de Lacy (Laci, Lacie, Lascy, Lacey, Lassey) is the surname of an old Norman family which originated from Lassy, Calvados. The family took part in the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Normans, Norman, French people, French, Flemish people, Flemish, and Bretons, Breton troops, all led by the Du ...

of England and the later

Norman invasion of Ireland The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland took place during the late 12th century, when Anglo-Normans gradually conquered and acquired large swathes of land in Ireland over which the monarchs of England then claimed sovereignty. The Anglo-Normans ...

. The name is first recorded for Hugh de Lacy (1020–1085). His sons, Walter and Ilbert, left

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

and travelled to England with

William the Conqueror William the Conqueror (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), sometimes called William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England (as William I), reigning from 1066 until his death. A descendant of Rollo, he was D ...

. The awards of land by the Conqueror to the de Lacy sons led to two distinct branches of the family: the northern branch, centred on Blackburnshire and west

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...

was held by Ilbert's descendants; the southern branch of

Marcher Lord A marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales. A marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in Fra ...

s, centred on

Herefordshire Herefordshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England, bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh ...

and

Shropshire Shropshire (; abbreviated SalopAlso used officially as the name of the county from 1974–1980. The demonym for inhabitants of the county "Salopian" derives from this name.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West M ...

, was held by Walter's descendants. Until 1361, the northern branch of the family held the great

Lordship of Bowland The Lordship of Bowland is a manorial lordship associated with the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire, England. The lordship fell into disuse between 1885 and 2008, during which time it was widely believed to have lapsed; it was revived in 2008. ...

before it passed through marriage to the

Duchy of Lancaster The Duchy of Lancaster is an estate of the British sovereign. The estate has its origins in the lands held by the medieval Dukes of Lancaster, which came under the direct control of the monarch when Henry Bolingbroke, the then duke of Lancast ...

. They were also Barons of

Pontefract Pontefract is a historic market town in the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district in West Yorkshire, England. It lies to the east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the ...

and later (via two female lines)

Earls of Lincoln Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the peerage of England, most recently in 1572. The earldom was held as a subsidiary title by the Dukes of Newcastle-under-Lyne, from 1768 to 1988, until the dukedom became extinct ...

. The southern branch of the family became substantial landholders in the

Lordship of Ireland The Lordship of Ireland (), sometimes referred to retrospectively as Anglo-Norman Ireland, was the part of Ireland ruled by the King of England (styled as "Lord of Ireland") and controlled by loyal Anglo-Norman Lords between 1177 and 1542. T ...

and was linked to the Scottish royal family;

Elizabeth de Burgh Elizabeth de Burgh ( ; – 27 October 1327) was the second wife and only List of Scottish royal consorts, queen consort of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. Elizabeth was born sometime around 1289, probably in what is now County Down or County ...

, great-granddaughter of Walter de Lacy, married

Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...

, King of Scotland.

Lords of Pontefract, Bowland and Clitheroe

$Pontefract Castle$ Brothers Ilbert and Walter de Lacy jointly held the Norman lands of the

Bishop of Bayeux The Diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux (Latin: ''Dioecesis Baiocensis et Lexoviensis''; French: ''Diocèse de Bayeux et Lisieux'') is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in France. It is coextensive with the Department of Calvados and is a ...

.Lewis
Lacy, Walter de (d. 1085)
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' They participated in the Norman conquest of England. While there is evidence that Ilbert fought at William's side at Hastings, there is no record of Walter fighting at Hastings. Ilbert was a major participant in the

Harrying of the North The Harrying of the North was a series of military campaigns waged by William the Conqueror in the winter of 1069–1070 to subjugate Northern England, where the presence of the last House of Wessex, Wessex claimant, Edgar Ætheling, had encour ...

(1069–70) which effectively ended the quasi-independence of the region through large-scale destruction that resulted in the relative "pacification" of the local population and the replacement of local

Anglo Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to, or descent from England, English culture, the English people or the English language, such as in the term ''Anglosphere''. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of British d ...

- Danish lords with

Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; ; ) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and locals of West Francia. The Norse settlements in West Franc ...

. In return, he received vast grants of land in West Yorkshire, where he built

Pontefract Castle Pontefract (or Pomfret) Castle is a castle ruin in the town of Pontefract, in West Yorkshire, England. King Richard II of England, Richard II is thought to have died there. It was the site of a series of famous sieges during the 17th-cent ...

