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

Similar surnames: Bau, Kau, Mau, Lao, Lam, Leu, Hau, Rau, Dau, Liu

90K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
15K	Military Records
40K	Immigration Records
26K	Census and Voter Lists
92K	Member Trees

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

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.

View Census Data for Lau

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.

Medical student

100%

Unpaid domestic duties

60%

Shorthand typist

40%

What Lau family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 26K 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 List

There are 40K 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

Military Records

There are 15K 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

You've only scratched the surface of Lau family history

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What is the average Lau lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Lau life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Lau in 1942 was 38, and 78 in 2004.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lau family tree

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Lau Surname Meaning

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.

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

Where is the Lau family from?

What did your Lau ancestors do for a living?

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.

Medical student

100%

Unpaid domestic duties

60%

Shorthand typist

40%

What Lau family records will you find?

What is the average Lau lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Lau life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1950, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Lau in 1942 was 38, and 78 in 2004.

Lau Family History

Lau Surname Meaning

264,000 record(s) for Lau

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

Where is the Lau family from?

What did your Lau ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Lau family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Lau family history

What is the average Lau lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lau family tree

Search for another surname

Lau Surname Meaning

264,000 record(s) for Lau

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

Where is the Lau family from?

What did your Lau ancestors do for a living?

Top Male Occupations In 1939

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Lau family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Lau family history

What is the average Lau lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lau family tree

Search for another surname