About the de Lacy's, Are you one?
The name de Lacy is an example of a noble historical family steeped in history. Other examples to the Norman aristocratic names can be found in Scottish Clan names which are also ‘hereditary’ names, for instance, McLaren, Mackintosh, Stewart, etc.
Alternatively ‘given’ names can often be derived from the craft of past generation family members. Their name recognised by examples such as Smith, Carpenter, Turner and Butcher
Now to the question regarding the de Lacy name. Once translated from Norse, Latin and Norman/French the English version is de Lacy the (‘de’ means 'from') and when added by Norman noble families, over the centuries has added status to the name. However, in true Irish thinking using D (upper case) is not wrong either.
Lacy or Lacey?
Lacy or Lacey? There are two reasons or versions why the 'e' appeared. The de Lacy family were an active Catholic family building many Churches as well as Castles in true Norman noble tradition. At the time of the reformation and for centuries after the name 'Lacy' marked them as Catholic and so some Lacy family's added the 'e' to show they were no longer Catholic. History has no bearing on present-day faiths.
The second reason has arisen from the growth of record keeping. I call it the 'whatever reason’. Any Lacy will tell you that they spend their life telling or correcting others "there is no e in my name". Inevitably over time, some will have said 'whatever' and settled for Lacey.
Alternatively ‘given’ names can often be derived from the craft of past generation family members. Their name recognised by examples such as Smith, Carpenter, Turner and Butcher
Now to the question regarding the de Lacy name. Once translated from Norse, Latin and Norman/French the English version is de Lacy the (‘de’ means 'from') and when added by Norman noble families, over the centuries has added status to the name. However, in true Irish thinking using D (upper case) is not wrong either.
Lacy or Lacey?
Lacy or Lacey? There are two reasons or versions why the 'e' appeared. The de Lacy family were an active Catholic family building many Churches as well as Castles in true Norman noble tradition. At the time of the reformation and for centuries after the name 'Lacy' marked them as Catholic and so some Lacy family's added the 'e' to show they were no longer Catholic. History has no bearing on present-day faiths.
The second reason has arisen from the growth of record keeping. I call it the 'whatever reason’. Any Lacy will tell you that they spend their life telling or correcting others "there is no e in my name". Inevitably over time, some will have said 'whatever' and settled for Lacey.
The names de Lacy, Lacy, Lacey and Lasi all derive from the town of Lassy situated in Calvados Normandy. The estates of the de Laci family in and around Lassy were within the overall administration of Bayeux in the region of Calvados. Bishop Odo was responsible to his half-brother Duke William IV for the government of the area.
If, you can follow your own Lacy family tree, back through at least four generations, and to Europe if your family lived elsewhere in the world. The probability will be your forebears came from Lassy in the eleventh or twelfth century.
If, you can follow your own Lacy family tree, back through at least four generations, and to Europe if your family lived elsewhere in the world. The probability will be your forebears came from Lassy in the eleventh or twelfth century.
Calvados, Normandy. The red square (lower left) is the estates of the de Lacy Family.
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Normandy in the Eleventh Century is considered as the start point of de Lacy history. The book, 'de Lacy Chronicles' however, takes you back a further two hundred years and to the history of the Lassey Norseman.
Normandy in the Eleventh Century is considered as the start point of de Lacy history. The book, 'de Lacy Chronicles' however, takes you back a further two hundred years and to the history of the Lassey Norseman.
Tap or click the box below to reveal the many comments we have received from de Lacy family members sharing their own questions or comments about the de Lacy family tree.
Roy’s own family question?
Just like many of you that visit this page of the ‘de Lacy Chronicles’ I have arrived at a challenge in following my personal family path back down through time. My grandfather Edward Lacy was born in South Dublin in 1866 (yes I am very old) His father (my Great Grandfather) William Lacy also lived in the South Dublin or central Ireland area.
General Sir George de Lacy Evans from Moig, County Limerick whose exploits earned him his section within my book ‘de Lacy Chronicles’, was only thirty when my Great Grandfather was born.
My question: where they related by more than a family name?
Just like many of you that visit this page of the ‘de Lacy Chronicles’ I have arrived at a challenge in following my personal family path back down through time. My grandfather Edward Lacy was born in South Dublin in 1866 (yes I am very old) His father (my Great Grandfather) William Lacy also lived in the South Dublin or central Ireland area.
General Sir George de Lacy Evans from Moig, County Limerick whose exploits earned him his section within my book ‘de Lacy Chronicles’, was only thirty when my Great Grandfather was born.
My question: where they related by more than a family name?
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Here is possible evidence that there is a close link. The right-hand image taken from a woodcut is that of General Sir George de Lacy Evans about the time of the battle of Waterloo when he would have been in his late fifties.
The left-hand image is an early photograph of my father probably taken while in his early twenties in the 1920's. Everyone who knew my father when he was alive, would take one look at the George de Lacy Evans woodcut and say “it’s your Dad"! Take away the facial hair, allow for the large age difference and see what you think.
The left-hand image is an early photograph of my father probably taken while in his early twenties in the 1920's. Everyone who knew my father when he was alive, would take one look at the George de Lacy Evans woodcut and say “it’s your Dad"! Take away the facial hair, allow for the large age difference and see what you think.