. The

Honour Honour (Commonwealth English) or honor (American English; American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, see spelling differences) is a quality of a person that is of both social teaching and personal ethos, that manifests itself ...

of Pontefract, which included the manor of

Stanbury Stanbury is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Haworth and Stanbury, in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. In 1931 the parish had a population of 453. The name Stanbury translates ...

, was maintained by Ilbert's direct male descendants for the next three generations until 1192. It continued in the female line until 1348. Some of the English holdings lost by

Roger the Poitevin Roger the Poitevin or Roger de Poitou (mid-1060s – before 1140) was an Anglo-Norman aristocrat possessing large holdings both in England and through his marriage in France during the early 12th century. He was the third son of Roger of Montg ...

due to his rebellion were awarded to Robert de Lacy, the son of Ilbert de Lacy. In 1102, King

Henry I of England Henry I ( – 1 December 1135), also known as Henry Beauclerc, was King of England from 1100 to his death in 1135. He was the fourth son of William the Conqueror and was educated in Latin and the liberal arts. On William's death in 1087, Henr ...

granted the fee of the ancient

wapentake A hundred is an administrative division that is geographically part of a larger region. It was formerly used in England, Wales, some parts of the United States, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and in Cumberland County in the British Colony of ...

of Blackburnshire and further holdings in Hornby, and the

vill Vill is a term used in English, Welsh and Irish history to describe a basic rural land unit, roughly comparable to that of a parish, manor, village or tithing. Medieval developments The vill was the smallest territorial and administrative unit� ...

s of Chipping, Aighton and Dutton in

Amounderness The Amounderness Hundred ( ) is one of the six subdivisions of the historic county of Lancashire in North West England, but the name is older than the system of hundreds first recorded in the 13th century and might best be described as the na ...

to de Lacy while confirming his possession of the

. These lands formed the basis of what became known as the Honour of Clitheroe. John de Lacy (d.1240), a descendant via a female line whose father, Roger Fitz John, Constable of Chester, adopted the surname "de Lacy", gained more titles, including that of the Earldom of Lincoln in 1221.

Notable family members

] Hugh de Lacy (c.1020-1085), Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Lassy (Normandy) ( 1020 – 27 March 1085, Hereford) * Ilbert de Lacy (1045, Lassy – 1093, Pontefract), 1st Baron of Pontefract, son of Hugh de Lacy,Keats-Rohan ''Domesday People'' p. 452 who received a large

fief A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...

and

Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated ''Notts.'') is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. The county is bordered by South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. Th ...

and built

. ** Robert de Lacy (probably died before 1130), 2nd Baron of Pontefract, 2nd Lord of Bowland, the son of Ilbert. He founded Pontefract Priory about 1090 and built

Clitheroe Castle Clitheroe Castle is a ruined early medieval castle in Clitheroe in the Ribble Valley, Borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England. It was the ''Caput baroniae, caput'' of the Honour of Clitheroe, a vast estate stretching along the western side ...

. ***

Ilbert de Lacy de Lacy (Laci, Lacie, Lascy, Lacey, Lassey) is the surname of an old Norman family which originated from Lassy, Calvados. The family took part in the Norman Conquest of England and the later Norman invasion of Ireland. The name is first reco ...

(died c.1141), 3rd Baron of Pontefract, 3rd Lord of Bowland, the eldest son of Robert de Lacy. He was captured with King Stephen during the

Battle of Lincoln (1141) The Battle of Lincoln, or the First Battle of Lincoln, occurred on 2 February 1141 in Lincoln, England between King Stephen of England and forces loyal to Empress Matilda. Stephen was captured during the battle, imprisoned, and effectively de ...

, possibly dying in captivity. *** Henry de Lacy (died 1177), 4th Baron of Pontefract, 4th Lord of Bowland, the second son of Robert de Lacy. He built

Kirkstall Abbey Kirkstall Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery in Kirkstall, north-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England. It is set in a public park on the north bank of the River Aire. It was founded . It was disestablished during the Dissol ...

