This famous and interesting name is English. It has three possible origins, although all overlap and have fused with time. The first is residential and pre 7th century Olde English. It derives from the word "lacu" meaning a stream, and hence would have described one who lived or worked by such a place, the second is also residential but from the Roman (Latin) word "lacus", which means a lake or still water. In these contexts it may also have descibe an inhabitant of villages such as Lake in the county of Wiltshire, or Laker Lodge in the county of Sussex. The third possibility is occupoational for one who "laiked", an early English word for doing work, and one that was still in popular use in Yorkshire in the 20th century. In this case it may have beeb applied to any useful work. The village of 'Lake' appears in the Feudal Rolls of the county of Wiltshire in the year 1316, whilst Laker's Lodge, is now a diminished hamlet near the village of Wisborough Green in the county of Sussex. Modern forms of the surname include Lake, Lack, Lakes, Laker and Lakeman. Early examples of thge surname recording include Johh Lakeman of Essex in the year 1320, William le Lakere of Hampshire in 1325, and Robert Laker of Sussex in the wills record of 1595. William Lake was an early emigrant to the colonies of New England, leaving the port of London on the ship 'Assurance' in July 1635, bound for Virginia. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard de la Lake. This was dated 1200, in the Shropshire Pipe Rolls, during the reign of King John, 1199 - 1216. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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