L'Homme

This very interesting surname is of French origin, although the meaning is obscure. The "Dictionnaire Etymologique" of France, suggests that it is possibly a nickname of endearment, similar to the English "Young man". The name is recorded in several spellings including Homme, L'Homme, L'Hommee, L'Hommeau, L'Hommedieu, and possibly Hommer and Homer. These latter two forms are also claimed to to be occupational for a maker of helmets, deriving from the Old French "heaume" meaning "helmet". It would seem that we have an overlap, which is not assisted by the paucity of French registers. Sadly many early registers were lost during the French Revoultion from 1789 to 1797, when the church was totally banned, and people encouraged to destroy records. The name in England is probably Huguenot protestant. It is first recorded in the current spellings in 1695 during the reign of William of Orange (1689 - 1702), when Peter L'Homme married Judith Lorsigno at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney. This was probably "her" church, because in 1697, on April 4th, Pierre L'Homme is recorded as being christened at Threadneedle Street French Huguenot church, London, his parents being given as Pierre and Judith L'Homme. On July 31st 1698 Jacque L'Homme, another of Pierre's sons was also christened at Threadneedle Street, and it is from him that all future nameholders in England seem to be descended.. The first recorded spelling of the family name may be John le Heaumer, which was dated 1220, in the "Curia Regis rolls for the city of London, during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272.