Lawrence comes from the medieval personal name Lorens or Laurence, from Latin Laurentius, “man from Laurentum,” a place in Italy probably named for its laurel or bay trees. It is first and foremost an English surname, derived from a personal name common in Britain since the twelfth century, with a smaller Scottish presence that is best understood alongside its Scottish pet forms.
Laurentius and the martyr of Rome
The name owes its spread to St. Lawrence, martyred in Rome in the third century. Devotion to the saint made Lawrence a popular Christian name across medieval Europe, and in England and Scotland a son or household identified by a father named Lawrence could carry the name forward as a surname. Middle English and Old French gave it the forms Lorens and Laurence, and Lawrence and Laurence still alternate in records today.
The same saint’s name lives on in other languages as Laurent, Lorenzo, Laurenz and Lorenz. In North America the Dictionary of American Family Names notes that some of these, such as German Lorenz, were absorbed into Lawrence, and it also suggests that some Jewish bearers adopted it as an Americanized surname.
An English surname first
The Dictionary of American Family Names heads its Lawrence entry “English.” FamilySearch’s Family Tree lists about 104,644 people named Lawrence associated with the United States, 62,339 with England and 6,148 with Canada. For an American Lawrence family, an immigrant ancestor’s birthplace provides a firmer starting point than the surname’s spelling alone.
Law, Lawrie and Laurie: the Scottish offshoots
In Scotland the name also lives on in shortened, affectionate forms. The dictionary lists Law, Low, Lawrie, Laurie and Larkin as pet forms of Lawrence that became surnames in their own right, and Law, Lawrie and Laurie are the Scottish pet forms. A Scottish family whose ancestor was named Lawrence may therefore appear in the records under one of these names rather than as Lawrence.
The Clan MacLaren Society of North America lists Lawrence and Laurence among its associated names, describing Lawrence as “particularly” connected to MacLaren through the Gaelic Labhran. The society’s invitation is specific: “If you are a Law, Lawson, Lawrence, or Laurence, and are of Scots descent, you are eligible to join.” The link applies to Lawrences of Scots descent, not to the English majority.
John Laird Mair Lawrence, viceroy of India
The most prominent bearer in British imperial history was born in Yorkshire. John Laird Mair Lawrence was born at Richmond on March 4, 1811, the son of Major Alexander Lawrence and Catherine Knox. He became chief commissioner of the Punjab in 1853 and served as Viceroy and Governor-General of India from 1864 to 1869.
In 1869 he was created Baron Lawrence of the Punjab and of Grately. He died in London on June 27, 1879, and his grave in Westminster Abbey records his dates.
Charles Lawrence and the Acadian expulsion
An English-born soldier made the name part of Canadian history. Charles Lawrence, born in England around 1709, established Fort Lawrence in 1750 and helped organize the expedition that captured Fort Beauséjour under Robert Monckton in 1755. As governor of Nova Scotia, a post he held from 1756, he stands at the center of the 1755 expulsion of the Acadians, and his governorship remains contested. He died in Halifax on October 19, 1760.
Lawrence and Laurence in family records
Search Lawrence and Laurence together, and for Scottish families add Law, Lawrie and Laurie. Scottish Old Parish Registers cover the years before 1855 and statutory registers begin in 1855, but many Lawrence lines will lead to English parish registers instead. Establishing whether a family was of Scots descent also matters if you are interested in the MacLaren society.
Our woven blanket, accent mug and ceramic ornament are each made with the Lawrence name.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lawrence a Scottish surname?
It is mainly English. In Scotland the name also appears as the pet forms Law, Lawrie and Laurie.
What does Lawrence mean?
It means “man from Laurentum” and spread through devotion to St. Lawrence.
Are Lawrence and Laurence the same name?
Yes. They are two spellings of one name and often alternate in older records.
Is Lawrence connected to Clan MacLaren?
The Clan MacLaren Society of North America welcomes Lawrences of Scots descent.
Sources and further reading
- FamilySearch (Dictionary of American Family Names): Lawrence
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: John Laird Mair Lawrence
- Westminster Abbey: John Laird Mair Lawrence
- Dictionary of Canadian Biography: Lawrence, Charles
- Clan MacLaren Society of North America: The Law surnames
Explore our Lawrence Scottish Family Gifts & Heritage collection for family-name keepsakes.