Lucas History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
•  England
•  Italy
•  Ireland

The Lucas family name is linked to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from the baptismal name Luke. This surname followed the religious naming tradition, where surnames were bestowed in honor of religious figures or church officials. In Europe, the Christian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures, and missionaries are widespread in most European countries. In the Middle Ages, they became increasingly popular because people believed that the souls of the deceased continued to be involved in this world. They named their children after saints in the hope that the child would be blessed or protected by the saint. In this case the surname Lucas was taken from St. Luke the Evangelist.

Early Origins of the Lucas family

The surname Lucas was first found in Nottinghamshire where the singular name Lucas was listed c. 1150. A few years later, Eurard Lucas was listed as a Knights Templar in Hertfordshire 1153-1185. [1]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two entries for the name as a forename: Lucas Cacherellus, Norfolk; and Lucas Bercator, Cambridgeshire. [2] In Somerset, John Lucas was listed 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III’s reign.) [3]

“Lucas is a name established in various parts of England. It was represented in this county as well as in Norfolk in the reign of Edward I.” [4]

“Why the name of this evangelist should have become a family name in its original form, while the other three are only so in their Anglicized shape, is not apparent.” [5]

Early History of the Lucas family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lucas research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1598, 1649, 1613, 1648, 1606, 1671, 1631, 1688, 1649, 1705, 1702, 1705, 1648, 1649, 1715, 1610, 1663, 1639, 1640 and are included under the topic Early Lucas History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lucas Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person’s name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Lucas include Lucas, Lucass, Lukas and others.

Early Notables of the Lucas family (pre 1700)

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Thomas Lucas (1598-1649), a Royalist army officer; Sir Charles Lucas (1613-1648), an English soldier, a Royalist commander in the English Civil War; John Lucas, 1st Baron Lucas of Shenfield (1606-1671), an English industrialist and landowner; Charles Lucas, 2nd Baron Lucas… 
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lucas Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lucas World Ranking

In the United States, the name Lucas is the 286^th most popular surname with an estimated 94,506 people with that name. [6] However, in Canada, the name Lucas is ranked the 638^thmost popular surname with an estimated 8,147 people with that name. [7] And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Lucas is the 751^st popular surname with an estimated 57 people with that name. [8] France ranks Lucas as 66^th with 36,000 people. [9] Australia ranks Lucas as 220^th with 15,120 people. [10] New Zealand ranks Lucas as 319^th with 1,921 people. [11] The United Kingdom ranks Lucas as 309^th with 19,742 people. [12] Netherlands ranks Lucas as 646^th with 2,838 people. [13] South Africa ranks Lucas as 911^st with 7,657 people. [14]

 Migration of the Lucas family to Ireland

Some of the Lucas family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

 Lucas migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Lucas were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: 

Lucas Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Lucas Lucas, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1627 [15]
• Robert Lucas, who arrived in Virginia in 1631 [15]
• Samll Lucas, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 [15]
• Roger Lucas, who landed in Virginia in 1636 [15]
• Jone Lucas, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 [15]
• … (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)