Contents [hide]

Lawlor History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Lawlor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The origins of the distinguished surname Lawlor are somewhat obscure. The name is most likely related to the Middle Dutch word "lollaerd," meaning "babbler of nonsense"; alternatively, it is possible that the name is connected to the early Middle English word "lollere," meaning "mumbler," a name applied to a pious person. "Lawlor" was substituted in the 14th century for "Lollard" as a description of the followers of John Wyclif, an English Bible translator who was condemned as a heretic. 1

Early Origins of the Lawlor family

The surname Lawlor was first found in East England, where the name is thought to have originated. The first known bearer of the name was Elfred le Lollere, who was recorded in the Cartularium Monasterii de Rameseia of Huntingdonshire in 1133. 1

Early History of the Lawlor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lawlor research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1133, 1279, 1322, 1790, 1808, 1821 and 1827 are included under the topic Early Lawlor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lawlor Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lollar, Loller, Lawler, Lawlor, Lawlar, Lollard and many more.

Early Notables of the Lawlor family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lawlor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lawlor Ranking

In the United States, the name Lawlor is the 6,480^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Lawlor is ranked the 324^th most popular surname with an estimated 143 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Lawlor family to Ireland

Some of the Lawlor family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lawlor migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lawlor Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Lawrence Lawlor, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1835 4
William Lawlor, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1836 4
Anne Lawlor, aged 11, who landed in New York in 1854 4
Denis Lawlor, aged 13, who landed in New York in 1854 4

Lawlor migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lawlor Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Lawlor, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1814
Thomas Lawlor, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1822
Mary Ann Lawlor, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1835
Catherine Riley Lawlor, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1841
Michael Lawlor, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1842
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lawlor migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Lawlor Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Lawlor, (Lawler), (b. 1807), aged 21, Irish ploughman who was convicted in County Laois (Queens County), Ireland for 7 years for pick pocketing, transported aboard the "Borodino" on 11th February 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1877 5
Miss. Lessy Lawlor, (Hessy, Lowler, Essie, Daniel, Hester, Lalor), (b. 1829), aged 20, Irish house servant who was convicted in Kildare, Ireland for life for arson, transported aboard the "Australasia" on 26th June 1849, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), she died in 1906 6

Lawlor migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Lawlor Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Henry Charles Lawlor a lawyer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Brilliant" in 1841
Ann Caroline Lawlor, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Brilliant" in 1841
Annie Caroline Lawlor, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Brilliant" in 1841
Miss Mary Lawlor, (b. 1842), aged 23, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "Greyhound" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th May 1865 7
Miss Ellen Lawlor, (b. 1842), aged 25, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "Lancashire Witch" sailing to Auckland and Lyttelton, New Zealand on 29th July 1867 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Lawlor (post 1700) +

Michael P. Lawlor (b. 1956), American politician, criminal justice professor, and lawyer, Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives (1987-2011)
John Lawlor (b. 1941), American actor, best known for his role as Supervisor Leonard Marsh on the television series Phyllis from 1976-1977
Charles B. Lawlor (1852-1925), Irish-born, American vaudeville performer and composer of popular songs, perhaps best known for his 1894 song, The Sidewalks of New York
Michael H. Lawlor (1854-1918), American Major League Baseball catcher
Edward G. Lawlor (1907-1987), American minister and general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene
Gerri Lawlor, American actress and voice actor
Thomas Joseph "Tom" Lawlor (b. 1983), American mixed martial artist
Frank L. Lawlor, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the American Volunteer Group, during World War II, credited with 8½ aerial victories
Prof. Deborah Lawlor C.B.E., British Professor of Epidemiology for the University of Bristol was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 17th June 2017, for services to Social and Community Medicine
Mr. John James Lawlor O.B.E. (b. 1961), British Chief Executive for Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to the NHS 8
... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Lawlor family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. Brady Almon Lawlor (1894-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 9

SS Newfoundland

Mr. William Lawlor (1894-1914), Newfoundlander from Horse Cove, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he died during this time

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Borodino
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/australasia
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance