name Lefroy (post 1700) +

Henry Maxwell Lefroy (1818-1879), English-born, Australian immigrant who arrived in the colony in 1841; he then explored the Mid West and Goldfields-Esperance regions of Western Australia, eponym of Lake Lefroy
Anthony O'Grady Lefroy CMG (1816-1897), Irish-born, government official in Western Australia before the advent of responsible government, nephew of Thomas Langlois Lefroy
Anthony Lefroy (1800-1890), Irish Conservative Party MP in the United Kingdom Parliament
Sir Henry Bruce Lefroy (1854-1930), Australian Premier of Western Australia from June 1917 until April 1919, son of Anthony O'Grady Lefroy
Thomas Langlois Lefroy (1776-1869), Irish politician and judge from Limerick, Ireland, Privy Councillor of Ireland in 1835–1869 and Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in 1852–1866
Jeremy John Elton Lefroy (b. 1959), British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for Stafford (2010-)
Helena Lefroy (1820-1908), née Trench, Irish botanist

The Lefroy 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: Mutare sperno
Motto Translation: I scorn to change.