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Laidlaw Family History

Laidlaw Surname Meaning

Scottish: Border surname found mainly around Selkirk and the vales of Ettrick and Yarrow; a Scottish development of Ludlow.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Laidlaw family from?

You can see how Laidlaw families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Laidlaw family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Laidlaw families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 153 Laidlaw families living in Durham. This was about 21% of all the recorded Laidlaw's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Laidlaw families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Laidlaw surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Laidlaw ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Laidlaw. 16% of Laidlaw men worked as a Builders Labourer and 72% of Laidlaw women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Laidlaw were Painter decorator and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Laidlaw | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Builders Labourer
    16%
  • General Labourer
    16%
  • Police Constable
    10%
  • Painter decorator
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Laidlaw family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 50,000 census records available for the last name Laidlaw. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Laidlaw census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Laidlaw

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Laidlaw. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Laidlaw immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Laidlaw. For the veterans among your Laidlaw ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Laidlaw military records

You've only scratched the surface of Laidlaw family history

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What is the average Laidlaw lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Laidlaw life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Laidlaw in 1940 was 45, and 89 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Laidlaw

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Laidlaw ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Laidlaw family tree

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