. **** Robert de Lacy (died 1193), 5th Baron of Pontefract, 5th Lord of Bowland, son of Henry. Although he married he had no children. Buried at Kirkstall. *** Albreda de Lacy, daughter of Robert de Lacy the 2nd Baron, who married Robert de Lissours. **** Albreda de Lissours, the daughter of Albreda de Lacy, married Richard fitz Eustace (d. c. 1163), of Halton Castle,

Constable of Chester The Constable of Chester was a mediaeval hereditary office held by the Barons of Halton. The functions of the Constable are unclear, possibly they related to the custody of Chester Castle (built in 1070 by Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester) ...

and feudal baron of Halton. ***** John FitzRichard (died 1190), 6th Baron of Halton, the son of Richard fitz Eustace. He served with King

Richard I of England Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199), known as Richard the Lionheart or Richard Cœur de Lion () because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior, was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ru ...

in the

Third Crusade The Third Crusade (1189–1192) was an attempt led by King Philip II of France, King Richard I of England and Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to reconquer the Holy Land following the capture of Jerusalem by the Ayyubid sultan Saladin in 1187. F ...

and died at the siege of Tyre. He founded

Stanlow Abbey The Abbey of St. Mary at Stanlaw (or Stanlow as it has been posthumously known since a Victorian cartographical error), was a Cistercian foundation situated on Stanlaw - now Stanlow Point, on the banks of the River Mersey in the Wirral Peninsula, ...

on the banks of the

River Mersey The River Mersey () is a major river in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it h ...

in 1178. ****** Roger de Lacy (1170–1211), 6th Baron of Pontefract, 7th Baron of Halton, 7th Lord of Bowland, was the son of John FitzRichard and the grandson of Albreda de Lissours. He adopted surname de Lacy. In addition to inheriting his grandmother's vast holdings, Robert also inherited his father's hereditary title of Constable of Chester and the

Barony of Halton The Barony of Halton, in Cheshire, England, comprised a succession of 15 barons and hereditary Constables of Chester under the overlordship of the Earl of Chester. It was not an English feudal barony granted by the king but a separate class of ...

with Halton Castle and the lordship of Donington in Leicestershire. In 1205 he purchased the barony of

Penwortham Penwortham () is a town and civil parish in South Ribble, Lancashire, England, on the south bank of the River Ribble facing the city of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. The town is at the most westerly crossing point of the river, with major road ...

It seems that one of his daughters married

Alan, Lord of Galloway Alan of Galloway (before 1199 – 1234) was a leading thirteenth-century Scottish magnate. As the hereditary Lord of Galloway and Constable of Scotland, he was one of the most influential men in the Kingdom of Scotland and Irish Sea zone. Ala ...

(died 1234), who later married Rose, the daughter of

Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster (c. 1176after December 26, 1242) was an Anglo-Norman soldier and peer. He was a leading figure in the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, and was created Earl of Ulster in 1205 by King John of ...

. *******

John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln ( – 22 July 1240) was hereditary Constable of Chester, 7th Baron of Pontefract, 8th Barony of Halton, Baron of Halton and 8th Lord of Bowland. Origins He was the eldest son and heir of Roger de Lacy (1170–1 ...

(c. 1192 – 22 July 1240), 2nd

Earl of Lincoln Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the peerage of England, most recently in 1572. The Hereditary peerage, earldom was held as a subsidiary title by the Duke of Newcastle, Dukes of Newcastle-under-Lyne, from 1768 to 1 ...

(

jure uxoris ''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or title '' suo jure'' ("in her own right"). Similarly, the husband of an heiress could beco ...

, from 1232), 7th Baron of Pontefract, 8th Baron of Halton, 8th Lord of Bowland, son of Roger. He and his cousin Robert de Vere,

Earl of Oxford Earl of Oxford is a dormant title in the Peerage of England, first created for Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford, Aubrey de Vere by the Empress Matilda in 1141. De Vere family, His family was to hold the title for more than five and a half cen ...

, chosen surety to enforce the king's adherence to ''

Magna Carta (Medieval Latin for "Great Charter"), sometimes spelled Magna Charta, is a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. First drafted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardin ...

