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Laidlaw History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Laidlaw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

A Boernician family in ancient Scotland were the ancestors of those who first used the name Laidlaw. They lived in Selkirk (now part of the region of Borders). "This place, which is of considerable antiquity, derives its name, in the Celtic tongue signifying 'the Church in the forest,' from the ancient state of the surrounding district, which was thickly covered with wood and appropriated as a royal chase." 1

They moved there from Laidlawstiel in Galashiels; however, it seems likely that Laidlawstiel was named after the family, not vice versa.

Early Origins of the Laidlaw family

The surname Laidlaw was first found in Selkirk, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

"There is a tradition that the Laidlaws had their origin in England, and the name has been traced over the Border down to the south of England under the variants Laidlaw, Laidley, Laidler, Ladly, and Ludlow. William of Lodelawe was charged in 1296 with concealing a horse from the English." 2

Early History of the Laidlaw family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Laidlaw research. Another 192 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1585, 1590, 1603, 1644, 1650, 1674, 1682, 1780, 1801, 1817 and 1845 are included under the topic Early Laidlaw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Laidlaw Spelling Variations

Spelling variations occur frequently in Scottish names that date from the medieval era. They result from a general lack of grammatical rules and the tendency to spell names according to sound. Laidlaw has been spelled Laidlaw, Laidlay, Laidler, Laidley, Ladlyle and others.

Early Notables of the Laidlaw family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

William Laidlaw (1780-1845), friend of Sir Walter Scott, was born 19 Nov...
In 1801 Hogg and Laidlaw helped Scott with materials for the ‘Border Minstrelsy...
’ After two unsuccessful attempts at farming, in Peeblesshire and Midlothian respectively, Laidlaw in 1817 became steward to Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford3...

Laidlaw migration to the United States +

In the 20th century, the ancestors of many of those Boernician-Scottish people still populate North America. They distributed themselves on either side of the border at the time of the War of Independence. United Empire Loyalists went north to Canada and those who wanted a new nation stayed south. Both groups went on to found great nations. Some of the first North American settlers with Laidlaw name or one of its variants:

Laidlaw Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

David Laidlaw, an "emigrant in bondage," who arrived in America in 1750

Laidlaw Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Laidlaw, who landed in America in 1820 4
John Laidlaw, who arrived in New York in 1820 4
Alexander Laidlaw, who settled in Philadelphia in 1849

Laidlaw migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Laidlaw Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Douglas Laidlaw, who arrived in Canda in 1790

Laidlaw migration to Australia +

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

Laidlaw Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Laidlaw, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Palmyra" in 1839 5
William Laidlaw, aged 24, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Amazon" 6
John Laidlaw, aged 25, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Dirigo" 7
Walter Laidlaw, aged 29, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Dirigo" 7
Thomas Laidlaw, aged 35, who arrived in South Australia in 1860 aboard the ship "Schah Jehan"

Laidlaw 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:

Laidlaw Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Laidlaw, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Bruce" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 12th September 1860 8
Mrs. Laidlaw, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Bruce" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 12th September 1860 8
Child Laidlaw, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Bruce" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 12th September 1860 8
Mr. William Laidlaw, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 9
Mrs. Laidlaw, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Laidlaw (post 1700) +

Marc Laidlaw (b. 1960), American writer of science fiction and horror
Robert Scott Laidlaw (b. 1953), former American NFL running back who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants
Ethan Laidlaw (1899-1963), American film actor who appeared in more than 350 films between 1923 and 1962
William Grant Laidlaw (1840-1908), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from New York 34th District, 1887-91 10
William A. Laidlaw, American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly from St. Lawrence County 1st District, 1922-24 10
Michael Laidlaw, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 2004 10
William Laidlaw (1780-1847), close friend of Sir Walter Scott, he and another close friend transcribed from Scott's dictation most of "Bride of Lammermoor", "The Legend of Montose" and nearly all of "Ivanhoe"
Daniel Logan Laidlaw VC (1875-1950), Scottish piper who continued playing his pipes even after he was wounded, recipient of the Victoria Cross
Irvine Alan Stewart Laidlaw (b. 1942), Baron Laidlaw, a Scottish businessman, former member of the House of Lords, one of the wealthiest people in the UK
Alexander Smith "Alex" Laidlaw (1877-1933), Scottish rugby union player
... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PALMYRA 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Palmyra.htm
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) AMAZON 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/amazon1852.shtml
South Australian Register Thursday 23rd November 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Dirigo 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/dirigo1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html