Lovick

This most interesting and unusual surname, found particularly in Norfolk, may have derived from three possible origins, one Anglo-Saxon, the others Old Norse or Old French. Firstly it may have originated from the Olde English personal name "Leofeca" which itself came from the Olde English female personal name "Lufu", love, or the masculine "Lufa". The name may also, in some instances, derive from places called Lowick" in Lancashire, Northumberland and Northamptonshire. The first of these placenames is composed of the Old Norse "Lauf-vik", meaning "leafy bay", composed of "lauf", leaf and "vik", bay, while the placename in Northumberland means "wic(k)" (the Olde English for "dwelling place, village"), on the River Low. The last mentioned placename derives from the Olde English personal name "Lufa", and "wic", both as above. Finally, the surname may be of Old French origin, from the Old French word "eveske", bishop (the French definite article "Le" coalescing with the noun) which was probably a nickname given to one who worked in a bishop's household. Balde de Lufwic was recorded in 1200 in the Curia Rolls of Northumberland and William Leuke was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1204. On July 16th 1605 Elizabeth Lovicke married Thomas Sayer at Topcroft, Norfolk. Robert Lovick married Mary Jolley on August 14th 1712 at All Hallows, London Wall, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Osbert le Eveske, which was dated 1189 "Ancient Monastick Records", during the reign of King Richard 1st, "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.