LARGE
The surname Large is of English origin and has been present in the British Isles since at least the early thirteenth century. Its earliest known appearance is recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire for the years 1204 and 1205, where a person named Geoffrey (le) Large is mentioned during the reign of King John, known as “Lackland.” This early record establishes the name as a patronymic element in legal documentation.
The name derives from the Middle English word large, meaning “big” or “generous.” This word itself originates from the Old French large meaning “generous” or “free,” which in turn is derived from the Latin largus, signifying “abundant” or “broad.” The semantic range of the term allowed it to be applied both to physical size and to the character of a person, and consequently it was adopted as a nickname for those either physically imposing or noted for their generous nature.
In the English historical records of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, the surname appears in several variations. Examples include Robert le Large in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire of 1273 and Thomas le Large in the Subsidy Rolls of Somersetshire of 1328. Spelling variants such as Lardge are also recorded, reflecting the lack of standardised orthography in the period.
Church records in London provide further evidence of the name’s persistence. In 1441, an Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Large, was christened on the eleventh of April. In the later Tudor period, a Dorothy Large married Edward Mymes on the twenty‑fourth of September 1572 at Christchurch, Greyfriars, Newgate, London. The same Dorothy later married Richard Smith at Tottenham on the tenth of July 1581. These entries demonstrate the name’s continued use within parish registers over several centuries.
By the nineteenth century the surname had spread beyond England. In 1847, a Thomas Large, accompanied by his wife Elizabeth, sons William and Henry, and daughter Margaret, sailed from Liverpool on the vessel named the Ashburton, bound for New York. Their departure appears in the historical record of famine emigrants, illustrating the wider dispersal of bearers of the name during times of hardship.
Although primarily known as a nickname reflecting physical largeness or a generous spirit, the surname Large may also have served as a topographic identifier, denoting a person who lived near a substantial feature or a large house. This interpretation aligns with similar patterns in English surnames where a prominent local landmark or dwelling informs the adopted name.
The combination of linguistic roots from Middle English, Old French, and Latin, the variety of historical attestations, and the consistent application as a descriptive nickname all contribute to the surname’s distinct identity within the tapestry of English family names.
Typical given names associated with the Large surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Janet
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Large in...
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There are approximately 6,258 people named Large in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,516th most common surname in Britain. Around 96 in a million people in Britain are named Large.
Surname type: Nickname
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Large
- Lofty Large - Writer (1930 to 2006)
- Eddie Large - Comedian
- Brian Large - Film director
- Frank Large - Football player (1940 to 2003)
- Rob Large - Cricketer
- Andrew Large - Banker
- Bill Large - Golfer (1937 to 2006)
- William Large - Australian politician (1878 to 1964)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.