Where did lol come from?

Answer 1

Early Mass Communication abbreviations and acronyms came from Morse Code operators using telegraph lines in the 19th century. (Like SOS for requesting help.) More such abbreviations were created by HAM amateur radio operators using the public airwaves during the 20th Century. (Like CQ for seeking you.) Then in the 1960s the nascent internet introduced more, including LOL for laughing out loud. But before laughing out loud predominated its usage, it was "lots of love".

Answer 2

It never did, it's a slang word, people just started to catch on to using it.