''. John de Lacy was buried in Stanlow Abbey. ******** Maud de Lacy (1222–1262), eldest child of the 2nd earl. Married Richard de Clare in 1238, becoming the Countess of Hertford and of Gloucester. ******** Edmund de Lacy (c. 1230–1258), 8th Baron of Pontefract, 9th Lord of Bowland, son of John. He inherited his father's titles but as he predeceased his mother (

Margaret de Quincy Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Old Iranian. It has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular throughout the Middle Ages. It became le ...

) he never became the Earl of Lincoln. *********

Henry de Lacy Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln (c. 1251February 1311), Baron of Pontefract, Lord of Bowland, Baron of Halton and hereditary Constable of Chester, was an English nobleman and confidant of King Edward I. He served Edward in Wales, France, and ...

(c. 1251–1311) 3rd Earl of Lincoln, 9th Baron of Pontefract, 10th Lord of Bowland, son of Edmund and grandson of the 2nd Earl. In 1282 he was granted the

Lordship of Denbigh The Lordship of Denbigh, also known as Denbighland, was a marcher lordship in North Wales created by Edward I of England, Edward I in 1284 and granted to the Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln, Earl of Lincoln. It was centred on the borough of D ...

and built

Denbigh Castle Denbigh Castle and town walls ( ; ) were built to control the lordship of Denbigh after the Conquest of Wales by Edward I of England in 1282. The lands were granted to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who began to build a new walled town, col ...

. He oversaw the transfer of the monastery from Stanlow to Whalley near Clitheroe in 1296. ********** Alice de Lacy, 4th Countess of Lincoln, 5th Countess of Salisbury (daughter of the 3rd Earl). Also inherited the Earldom of Salisbury through her mother Margaret Longespée. In 1294 Alice was married to

Thomas of Lancaster Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster ( 1278 – 22 March 1322) was an English nobleman of the first House of Lancaster of the royal House of Plantagenet, Plantagenet Dynasty. He was Earl of Lancaster, Earl of Leicester, Leicester, and Earl of Derby, D ...

, the nephew of King

Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 1254 ...

. After her husband's arrest for treason in 1322 most of Alice's estates were seized by the then-king,

Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also known as Edward of Caernarfon or Caernarvon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir to the throne follo ...

Lords of Weobley and Ludlow

Walter de Lacy, the son of Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Lassy, was granted the lordship of Weobley in

after the Conquest. He is already attested in the

Welsh Marches The Welsh Marches () is an imprecisely defined area along the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods. The English term Welsh March (in Medieval Latin ''Marchia W ...

by 1069. By the time of Walter's death, he held blocks of land in Herefordshire (including Holme Lacy) along the border with Wales with another group of lands centered on

Ludlow Ludlow ( ) is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire (district), Shropshire, England. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road (Great Britain), A49 road which bypasses the town. The town is near the conf ...

. These groupings allowed Walter to help defend the

England–Wales border The England–Wales border, sometimes referred to as the Wales–England border or the Anglo-Welsh border, runs for from the Dee estuary, in the north, to the Severn estuary in the south, separating England and Wales. It has followed broadly ...

against Welsh raids. He also had smaller holdings in

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...

and

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

. Walter was second in the region only to

William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford, Lord of Breteuil ( 1011 – 22 February 1071), was a relative and close counsellor of William the Conqueror and one of the great magnates of early Norman England. FitzOsbern was created Earl of Herefo ...

and his son,

Roger de Breteuil Roger de Breteuil, 2nd Earl of Hereford (c. 1056 – after 1087), succeeded in 1071 to the Earl of Hereford, earldom of Hereford and the English estate of his father, William Fitzosbern, 1st Earl of Hereford, William Fitz-Osbern. He is known t ...

although he was not subordinate to them. After the latter's rebellion against the king in 1075 (which Walter de Lacy helped to ensure failed) Walter became the leading baron in the region.

Notable family members

* Walter de Lacy (died 1085), son of Hugh de Lacy, who received lands in Herefordshire and Shropshire ** Roger de Lacy (died after 1106), eldest son of Walter, who built

Ludlow Castle Ludlow Castle is a ruined medieval fortification in the Ludlow, town of the same name in the English county of Shropshire, standing on a promontory overlooking the River Teme. The castle was probably founded by Walter de Lacy (died 1085), Wal ...

