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Origins of the Lawrence surname

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What does the name Lawrence mean?

The Lawrence surname originated in England. It is believed to have two main sources from which it derives. Most commonly it is thought to be a patronymic name, relating to someone who is the son or descendant of somebody named Lawrence. Less often, it can be geographic. In these cases it derives from somebody who hails from one of the many places named 'St Lawrence' across England.

Alternative variations of the name Lawrence

Lawrence, Laurence, Lawrences, Lowrance, Laurance

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Where do most Lawrences live?

In 1921, most Lawrences lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Lawrences

How common is your surname?

135th most common surname in the UK

We have 229,000 records for the Lawrence surname. The oldest one dates back to 1194.

Who were Lawrences most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Joneses

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Lawrences.

What are the most common Lawrence first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Lawrence family members

Common jobs for Lawrences

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Lawrences in 1921
Dressmaker

975

Laundress

781

General Servant Domestic

628

Domestic Servant

576

General Servant

451

Common Male occupations for Lawrences in 1921
Agricultural Labourer

1,198

General Labourer

925

Carpenter

700

Farm Labourer

644

Farmer

575

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We found over 260,000 family trees with the Lawrence surname

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