This interesting surname is of early medieval English origin, and is an occupational name for the servant of Lor, itself a medieval male given name having two possible sources. Firstly, Lor may be a pet form of Lawrence, from the Latin "Laurentius", man from Laurentum, "the City of Laurels", so called because of its laurel trees. The idea of the laurel as a symbol of victory was probably the principal reason for the popularity of the name, and its pet forms and diminutives include: Lawrie, Laurie, Lorry, Lar(kin) and Lor(kin). Lor may also be a voiced form of "Lord", itself deriving from the Olde English pre 7th Century "hlaford", earlier "hlaf-weard", which, literally translated, means "loaf-keeper". The chief of a clan, or "lord", was responsible for providing food for his dependants, and the name Lord was probably acquired as a nickname for one who behaved in a lordly fashion, or held sway over extensive territory. The suffix "man", when conjoined with the master's personal name, meant "servant of". On July 31st 1656, Adrian Lorman, an infant, was christened at St. Luke's, Chelsea, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Loryman, which was dated 1540, in the "Register of the Freemen of the City of York", during the reign of King Henry V111, known as "Bluff King Hal", 1509 - 1547. 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.

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