First found in Yorkshire where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Lawson or a variant listed above: Christopher Lawson arrived in Virginia in 1623; Lettice Lawson settled in Virginia in 1638; Thomas Lawson settled in Virginia in 1623; Charles, Christopher, David, George, Henry, James, John, Joseph, Sam UEL, Thomas and William Lawson, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..

Motto Translated: Arise and re-illumine.

For more information on the last name Lawson, the PDF Surname History is available for purchase as well as other products.