Lammas

Lammas
This unusual name, found mainly in the eastern counties of England, is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational surname deriving from either the village of Lamas or Lammas in Norfolk, near Norwich, or from Lamersh, near Sudbury in Essex. Both of these places are recorded as "Lamers" in the Domesday Book of 1086; thereafter Lam(m)as is "Lammasse" in the Norfolk Pipe Rolls of 1186, and Lamarsh appears as "Lammers" in 1233, and as "Lammerssh" in 1327. These placenames share the same meaning and erivation, which is "the loam marsh", from the Olde English pre 7th Century "lam", loam, with "mersc", marsh; an alternative derivation for the first element is the Olde English "lamb", lamb, but this is less likely. Locational surnames were acquired by the lord of the manor, and local landowners, and were used as a means of identification by those who had left their birthplace to settle elsewhere. Examples of the surname, now usually found as Lam(m)as and Lam(m)ers, include: the marriage of Johannas (John) Lammas and Dorothy Moulten, in Thaxted, Essex, on November 21st 1568, and the christening of Henrie, son of Nicholas Lammas, on January 1st 1577, at Rendham in Suffolk. One Edward Lammas was an early emigrant to the American Colonies, leaving London in the "Suzan and Ellin" in April 1635, bound for New England. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Brictus de Lammasse, which was dated 1190, in the "Pipe Rolls of Norfolk", during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "Richard the Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Lammas — o día de Lammas es una festividad tradicional de la cosecha, de origen celta, también conocida como Lugnasad, que se celebra el 1 de agosto en los países anglosajones y en religiones de revival celta y neopagano como la wicca. Durante la época… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Lammas — Lam mas, n. [AS. hl[=a]mmesse, hl[=a]fm[ae]sse, loaf mass, bread feast, or feast of first fruits; hl[=a]f loaf + m[ae]sse mass. See {Loaf}, and {Mass} religious service.] The first day of August; called also {Lammas day}, and {Lammastide}. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Lammas — (also Lammas Day) ► NOUN ▪ the first day of August, formerly observed as harvest festival. ORIGIN Old English, loaf mass …   English terms dictionary

  • Lammas — [lam′əs] n. [ME lammasse < OE hlammæsse, for hlafmæsse, lit., loaf mass, bread feast: see LOAF1 & MASS1] 1. a harvest festival formerly held in England on Aug. 1, when bread baked from the first crop of wheat was consecrated at Mass 2. this… …   English World dictionary

  • Lammas — a Scottish term day, formerly 1 August, now the 28th. See quarter day. Collins dictionary of law. W. J. Stewart. 2001 …   Law dictionary

  • Lammas — Aug. 1 harvest festival with consecration of loaves, O.E. hlafmæsse, lit. loaf mass, from hlaf (see LOAF (Cf. loaf) (n.)) + mæsse (see MASS (Cf. mass) (n.2)). Altered by influence of lamb (and occasionally spelled lamb in 16c. 17c.) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Lammas — Infobox Holiday holiday name = Lammas also known as Lambess type = Historical longtype = Cultural caption = observedby = England Scotland date = 1 August celebrations = Handfasting Funeral Games observances = Loaves made from the grain collected… …   Wikipedia

  • Lammas — noun Etymology: Middle English Lammasse, from Old English hlāfmæsse, from hlāf loaf, bread + mæsse mass; from the fact that formerly loaves from the first ripe grain were consecrated on this day Date: before 12th century 1. August 1 originally… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Lammas — Der Name Lammas bezeichnet das Schnitterfest, ein Kalenderfest im keltischen Jahreskreis, siehe Lughnasadh einen britischen Automobilhersteller, siehe Lammas Ltd. Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Lammas — /lam euhs/, n. 1. a former festival in England, held on August 1, in which bread made from the first harvest of corn was blessed. 2. a festival (Feast of St. Peter s Chains) observed by Roman Catholics on August 1, in memory of St. Peter s… …   Universalium

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