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Lau Family History

Lau Surname Meaning

German: nickname for a physically strong person from Middle High German louwe lauwe ‘lion’. In some cases the surname may have been a topographic or habitational name referring to a house or inn distinguished by the sign of a lion. Compare Lowe.

German: topographic name for someone living in a bush-covered area or clearing Middle Low German lo loch lage Middle High German lō.

North German, Danish, and Dutch: from a vernacular short form of the personal name Laurentius (see Lawrence). Compare Louw.

Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 劉 and 柳 see Liu 1 and it is also found in Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 婁 and 樓 see Lou 1 and Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surnames 勞 and 老 see Lao 1 and 7: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 羅 see Luo.

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


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Where is the Lau family from?

You can see how Lau families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lau family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lau families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4 Lau families living in Durham. This was about 33% of all the recorded Lau's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Lau families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lau 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 Lau ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Medical Student and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Lau. 100% of Lau men worked as a Medical Student and 60% of Lau women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Lau | 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

  • Medical Student
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    60%
  • Shorthand Typist
    40%

What Lau family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 26,000 census records available for the last name Lau. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lau census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Lau

Passenger Lists

There are 40,000 immigration records available for the last name Lau. 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 Lau immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Lau. For the veterans among your Lau ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lau military records

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