Lucy History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsLucy is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Lucy family lived in Norfolk. Their name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066 of England, Lucy, near Rouen. 1 Luce is in Orne in the bailiwick of le Passeis, near Domfront, Normandy. Early Origins of the Lucy familyThe surname Lucy was first found in Norfolk where the first mention of the family of Lucy was made by Henry I of the lordship of Dice therein to Richard de Lucie, Governor of Falaise who later played a prominent role in the contests of King Stephen's reign. He was more than once Lieutenant of England. 2 "In 1165, Richard de Lucy's barony in Passy ([, Normandy]) consisted of 19 fees. He also held 19 in Devon, besides others in Kent, Norfolk, Suffolk and in 1156 in Northumberland. Geoffry de Lucy held on fee in Devon in 1165." 3 Inglewood Forest in Cumberland was home to another branch of the family. "It was a forest only in the Scottish sense of the word; a wild open chace, 'full of woods, red and fallow deer, wild swine, and all manner of wild beasts.' The wild beasts included many wolves. There is a sad tradition respecting a lady of the Lucy family, who, walking one evening near her father's castle of Egremont, was attacked and torn to pieces by a famished wolf. The place where her mangled body was found is still marked by a cairn of stones, and known as Woeful Bank." 4 The Lucys of Charlecote, Warwickshire descend from Sir William de Charlecote who changed his name to Lucy. This latter claim of a name change is of some dispute but what is certain is that this was the same gentleman that Shakespeare apparently lampooned in the 1580s by mocking his name and suggesting his wife was unfaithful. Again, this claim cannot be verified. Truro in Cornwall was an ancient home to some of the family. "The manor, in 1161, belonged to Richard de Luci, chief justice of England and lord of Truro, who probably built the castle (the site of which is still called Castle Hill), and who invested the inhabitants with numerous privileges, which were confirmed by Reginald Fitz-Henry, Earl of Cornwall, natural son of Henry I." 5 Another branch of the family was found at Lessness in Kent. It was here that Richard de Luci (1089-1179) of Richard de Lucy was High Sheriff of Essex and later Chief Justiciar of England (1154-1179.) He also founded "an abbey for Black canons, in honour of St. Mary and St. Thomas the Martyr in 1178." 5 Early History of the Lucy familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lucy research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1525, 1551, 1585, 1592, 1594, 1614, 1619, 1640, 1647, 1653, 1658, 1660, 1667 and 1677 are included under the topic Early Lucy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Lucy Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Lucy, Luce, Lucey, Lucie and others. Early Notables of the Lucy familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was
Lucy RankingIn the United States, the name Lucy is the 9,218th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6 Migration of the Lucy family to IrelandSome of the Lucy family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Lucy or a variant listed above: Lucy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Lucy Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Lucy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Lucy Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Lucy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Lucy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
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: Lucy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
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