. Following his banishment from England, his English estates were confiscated. *** Gilbert de Lacy (died after 1163), son of Roger, who inherited his father's estates in Normandy only. He succeeded in recovering his father's lands about Longtown, Weobley and Ludlow. He became a

Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a military order of the Catholic faith, and one of the most important military orders in Western Christianity. They were founded in 11 ...

in the 1150s and granted the Templars Guiting in

. **** Robert de Lacy, eldest son of Gilbert, who predeceased his father **** Hugh de Lacy, younger son of Gilbert, who inherited his father's estates. He was later awarded the

Lordship of Meath The Lordship of Meath was an extensive seigneurial liberty in medieval Ireland that was awarded to Hugh de Lacy by King Henry II of England by the service of fifty knights and with almost royal authority. The Lordship was roughly co-extensive wit ...

in Ireland. ** Hugh de Lacy (died before 1115), younger son of Walter, who received the English lands upon his brother's banishment. The de Lacy lands then passed to Pain fitzJohn (a relation by marriage) and others. ** Walter de Lacy, Abbot of Gloucester Abbey, son of Walter

Lordship of Meath

]

In addition to his substantial land holdings in

and

, Kingdom of England, England as 4th Baron de Lacy, Hugh de Lacy was also a substantial land holder in Ireland. Following his participation in the

, he was granted the lands of a

Gaelic Gaelic (pronounced for Irish Gaelic and for Scots Gaelic) is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". It may refer to: Languages * Gaelic languages or Goidelic languages, a linguistic group that is one of the two branches of the Insul ...

medieval kingdom by the Anglo-Norman King

Henry II of England Henry II () was King of England The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with the ...

in 1172 by the service of fifty knights. The

was an extensive seigniorial

liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...

medieval Ireland Ireland in the Middle Ages may refer to: * History of Ireland (400–795), Ireland in the early Middle Ages * History of Ireland (795–1169), Ireland in the high Middle Ages *History of Ireland (1169–1536), Ireland in the late Middle Ages See ...

with almost royal authority. The Lordship was roughly co-extensive with the

Kingdom of Meath Meath ( ; ; ) was a kingdom in Ireland from the 1st to the 12th century AD. Its name means "middle," denoting its location in the middle of the island. At its greatest extent, it included all of County Meath (which takes its name from the k ...

. At its greatest extent, it included all of the modern

counties A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

Fingal Fingal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is one of three successor counties to County Dublin, which ...

Meath County Meath ( ; or simply , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, County ...

(which takes its name from the kingdom),

Westmeath County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of ...

as well as parts of counties

Cavan Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road (Ireland), N3 road that links Dublin ( ...

Kildare Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 10,302, making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. It is home to Kildare Cathedral, historically the site of an important abbey said to have been founded by Saint ...

Longford Longford () is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It had a population of 10,952 at the 2022 census. It is the biggest town in the county and about one third of the county's population lives there. Longford lies at the meeting of ...

Louth Louth may refer to: Australia *Hundred of Louth, a cadastral unit in South Australia * Louth, New South Wales, a town * Louth Bay, a bay in South Australia ** Louth Bay, South Australia, a town and locality Canada * Louth, Ontario Ireland * Cou ...

and

Offaly County Offaly (; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was formerly known as King's County, in honour of Philip II of Spain ...

. The Lordship's ''

caput A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may not ...

'' was

Trim Castle Trim Castle () is a castle on the south bank of the River Boyne in Trim, County Meath, Ireland, with an area of 30,000 m2. Over a period of 30 years, it was built by Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, Hugh de Lacy and his son Walter de Lacy, ...

. With an area of 30,000 m², it is the largest

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

in Ireland. The design of the central three-storey

keep A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residen ...

(also known as a donjon or great tower) is unique for a Norman keep being of

cruciform A cruciform is a physical manifestation resembling a common cross or Christian cross. These include architectural shapes, biology, art, and design. Cruciform architectural plan Christian churches are commonly described as having a cruciform ...

shape, with twenty corners. These lords were reliant on their own aggression for laying claim to their lands and for securing them. Castles, by virtue of their defensive and offensive capabilities as well as their symbolic status, were indispensable for dominating the area of the lordship. Known as a great builder of castles, by c. 1200, de Lacy had settlements all over the lordship, either in his own hands or the hands of his barons. With his son

Walter Walter may refer to: People and fictional characters * Walter (name), including a list of people and fictional and mythical characters with the given name or surname * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–19 ...

