Lawd History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Lawd

What does the name Lawd mean?

The name Lawd is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It was originally a name for someone who worked as a hlalord which meant lord, master or Lord's servant. 1 2 3

The "term of civil dignity, a master, ruler, the proprietor of a manor, derived from the Anglo-Saxon ord, which comes from ored, a governor, with the prefix of the letter L, le, denoting the person or place. Gaelic, ard, ord, high, lofty, the prime chief, superior. Lord has been derived from Hlaford, which is compounded of Hlaf, a loaf, and ford, to give,-a bread-giver." 4

Early Origins of the Lawd family

The surname Lawd was first found in Suffolk where the Pipe Rolls of 1198 record William le Lauerd as holding lands there at that time. A few years later, Gilbert Louerd was listed in Northumberland c. 1202 and John le Lord was found in Huntingdonshire in 1252. 1

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Robert le Loverd, Oxfordshire; William le Loverd, Nottinghamshire; Roger le Lord, Cambridgeshire; and Walter le Lord, Huntingdonshire. 2

Richard le Lord, filius Margarete le Lord was listed in the Close Rolls, 9 Richard II (during the ninth year of Richard II's reign.)

Early History of the Lawd family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lawd research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1198, 1252, 1273, 1300, 1573, 1633 and 1645 are included under the topic Early Lawd History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lawd Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Lawd are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Lawd include Lord, Lorde and others.

Early Notables of the Lawd family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lawd Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lawd family to Ireland

Some of the Lawd family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lawd family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Lawd or a variant listed above: Richard Lord, one of the founders of Hartford Connecticut, and who served as a law officer in the colonies; James Lord settled in Barbados in 1660; Thomas and Dorothy Lord his wife, settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1635.

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print