Luca

Recorded in over one hundred spelling forms ranging from Lucas, Luke, Luck and Luckett (English and Scottish), Lucas and Lucaud (France), Luca (Italy), Lucks and Lauks (Germany), Luasek and Kasek (Czech), Lukasik (Poland), Lukashevich (Ukraine), Lukovic (Croatia), and many, many, more, this is a 12th century surname of 'Crusader' origins. It derives from the ancient Greek given name "Loucas", meaning the man from Lucania, formerly a region of Italy. The Latin form of the name as Lucas, was a great favourite as a personal name in the Middle Ages, due in part to the popularity of St. Luke the Evangelist. St. Luke was a doctor and a painter, and there is an ancient suggestion that the name means "a patient person". Crusader anmes are those associated with the various expeditions in the 11th and 12th centuries to free the Holy land from the Muslim grip. All failed, but returning warriors often gave their children names associated with the biblical region. This was one of them. The name may however also be locational, from the town of Luick in Flanders. An example in this respect being that of Lucas de Luke, who is recorded in the Pipe Rolls of the city of London on 1274. English recordeds are generally much earlier than those of other European countries, however there are early recordings in Germany Ulrich der Luk being recorded in Dorfzaum in 1310 amd Johannes Lucker in Ehenhem in 1422. London Church registers also list the marriage of Christopher Lucas to Margaret Medcalfe, on January 27th 1571 at St. Botolph's church, Bishopsgate. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Euerard Lucas, which was dated 1153, in the register of the Knight Templars (Crusaders) of England in the 12th Century. This was during the reign of King Stephen, known as "Count of Blois", 1135 - 1154.