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Lawrence Family History

Lawrence Surname Meaning

English: from the Middle English and Old French personal name Lorens Laurence from Latin Laurentius ‘man from Laurentum’ a place in Italy probably named from its laurels or bay trees. The name was borne by a Christian saint who was martyred at Rome in the 3rd century AD; he enjoyed a considerable cult throughout Europe with consequent popularity of the personal name (French Laurent Italian Spanish Lorenzo Catalan Llorenç Portuguese Lourenço German Laurenz Polish Wawrzyniec etc.). In Britain this is a common name from the 12th century with pet forms such as Law Low Lawrie Laurie Larry Larkin all of which are represented in surnames. There was also a feminine form Laurencia which may have given rise to the English surname. The surname is also borne by Jews among whom it is presumably an Americanized form of one or more similar (like-sounding) Ashkenazic surnames. In North America the English form of the surname has absorbed many cognates from other languages e.g. German Lorenz and also their patronymics and other derivatives e.g. Slovenian Lavrenčič and Lovrenčič (patronymics from Lavrencij and Lovrenc equivalents of Lawrence) Polish Wawrzyniak . Compare Larrance Laurence Lawerence Lieurance and Lowrance .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Laurence, Clarence, Lance, Patience, Florence, Lorenc, Lafrance

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Where is the Lawrence family from?

You can see how Lawrence families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lawrence family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lawrence families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 539 Lawrence families living in New York. This was about 27% of all the recorded Lawrence's in USA. New York had the highest population of Lawrence families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lawrence surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Lawrence ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Lawrence. 16% of Lawrence men worked as a Laborer and 7% of Lawrence women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lawrence were Truck Driver and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Lawrence | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    16%
  • Farmer
    13%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    7%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Lawrence family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Lawrence. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lawrence census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 108,000 immigration records available for the last name Lawrence. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 168,000 military records available for the last name Lawrence. For the veterans among your Lawrence ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Lawrence lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Lawrence life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Lawrence in 1941 was 49, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lawrence

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