Lawten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The history of the Lawten family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in the village of Lawton which was in both Cheshire and Herefordshire. This place-name was originally derived from the Old English words hlaw tun, which means that the original bearers of the surname lived in the farm that was located on the hill.

Early Origins of the Lawten family

The surname Lawten was first found in Cheshire where the parish named Laughton dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Lestone 1. Church Lawton is a small village and civil parish in Cheshire East and was recorded in the Domesday Book as Lautune. There are at least three other listings of places now named Laughton in the Domesday Book: Lachestone in Leicester, Lastone in Yorkshire and finally Loctone in Lincolnshire. The latter is believed to have been derived from the Old English words "loc" + "tun" and meant "enclosure that can be locked" 2

The parish of Lowton in Lancashire "gave name to a family who subsequently adopted the surname of Kenyon from their possessions in a neighbouring township." 3

Lorton is a parish, in the union of Cockermouth, Allerdale ward above Derwent in Cumberland. It comprises two small villages Low Lorton and High Lorton and dates back to c. 1150 when it was known as Loretona. It probably meant "farmstead on a stream called Hlora" from the Viking river name meaning "roaring one" + and the Old English word "tun." 2

Early History of the Lawten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lawten research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1660, 1670, 1693, 1721 and 1723 are included under the topic Early Lawten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lawten Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Lawten include Lawton, Laughton, Loughmane and others.

Early Notables of the Lawten family

Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lawten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lawten family to Ireland

Some of the Lawten family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lawten family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Lawten or a variant listed above: Leon and Robert Laughton settled in Virginia in 1636; George Lawton settled in Newport Rhode Island in 1630; Joseph Lawton settled in Maryland in 1774.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.