(1180–1240) he built

and Kilkea Castle. Some time after 1196, Walter granted "the whole land of Rathtowth" to his younger brother,

Hugh Hugh is the English-language variant of the masculine given name , itself the Old French variant of '' Hugo (name)">Hugo'', a short form of Continental Germanic Germanic name">given names beginning in the element "mind, spirit" (Old English ). ...

. This sub-division, named the Barony of Ratoath, was perhaps the first instance of the use of the term

barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...

in Ireland for a division of a county. By letters patent from

John, King of England John (24 December 1166 – 19 October 1216) was King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. He lost the Duchy of Normandy and most of his other French lands to King Philip II of France, resulting in the collapse of the Angevin Empi ...

, the

prescriptive barony In Scotland, "baron" or "baroness" is a rank of the ancient nobility of the Baronage of Scotland, a hereditary Imperial, royal and noble ranks, title of honour, and refers to the holder of a barony, erected into a free barony by Crown Charter, ...

was granted to Walter de Lacy and his heirs in perpetuity in 1208.

Notable family members

Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, 4th Baron Lacy (; before 1135 – 25 July 1186), was an Anglo-Normans, Anglo-Norman landowner and royal office-holder. He had substantial land holdings in Herefordshire and Shropshire. Following his participation in ...

(before 1135 – 25 July 1186) was the great-grandson of Walter de Lacy of the Norman Conquest. *

(before 1170 to 24 February 1240/41), 2nd Lord of Meath, 5th Baron de Lacy of Longtown, Weobley and Ludlow, eldest son of Hugh, married Margaret de Braose. **

Egidia de Lacy, Lady of Connacht Egidia de Lacy, Lady of Connacht (c. 1180 – 24 February 1240), was a Cambro-Norman noblewoman, the wife of Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Baron of Connaught and Strathearn (c.1180–1242), and the mother of his seven children, including Si ...

, daughter of 2nd Lord, married

Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Baron of Connaught Richard Mór de Burgh, 1st Lord of Connacht ( ; – 1242 or 1243), was an Anglo-Norman aristocrat who was Seneschal of Munster and Justiciar of Ireland (1228–32). Background Richard Mór de Burgh was born towards the end of the year in 11 ...

and Strathearn. Her descendants include the Earls of Ulster (of the second creation) and Lady

, the wife of

. **Gilbert de Lacy, son of Walter, married Isabel Bigod, daughter of Sir

Hugh Bigod, 3rd Earl of Norfolk Hugh Bigod ( – 18 February 1225) was a member of the powerful early Norman Bigod family and was for a short time the 3rd Earl of Norfolk. Origins He was born c. 1182, the eldest son of Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk by his wife Ida d ...

. He predeceased his father before 25 December 1230. ***Walter de Lacy son of Gilbert, married Rohese le Botiller but had no issue. ***Margery (Margaret) de Lacy, daughter of Gilbert, married Sir John de Verdun, the son of

Theobald le Botiller, 2nd Chief Butler of Ireland Theobald le Botiller, also known as Theobald Butler, 2nd Baron Butler (January 1200 – 19 July 1230) was the son of Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler and Maud le Vavasour. He had livery of his lands on 18 July 1222. Marriage and children ...

and Rohese de Verdun. As co-heir with her sister to her grandfather's estates, she received

as her inheritance. *** Maud de Lacy, daughter of Gilbert, married Lord Geoffrey de Geneville,

Justiciar of Ireland The chief governor was the senior official in the Dublin Castle administration, which maintained English and British rule in Ireland from the 1170s to 1922. The chief governor was the viceroy of the English monarch (and later the British monar ...

, the son of Simon de Joinville, Seneschal of Champagne, and Beatrix of Burgundy. As co-heir with her sister to her grandfather's estates, she received the eastern part of the lordship as her inheritance. **** Geoffrey de Geneville (died 1283), son of Maud. **** Joan de Geneville, daughter of Maud, who married Gerald FitzMaurice FitzGerald (died 1287). **** Sir Piers de Geneville (1256 – shortly before June 1292), son of Maud, married in 1283 Jeanne of Lusignan. ***** Joan de Geneville, 2nd Baroness Geneville, daughter of Sir Piers de Geneville, who married

Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March Roger Mortimer, 3rd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, 1st Earl of March (25 April 1287 – 29 November 1330), was an English nobleman and powerful marcher lord who gained many estates in the Welsh Marches and Ireland following his advantageous marr ...

