This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Law family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Law Family History

Law Surname Meaning

Scottish and northern English: from a Middle English personal name Law(e), a short form of Lawrence. Scottish and northern English: topographic name for someone who lived near a hill northern Middle English law (from Old English hlāw which generally became low in the south and law in the north). Compare Lowe and Lew.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 羅 based on its Cantonese pronunciation, see Luo. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 盧 based on its Cantonese pronunciation, see Lu.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 劉 based on its Cantonese pronunciation, see Liu. Southeast Asian (Iu Mien): variant of Lor 2 and Lo 1.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Law family from?

You can see how Law families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Law family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Law families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 2,225 Law families living in Lancashire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Law's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Law families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Law surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Law ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Law. 7% of Law men worked as a General Labourer and 66% of Law women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Law were Incapacitated and Housewife.

View Census Data for Law | 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

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Retired
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    66%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Law family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 402,000 census records available for the last name Law. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Law census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Law

Passenger Lists

There are 58,000 immigration records available for the last name Law. 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 Law immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 61,000 military records available for the last name Law. For the veterans among your Law ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Law military records

You've only scratched the surface of Law family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Law family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial