Luckwell

This picturesque and interesting name is of medieval English origin and is locational from a place on Exmoor, in Devon, called 'Luckwell Bridge', which is further suggested by the fact that early recordings are numerous in Devon and neighbouring counties. The derivation is from an Old English pre 7th Century personal name 'Luca' with 'wella' or 'wiella', a well or a spring, thus 'Luca's well'. During the Middle Ages, it became customary for people to migrate, generally to seek work elsewhere, and they would often adopt their former village name as a means of identification, thus resulting in a wide dispersal of the name. Amongst the sample recordings in London is the marriage of Dorkas Luckwell and Robarte Collymer on January 15th 1603 at St. Stephen and St. Benet, Shorehog, and in Devon, of Richard Luckwell and Rebecca Smith on June 24th 1654, at Pilton. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Daniell Luckwell (christening), which was dated August 4th 1602, St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, 'Good Queen Bess', 1558-1603. 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.