. Mortimer, by his vigorous action in Ireland, succeeded in re-uniting the two halves of the Lordship of Meath. *

(before 1179 – after 26 December 1242), younger son of Hugh de Lacy, was created

Earl of Ulster The title of Earl of Ulster has been created six times in the Peerage of Ireland and twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since 1928, the title has been held by the Duke of Gloucester and is used as a courtesy title by the Duke's el ...

in 1205. **Rose de Lacy (died after 1237), married

(died 1234).

Other possible notable members of the family

Several later families claim descent from the Hiberno-Norman Lacys. The Lacy baronets of Ampton Hall, granted their title in the 20th century, derive from a Wexford Lacy family that claim descent from the Anglo-Norman de Lacy family. It is claimed that a Limerick Lacy family that gave rise to several

continental Continental may refer to: Places * Continental, Arizona, a small community in Pima County, Arizona, US * Continental, Ohio, a small town in Putnam County, US Arts and entertainment * ''Continental'' (album), an album by Saint Etienne * Continen ...

generals A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED Online. Ma ...

were descendants of

, but this claim has been challenged by Synnott,Nicholas J. Synnott. "Notes on the Family of De Lacy in Ireland" ''The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland'', 1919, vol. 9, pp. 113-131 who suggested that the Limerick families may have originated as Lees, a name of frequent occurrence in Limerick records from the 12th to the 15th centuries. Members of this family include: * Count Peter Lacy (Peter Graf von Lacy, Pierce Edmond de Lacy, 1678–1751) *

Franz Moritz von Lacy Franz Moritz Graf von Lacy (; ; , tr. ; 21 October 1725 – 24 November 1801) was an Austrian military leader of Baltic German and Irish origins. He was the son of Count Peter von Lacy, and was a famous Austrian field marshal. Lacy serve ...

(1725–1801), son of Peter * Luis de Lacy (1775–1817)

Other people with the surname

* Charles de Lacy (1856–1929), British marine painter * Evelyn de Lacy (1917–2004), Australian freestyle swimmer * Hector de Lacy (1900–1956), Australian rules football writer *

Hugh De Lacy (politician) Emerson Hugh De Lacy (May 9, 1910 – August 19, 1986) was an American politician and socialist. He served on the Seattle City Council from 1937 to 1940 and as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1945 to 1947. He repre ...

(1910–1986), American politician and socialist * Keith De Lacy (1940–2021), Australian politician and businessman * Patrick DeLacy (1835–1915), American Civil War soldier awarded the Medal of Honor * Philippe De Lacy (1917–1995), French-born American child actor, later a film producer, director, and cinematographer *

Robert De Lacey Robert De Lacey (1892–1976) was an American film director of the silent era.Munden p.747 Working at the Film Booking Offices of America, FBO studios, he specialized in making western film, westerns. Selected filmography Editor * ''Held In Trust ...

(1892–1976), American film director * Thomas de Lacy (1773–1844), Irish Anglican priest and Archdeacon of Meath

References

Notes Bibliography * * * * Remfry, P.M., ''Longtown Castle, 1048 to 1241'' () * Remfry, P.M., ''The Castles of Ewias Lacy, 1048 to 1403'' () Barons of Halton -additional reading * Starkey, H. F. ''Old Runcorn'', Halton Borough Council, 1990. * Whimperley, Arthur. ''Halton Castle: An Introduction & Visitors' Handbook'', 1981. * Whimperley, Arthur. ''The Barons of Halton'', MailBook Publishing, Widnes, 1986.

External links

McTiernan
– The History of the Barons of Drumahaire
Heritage Ireland
– Trim Castle

– the Manor of Stanbury
Ewyas Lacy Study Group
– de Lacy family history {{surname Lacy, de Lacy, de

Lords of Pontefract, Bowland and Clitheroe

Notable family members

Lords of Weobley and Ludlow

Notable family members

Lordship of Meath

Notable family members

Other possible notable members of the family

Other people with the surname

See also

References

Further reading

External links