Home › Irish Surnames › Lacy

Irish surname

Lacy: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

de Léis (Woulfe's Irish form of the Norman name); Ó Laitheasa / Ó Laithgheasa, an old Wexford name also anglicised Lacy, which Woulfe says is 'to be distinguished from the Norman de Lacy' · de Léis: Norman 'de Laci', of Lacy or Lassy (France). Ó Laitheasa / Ó Laithgheasa: 'descendant of Flaitheas' or 'Flaithgheas'

Woulfe (1923) gives two origins for Lacy. His entry de Léis is the Norman 'de Laci, i.e., of Lacy or Lassy in France': 'The de Lacys came over to England with William the Conqueror', and at the Anglo-Norman invasion 'Hugh de Lacy was granted the whole of the province of Meath.' 'A highly distinguished branch of the de Lacys settled in Co. Limerick where they had castles at Ballingarry, Bruree, Bruff, etc.', and 'several of the de Lacys became famous in the service of Continental powers, notably Count Peter de Lacy, born in Co. Limerick in 1678' — Webb's Field-Marshal in Russian service. Woulfe's other entry, Ó Laitheasa / Ó Laithgheasa, is 'the name of an old Wexford family, still numerous in that county', and he adds: 'To be distinguished from the Norman de Lacy.'

Shop Lacy crest giftsRead the history
Coat of arms associated with the Lacy surname
Irish formde Léis (Woulfe's Irish form of the Norman name); Ó Laitheasa / Ó Laithgheasa, an old Wexford name also anglicised Lacy, which Woulfe says is 'to be distinguished from the Norman de Lacy'
Meaningde Léis: Norman 'de Laci', of Lacy or Lassy (France). Ó Laitheasa / Ó Laithgheasa: 'descendant of Flaitheas' or 'Flaithgheas'
CountiesMeath, Limerick, Wexford
Other spellings2

Origin of the Lacy name

Woulfe (de Léis): Norman 'de Laci'; 'the de Lacys came over to England with William the Conqueror'; 'Hugh de Lacy was granted the whole of the province of Meath' at the Anglo-Norman invasion; 'a highly distinguished branch... settled in Co. Limerick where they had castles at Ballingarry, Bruree, Bruff, etc.' Woulfe's other entry, Ó Laitheasa / Ó Laithgheasa, is 'the name of an old Wexford family, still numerous in that county... To be distinguished from the Norman de Lacy.'[1][2]

  1. 1172Four Masters: Tiernan O'Rourke 'treacherously slain at Tlachtgha by Hugo de Lacy' and Donnell, son of Annadh O'Rourke.[5]
  2. 1186Four Masters: 'Gilla-gan-inathar O'Meyey' severed the head of Hugo de Lacy, 'the profaner and destroyer of many churches', at the castle of Durrow.[6][3]
  3. 1209Four Masters: the King of England 'banished Walter de Lacy to England' and 'also banished Hugo de Lacy to England'.[7]
  4. 1241Four Masters: 'Walter de Lacy, Lord of the English of Meath, and head of the council of the English of Ireland, died in England.'[8]
  5. 1601Four Masters: Pierce De Lacy sent to Ulster to seek aid for James, 'who had been styled Earl of Desmond by the Irish'.[9]
  6. 1678Peter Lacy (later Count, Field-Marshal) born at Killeedy, Co. Limerick.[10]
  7. 1751Count Peter Lacy died in Livonia, aged 72.[10]

Where in Ireland

Co. MeathHugh de Lacy was granted the whole province of Meath at the Anglo-Norman invasion.[1]
Co. LimerickA branch of the de Lacys settled here, with castles at Ballingarry, Bruff and Bruree.[1]
Co. WexfordÓ Laitheasa / Ó Laithgheasa, 'an old Wexford family, still numerous in that county'; Woulfe: 'to be distinguished from the Norman de Lacy.'[2]

Notable people named Lacy

Count Peter Lacy1678–1751Field-Marshal in Russian service; born at Killeedy, Co. Limerick; ensign under Sarsfield at Limerick aged 13; later Governor of Livonia; died in Livonia leaving five daughters and two sons.[10]

Other spellings

Lacey · Leacy[1][2]

The Lacy coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Lacy surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Lacy crest gifts

Clan Lacy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapLU81 Classic Cap - Lacy Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Lacy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Lacy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap BN68 Lacy Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Lacy Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00

Lacy surname: questions

Is Lacy an Irish or a Norman surname?

Woulfe gives two origins. His entry de Léis is 'Norman de Laci, i.e., of Lacy or Lassy in France'. His other entry, Ó Laitheasa / Ó Laithgheasa, is 'the name of an old Wexford family, still numerous in that county', and he says it is 'to be distinguished from the Norman de Lacy.' No source opened here says which is the commoner origin today — there is no Matheson 1890 births page for Lacy.[1][2]

Did everyone named Lacy descend from Hugh de Lacy?

No. Woulfe gives two origins — the Norman de Lacys and the Wexford Ó Laitheasa / Ó Laithgheasa family, which he says is 'to be distinguished from the Norman de Lacy'. Among the Normans themselves the Four Masters name 'Walter de Lacy, Lord of the English of Meath' and 'Hugo de Lacy, Earl of Ulster', while Woulfe records 'a highly distinguished branch' in Co. Limerick.[1][2][5][6][7][8]

What happened to Hugh de Lacy, who was granted Meath?

The Four Masters record that after finishing the castle of Durrow he went to view it, and that 'one of the men of Teffia, a youth named Gilla-gan-inathar O'Meyey... drawing out an axe, which he had kept concealed, he, with one blow of it, severed his head from his body'; they call him 'the profaner and destroyer of many churches'. Woulfe adds: 'It was an Ó Miadhaigh that terminated the career of Sir Hugh de Lacy.'[6][3]

Who was Count Peter Lacy?

A Field-Marshal in Russian service, born at Killeedy, Co. Limerick, in 1678; he rose from ensign under Sarsfield to Governor of Livonia and died in 1751.[10]

Sources

  1. de Léis — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/d/de-leis.php
  2. Ó Laitheasa, Ó Laithgheasa — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ol/o-laitheasa.php
  3. Ó Miadhaigh — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/om/o-miadhaigh.php
  4. Lacy — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland, list entry 1048 (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/1048.php
  5. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text001.html
  6. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text002.html
  7. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text004.html
  8. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005C/text007.html
  9. Annals of the Four Masters (trans. John O'Donovan) — CELT edition, CELT, University College Cork. celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005F/text013.html
  10. Count Peter Lacy — A Compendium of Irish Biography (Alfred Webb, 1878), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/biography/CountPeterLacy.php