Contents [hide]

Laughlin History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland 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
England

The west coast of Scotland and the rocky Hebrides islands are the ancient home of the Laughlin family. The root of their name is the personal name Lachlann. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Lachlainn, denoting the son of Lachlann. Although most feel Lachlan Mor, a great Chief who lived by Loch Fyne in the thirteenth century, is the Clan founder, the legend of descent from the ancient Gaelic King, Niall of the Nine Hostages, who reigned in 400 AD, offers some clues as to the clan's early origins.

Lochlann, in old Gaelic means literally, 'Norway,' and was the favorite Christian name of the royal house of O'Neill in Northern Ireland, a house descended from Niall of the Nine hostages, and said to be the family with the oldest history in Europe. A branch of the O'Neill's took the surname MacLochlain and soon became rival Kings to the O'Neills.

King Brian O'Neill slew the last King Domnall MacLochlainn. His son Anrothan, who was ancestor of the MacLachlans in Scotland, married the daughter of the King of Scots, thereby gaining the inheritance of Cowall and Knapdale in Scotland. Anrothan MacLachlan was progenitor of the MacLachlans of Strathlachlan, the Lamonts, the Lyons, the MacSorleys, the MacEwans, and the MacMillans. It was in the mid-twelfth century that each of these branches separated into distinct entities.

Early Origins of the Laughlin family

The surname Laughlin was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where this Clan first settled in Scotland in 1100 when Lachlan was heir of Fergus, Lord of Galloway. In 1238, a charter recorded Lachlan Mor's father increasing the endowment to Paisley Abbey.

When, in 1292, King John Baliol erected Argyll into a sheriffdom, Gillescop MacLachlan was one of the twelve principal barons whose land it encompassed. In 1296, Ewen MacLachlan was forced to swear loyalty to the English King Edward I, but this loyalty was formally changed back to Scotland in 1305, when Gillescop MacLachlan, like his neighbors the Campbells, swore allegiance to Robert the Bruce. Gillescop was a member of the Barons of Bruce's first parliament at St. Andrews, in 1308. 1

King John of England (reigned: 1199-1216) was also known as John Lackland from the Norman French, "Johan sanz Terre" or "John without land."

Early History of the Laughlin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Laughlin research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1292, 1600 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Laughlin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Laughlin Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were not standardized practices until the last few centuries. Spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. Laughlin has been spelled MacLachlan, Lachlan, MacLachlane, McGlothan, McGlothin, MacLauchlan, MacLauchlane, MacLauchlin, MacLaughlin, Lauchlan and many more.

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. 2

Migration of the Laughlin family to Ireland

Some of the Laughlin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Laughlin migration to the United States +

Numerous Scottish settlers settled along the east coast of the colonies that would become the United States and Canada. Others traveled to the open country of the west. At the time of the American War of Independence, some remained in the United States, while those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The highland games and Clan societies that sprang up across North America in the 20th century have helped many Scots to recover parts of their lost traditions. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Laughlins to arrive in North America:

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 3

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 3
Ann Laughlin, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 3
Benj Laughlin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 3
Biddy Laughlin, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1811 3
... (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 4

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" 5
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 6

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: Fortis et fidus
Motto Translation: Brave and trusty.

Citations +

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)
"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