| ![Show Contents]() Lather History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of LatherWhat does the name Lather mean? The distinguished surname Lather is derived from the Old English "laefer," and indicates a "dweller by the bulrushes or the wild iris." 1 The name is also borne by places in the county of Essex: High Laver, Little Laver, and Magdalen Laver. 2 Early Origins of the Lather familyThe surname Lather was first found in Essex, where Eustace de Lagefara was listed in the Pipe Rolls for 1190. Later, Reginald de Laufare was listed in 1276 and John Laver was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for Cheshire in 1327. 3 "The Lavers bear an ancient name, and are now established in Somerset and Dorset. In the 13th century Le Laverd was an Oxfordshire name, and Laver occurred in Cambridgeshire." 4 Early History of the Lather familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lather research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1190, 1276 and 1327 are included under the topic Early Lather History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Lather 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 Laver, Lavers, Laufer, Lauver, Lauvers, Laufers and others. Early Notables of the Lather familyMore information is included under the topic Early Lather Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Lather migration to the United States | + |
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 Lather or a variant listed above:
Lather Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Frances Lather, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 5
Lather Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Caspar Lather, aged 36, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1804 5
- Alexander Lather, who arrived in New York in 1834 5
- Christian, III Lather, who arrived in America in 1852 5
- Henry Lather, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1869 5
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- 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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