Recorded as Lace, Laise, Lacer, Laisire, and possibly others, this is an English occupational surname but one with French origins. It derives from the pre 10th century word "laz" itself from the original Latin "laqueus," meaning a cord or thread, and was introduced into the British Isles sometime in the two centuries after the famous Norman-French Conquest of England in 1066. Occupational surnames were amongst the first to be created, and this is a good example. However the names did not usually become hereditary unless a son or grandson followed the father into the same line of skill or business. If he did not, and that was a regular occurence, the name died out until revived by a quite different person and probably not of the same family. In this case we have recordings such as Richard le Lacir in the London registers of trade for the year 1278, whilst William le Lacer is recorded in the rolls of the manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, in the year 1298. Later church register examples include Ales Lace who married Persevall Heathe at the church of St Martin Pomery in the city of London, on February 4th 1543. This is one of the very earliest of all church register recordings, the system being introduced by King Henry V111th shortly before this date.

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