Lowell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Lowell

What does the name Lowell mean?

The Lowell surname is derived from the Norman French word "lou," meaning "wolf," with the diminutive suffix "el." 1 2

Early Origins of the Lowell family

The surname Lowell was first found in Somerset. Robert, Lord of Breherval and Yvery in Normandy is regarded as the progenitor of this family. His father was Eudes, sovereign Duke of Brittany. His is listed in the Roll of Battle Abbey and received from the Conqueror a grant of the Lordships of Kary and Harpetre, in the county of Somerset. He eventually returned to his native Duchy and died a monk in the abbey of Bec, leaving three sons. The eldest, one Ascelin Gouel de Perceval succeeded his father as Lord of Breherval. As a violent man, he acquired the surname "Lupus." In turn his son was surnamed "Lupellus," or little wolf which was softened to "luvel." He had five sons; one of which was Henry, ancestor of Lords Lovel of Kary. 3

The Lovels of Tichmersh who had summons to Parliament in 1297 were a baronial family of considerable distinction. By example, Sir Richard Lovel was summoned to Parliament from 1348-1350.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only three entries for the family: Lovel le Clerc, Essex; Caterina Lovel, Oxfordshire; and Lovel (without surname), Surrey. 4

Early History of the Lowell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lowell research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1454, 1483, 1487, 1631, 1709, 1713, 1737 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Lowell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lowell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lovell, Lowell, Lovel, Leavell, Lowles and others.

Early Notables of the Lowell family

Notable among the family at this time was Francis Lovell, (1454-c. 1487), friend and supporter of Richard III, made Viscount Lovell on January 4th 1483; he...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lowell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lowell Ranking

In the United States, the name Lowell is the 3,558^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Lowell family to Ireland

Some of the Lowell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lowell migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lowell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Percival Lowell, who arrived in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1639 6
Mary Lowell, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 6
Thomas Lowell, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 6
John Lowell, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1655 6
Hugh Lowell, who arrived in Virginia in 1656 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lowell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Patrick Lowell, who landed in America in 1782 6

Lowell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Lowell, who landed in Maryland in 1832 6
R N Lowell, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 6
G Lowell, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Lowell (post 1700) +

Carey Lowell (b. 1961), American actress and former model
Robert Traill Spence Lowell Jr. (1917-1977), American poet awarded the 1947 and 1974 Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry
Percival Lowell (1855-1916), American businessman, author, mathematician, and astronomer who founded the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona
Abbott Lawrence Lowell (1856-1943), American political scientist
Amy Lawrence Lowell (1874-1925), American poet awarded the 1926 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
James Russell Lowell (1819-1891), American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat
Dwight N. Lowell, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Michigan, 1904 7
Dwight M. Lowell, American politician, Candidate for Circuit Judge in Michigan 16th Circuit, 1899 7
Charles W. Lowell, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Louisiana, 1868; Postmaster at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1869-73 7
Charles E. Lowell, American politician, Representative from Massachusetts 12th District, 1900 7
... (Another 24 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html