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Laughlin History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Laughlin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

Before Irish names were translated into English, Laughlin had a Gaelic form of Ó Lochlainn, which is derived from a Norse personal name.

Early Origins of the Laughlin family

The surname Laughlin was first found in County Clare (Irish: An Clár) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

Early History of the Laughlin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Laughlin research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1281, 1300, 1789, 1819, 1828, 1842 and 1905 are included under the topic Early Laughlin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Laughlin Spelling Variations

The scribes who created documents long before either the Gaelic or English language resembled their standardized versions of today recorded words as they sounded. Consequently, in the Middle Ages the names of many people were recorded under different spellings each time they were written down. Research on the Laughlin family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including Loughlin, O'Loughlin, Loughnane and others.

Early Notables of the Laughlin family

More information is included under the topic Early Laughlin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Laughlin Ranking

In the United States, the name Laughlin is the 2,325^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1

Laughlin migration to the United States +

Many Irish families boarded ships bound for North America in the middle of 19th century to escape the conditions of poverty and racial discrimination . Although these immigrants often arrived in a destitute state, they went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. An inquiry into many immigration and passenger lists has revealed many early immigrants to North America bearing the Laughlin family name:

Laughlin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Laughlin, who settled in Virginia in 1654
William Laughlin, who arrived in Maryland in 1679 2

Laughlin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Adam Laughlin, who settled in New England in 1805
Adam Laughlin, who arrived in America in 1805 2
Ann Laughlin, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 2
Benj Laughlin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 2
Biddy Laughlin, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1811 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Laughlin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Laughlin Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Alexander V. Laughlin U.E., "Laughlen" who settled in Canada c. 1784 3

Laughlin Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mary Laughlin, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1832
Henry Laughlin, aged 25, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
Elizabeth Laughlin, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
Jane Laughlin, aged 17, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Prudence" in 1838
Peter Laughlin, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1843
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Laughlin migration to Australia +

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

Laughlin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Andrew Laughlin, aged 43, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Fortune" 4
Sarah Laughlin, aged 20, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Royal Albert"
Winifred Laughlin, aged 16, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "David McIvor"

Laughlin 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:

Laughlin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John Laughlin, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoenix" in 1860
Patrick Laughlin, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blairgowrie" in 1875
John Laughlin, aged 20, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arawa" in 1884

Contemporary Notables of the name Laughlin (post 1700) +

Donald Joseph Laughlin (1931-2023), American gambling entrepreneur, hotelier, and rancher for whom the town of Laughlin, Nevada, is named
Michael Stoddard Laughlin (1938-2021), American film director, producer and screenwriter
Tom Laughlin (b. 1931), American actor, director, screenwriter, author, theologian, educator and political activist
James H. Laughlin (1806-1882), Irish-born, American pioneer of the iron and steel industry in Pittsburgh, co-founder of The Jones and Laughlin Steel Company in 1852
James Laurence Laughlin (1850-1933), American economist who helped to found the Federal Reserve System
James Laughlin (1914-1997), American poet and literary book publisher
Donald J. Laughlin (b. 1931), American gambling entrepreneur, hotelier and rancher
William Robert "Billy" Laughlin (1932-1948), American child actor best known for playing the character Froggy in the Our Gang short films
Robert Betts Laughlin (b. 1950), American professor of Physics and co-winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for Physics
William S. Laughlin (1919-2001), American anthropologist
... (Another 38 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Laughlin family +

HMS Hood

Mr. John C A Laughlin (b. 1924), Scottish Boy 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Patrick, Glasgow, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 5

Victoria steamboat disaster

Eddie Laughlin, (Langhlin), Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881

The Laughlin Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Anchora salutis
Motto Translation: The anchor of salvation.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
South Australian Register Thursday 8th June 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Fortune 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/fortune1854.shtml
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm