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Lawley Family History

Lawley Surname Meaning

English (mainly West Midlands): habitational name from Lawley in Shropshire named in Old English as ‘Lafa's wood’ from the personal name Lāfa (from lāf ‘remnant survivor’).

The name is composed of two elements: the personal name Lāfa and lēah meaning ‘wood glade’.

The term ‘lēah’ typically refers to a clearing or glade in the woods, indicating a location that was significant in the landscape.

This origin highlights the connection between personal names and geographical features, common in English place names.

Therefore, Lawley reflects both a personal lineage and a specific type of natural setting.

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


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Where is the Lawley family from?

You can see how Lawley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lawley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lawley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 448 Lawley families living in Staffordshire. This was about 24% of all the recorded Lawley's in United Kingdom. Staffordshire had the highest population of Lawley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lawley 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 Lawley 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 Lawley. 11% of Lawley men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Lawley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lawley were Farmer and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Lawley | 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
    11%
  • Dairy Farmer
    5%
  • Iron Moulder
    5%
  • Farmer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duti
    2%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Lawley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Lawley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lawley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Lawley

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Lawley. 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 Lawley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Lawley. For the veterans among your Lawley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lawley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lawley family history

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What is the average Lawley lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Lawley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Lawley in 1953 was 25, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lawley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lawley 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.

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