Show ContentsLamprey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Lamprey

What does the name Lamprey mean?

The name Lamprey is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the village of Lamprey, located in the county of Devon.

Early Origins of the Lamprey family

The surname Lamprey was first found in Devon, where the name is associated with the village of Lamprey. William Lampreye, who was also recorded as William de Lanteprey, was registered in Devon the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273.

Early History of the Lamprey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lamprey research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1295, 1524, 1750 and 1755 are included under the topic Early Lamprey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lamprey Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Lamprey has been recorded under many different variations, including Lamprey, Lampree, Lampray, Lanteprey, Lantepray, Lampreye and many more.

Early Notables of the Lamprey family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Arthur Lamprey, the Sheriff of Dublin in the 1750s

Migration of the Lamprey family to Ireland

Some of the Lamprey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Lamprey migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Lamprey or a variant listed above:

Lamprey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Henry Lamprey, who sailed to Boston in 1635
  • Henry Lamprey, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1653 1
Lamprey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Sarah Lamprey to America in 1756
Lamprey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry Lamprey to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1814
  • J Lamprey, aged 25, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1831 1
  • F Lamprey, aged 30, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1836 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Lamprey (post 1700) +

  • Hugh Lamprey (1928-1996), British ecologist and bush pilot


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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