Lambert Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Lambert Family History

Lambert Family History

The ancient origin of the name Lambert was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Meaning 'land famous', Lambert is a locational name brought by the Normans from France. Variants include Lamberte and Lambart. The name gained popularity in the Middle Ages with the immigration of weavers from Flanders, where Saint Lambert, Bishop of Maastricht in the year 700, was a popular figure. This name is of Anglo-Norman descent spreading to Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in the above countries. Examples of such are a Johannes Lamberd, who was recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire in the year 1379. In Scotland Lambert Dapifer witnessed Earl Gospatrick's grant of Ederham and Nesebite to the monks of Saint Cuthbert, in the year 1153, and he was the individual who had controversy with the Abbot of Kelso in 1177, concerning the 'terra de Berewyc que fuit Dodini'. In Ireland this family were Earls of Cavan, and were established there by Oliver Lambart, in the year 1618, who accompanied the Earl of Essex, and became governor of Connaught. Lamport is a variant of the name found in County Wexford. The Lambert family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Lambert descendants.