Show ContentsStlawrence History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Stlawrence is derived from the Old English personal names Lorens and Laurence, which were derived from the Latin name Laurentius. This name referred to a man from Laurentum, a town in Italy that was probably named for its laurels or bay trees. St. Lawrence, who was born in Huesca in Spain, became a deacon of Rome and was martyred in 258 AD, during the persecution of Valerianus. He gained a large following throughout Europe.

Early Origins of the Stlawrence family

The surname Stlawrence was first found in County Clare (Irish: An Clár) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where the family have been seated since the year 1177 having been granted their original lands by Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, for the family's distinguished assistance in the invasion of Ireland in the year 1172.

Since 1180, the St Lawrence family were the feudal lords of Howth. Christopher (or Stephen) St Lawrence was the 1st Baron Howth (died 1430 or 1435.) He was the progenitor of a long line of barons which continued until they became the Earls of Howth in 1767. This line continued until 1909. Howth Castle, was the ancestral home and family seat of the St Lawrence family. It was the setting for James Joyce's 1939 novel Finnegans Wake.

Early History of the Stlawrence family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stlawrence research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1166, 1430, 1435, 1460, 1462, 1465, 1485, 1488, 1503, 1526, 1542, 1550, 1568, 1589, 1597, 1600, 1607, 1618, 1619, 1627, 1628, 1643, 1671 and 1907 are included under the topic Early Stlawrence History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stlawrence Spelling Variations

Medieval scribes and church officials spelt names simply the way they sounded, which explains the various name spelling variations of the name Stlawrence that were encountered when researching that surname. The many spelling variations included: St. Lawrence, St. Laurent, St. Laurence and many more.

Early Notables of the Stlawrence family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Christopher St Lawrence (d.1430), 1st Baron Howth; Christopher St Lawrence, 2nd Baron Howth (died 1462 or 1465), an Anglo-Irish nobleman; Robert St.Lawrence, 3rd Baron Howth (1435-ca.1488), Lord Chancellor of Ireland; Nicholas St Lawrence, 4th Baron Howth (c. 1460-1526), Irish soldier and statesman; Christopher St Lawrence, 5th Baron Howth...
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Stlawrence Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Stlawrence family to Ireland

Some of the Stlawrence family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 167 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Stlawrence migration to the United States +

A great number of Irish families left their homeland in the late 18th century and throughout the 19th century, migrating to such far away lands as Australia and North America. The early settlers left after much planning and deliberation. They were generally well off but they desired a tract of land that they could farm solely for themselves. The great mass of immigrants to arrive on North American shores in the 1840s differed greatly from their predecessors because many of them were utterly destitute, selling all they had to gain a passage on a ship or having their way paid by a philanthropic society. These Irish people were trying to escape the aftermath of the Great Potato Famine: poverty, starvation, disease, and, for many, ultimately death. Those that arrived on North American shores were not warmly welcomed by the established population, but they were vital to the rapid development of the industry, agriculture, and infrastructure of the infant nations of the United States and what would become Canada. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Irish settlers bearing the name Stlawrence:

Stlawrence Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Etiene St. Lawrence, who arrived in New York State in 1775

Stlawrence migration to Australia +

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

Stlawrence Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Margaret St. Lawrence, Irish country servant who was convicted in County Clare, Ireland for 10 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Blackfriar" on 24th January 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Stlawrence (post 1700) +

  • William Ulick Tristram St Lawrence (1827-1909), 4th Earl of Howth, Baron Howth in the Peerage of the UK in 1881 and made a member of the Order of St Patrick in 1884


The Stlawrence 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: Qui pense
Motto Translation: Who thinks


  1. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blackfriar


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