Contents [hide]

Lawless History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Lawless History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Lawless

What does the name Lawless mean?

The surname Lawless is derived from the Old English word "laweles," which means "lawless" and is ultimately derived from the Old English word "laghles," which means "outlaw." As a surname, Lawless came from a nickname for a person who was an outlaw, or was uncontrolled or unrestrained. The Gaelic form of the surname Lawless is Laighléis.

Early Origins of the Lawless family

The surname Lawless was first found in Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South Wales, anciently part of the Welsh kingdom of Glywysing, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Lawless family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lawless research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1564, 1599, 1610, 1616, 1618, 1621, 1626, 1634, 1641, 1657, 1670, 1675, 1693, 1735, 1789 and 1799 are included under the topic Early Lawless History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lawless Spelling Variations

Names were simply spelled as they sounded by medieval scribes and church officials. Therefore, during the lifetime of a single person, his name was often spelt in many different ways, explaining the many spelling variations encountered while researching the name Lawless. Some of these variations included: Lawless, Lovelace, Lovelass, Loveless and others.

Early Notables of the Lawless family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was

Nicholas Lawless (1735-1799), created 1st Baron Cloncurry in the Peerage of Ireland, in 1789

Lawless Ranking

In the United States, the name Lawless is the 3,825^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1

Lawless migration to the United States +

In the mid-19th century, Ireland experienced one of the worst periods in its entire history. During this decade in order to ease the pressure of the soil, which was actually depleted by the effects of the previous years' grain crops, landowners forced tenant farmers and peasants onto tiny plots of land that barely provided the basic sustenance a family required. Conditions were worsened, though, by the population of the country, which was growing fast to roughly eight million. So when the Great Potato Famine of the mid-1840s hit, starvation and diseases decimated the population. Thousands of Irish families left the country for British North America and the United States. The new immigrants were often accommodated either in the opening western frontiers or as cheap unskilled labor in the established centers. In early passenger and immigration lists there are many immigrants bearing the name Lawless:

Lawless Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Nich Lawless, who landed in Virginia in 1698 2

Lawless Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Patrick Lawless, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 2
Cornelius Lawless, who arrived in Virginia in 1715 2
James Lawless who settled in Virginia in 1739

Lawless Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mathew Lawless, aged 30, who arrived in Maryland in 1812 2
Peter Lawless, who landed in New York in 1839 2
Rose Lawless, aged 41, who landed in New York, NY in 1849 2
M Lawless, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
Richard Lawless, aged 30, who arrived in New York in 1854 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lawless migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lawless Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Francis Lawless, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
James Lawless, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Maras Lawless, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mary Lawless, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mr. John Lawless U.E. (b. 1730) born in Ireland from Massachuettes, USA who settled in Digdeguash, Passamaquoddy Bay, St Patrick's Parish, Charlotte County, NB c. 1784 married to Catherine he died in 1814 3

Lawless Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Ms. Ann Lawless, aged 18 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Pursuit" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 4
Mrs. Bridget Lawless, aged 45 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Superior" departing from the port of Londonderry, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in September 1847 4
Mrs. Rebecca Lawless, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Coromandel" departing from the port of Dublin, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in July 1847 4

Lawless migration to Australia +

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

Lawless Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Francis Lawless, (b. 1786), aged 23, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for life for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Boyd" on 10th March 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1874 5
George Lawless, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1851 6
Edward Lawless, aged 41, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Emerald Isle" 7
Mary Lawless, aged 21, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Lord Raglan" 8
Patrick Lawless, aged 24, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Frenchman"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Lawless 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:

Lawless Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Stephen Lawless, (b. 1850), aged 29, Irish farm labourer, from Galway travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 28th August 1879 9
Mr. James Lawless, (b. 1852), aged 27, Irish farm labourer, from Galway travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 28th August 1879 9
Mr. Thomas Lawless, (b. 1854), aged 25, Irish farm labourer, from Galway travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 28th August 1879 9
Miss Kate Lawless, (b. 1826), aged 53, Irish settler, from Galway travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 28th August 1879 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Lawless (post 1700) +

John A. Lawless, American politician, Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1991-2002)
Richard Burton Lawless (b. 1953), former American college and professional NFL football player
Blackie Lawless (b. 1956), born Steven Edward Duren, an American songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the heavy metal band W.A.S.P
Thomas James "Tom" Lawless (b. 1956), American Major League Baseball player who played from 1982 to 1990
Theodore K Lawless (1892-1971), American dermatologist, medical researcher, and philanthropist
John "Jack" Lawless (b. 1987), American musician
Billy Lawless (1950-2024), Irish independent politician and businessman who served as a Senator from 2016 to 2020
Valentine Brown Lawless (1773-1853), 2nd Baron Cloncurry, an Irish politician and landowner
Cecil John Lawless (1821-1853), Irish politician
Frank J. Lawless (1870-1922), Irish politician
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Lawless 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: Virtute et numine
Motto Translation: By virtue and prudence.

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
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 39)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Boyd
State Library of South Australia. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) ASIA 1851 from London 12 05 1851 and southampton with Captain Roskell, arrived Port Adelaide on 1-09-1851. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Asia.htm
South Australian Register Tuesday 17th January 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emerald Isle 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/emeraldisle1854.shtml
South Australian Register Wednesday 25th October 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Lord Raglan 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/lordraglan1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html