NameCensus.

UK surname

Laraway

An occupational surname referring to a road or path maker.

In the 1881 census there were 34 people recorded with the Laraway surname, ranking it #28,837 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 87, ranked #32,476, down from #28,837 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn, South Ribble and Ribble Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Laraway is 104 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 155.9%.

1881 census count

34

Ranked #28,837

Modern count

87

2016, ranked #32,476

Peak year

2000

104 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Laraway had 34 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,837 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016, ranked #32,476.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 70 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Laraway surname distribution map

The map shows where the Laraway surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Laraway surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Laraway over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 8 #31,867
1861 historical 12 #32,329
1881 historical 34 #28,837
1891 historical 57 #29,533
1901 historical 61 #27,379
1911 historical 70 #25,853
1997 modern 97 #27,342
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 104 #27,150
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 84 #29,978
2004 modern 87 #29,897
2005 modern 80 #30,842
2006 modern 83 #30,808
2007 modern 77 #31,856
2008 modern 78 #32,081
2009 modern 81 #32,172
2010 modern 94 #31,111
2011 modern 87 #31,905
2012 modern 85 #32,395
2013 modern 85 #32,658
2014 modern 88 #32,495
2015 modern 86 #32,604
2016 modern 87 #32,476

Geography

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Where Laraways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn, South Ribble and Ribble Valley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 007 Hyndburn
2 Hyndburn 008 Hyndburn
3 South Ribble 010 South Ribble
4 South Ribble 011 South Ribble
5 Ribble Valley 002 Ribble Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Laraway

These lists show first names that appear often with the Laraway surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Laraway

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Laraway, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Laraway surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Laraway household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Laraway is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Laraway is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Laraway falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Laraway is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Laraway, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Laraway

The surname Laraway is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the southern counties of Dorset and Somerset, during the late medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called 'Lare' or 'Lare Way', which may have referred to a particular road or path in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1327, where a John de Lareway was listed as a taxpayer. This suggests that the name had already been established in the area by the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Lareweye, Larewaye, and Larewaie, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during that era. These spellings often reflected the local dialects and accents of the time.

A notable figure bearing the Laraway name was John Laraway, who lived in the early 16th century and was mentioned in the Court Rolls of Axminster, Devon, in 1523. He was listed as a landowner and member of the local gentry.

Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Laraway, a merchant and ship owner from Bristol, who was actively involved in the transatlantic trade during the 17th century. Records indicate that he participated in voyages to the West Indies and the American colonies.

In the late 18th century, a man named William Laraway gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker in the town of Bridport, Dorset. His timepieces were highly regarded and some examples of his work can still be found in museums and private collections.

During the 19th century, the Laraway surname spread more widely across England, with families bearing this name residing in various counties, including Wiltshire, Hampshire, and Gloucestershire. One notable figure from this era was George Laraway, a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

While the Laraway surname is not among the most common in England, it has persisted through the centuries and can be traced back to its roots in the southern counties of Dorset and Somerset, where it originated as a locational name reflecting the region's geography and local landmarks.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Laraway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Laraway surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 33 Laraways recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.39x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 33 8.39x
Glamorgan 1 1.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire leads with 14 Laraways recorded in 1881 and an index of 1007.19x.

Place Total Index
Oswaldtwistle 14 1007.19x
Fishwick 8 3333.33x
Blackburn 6 57.31x
Walton Le Dale 5 471.70x
Eglwysilan 1 100.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Laraway surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Sarah 3
Elizabeth 2
Barbara 1
Easter 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Jannet 1
Mary 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Laraway surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 4
Thomas 3
George 2
Henry 2
Moses 2
Alfred 1
Edward 1
Gilbert 1
James 1
Mores 1
N. 1
Samuel 1
William 1

FAQ

Laraway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Laraway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 34 people were recorded with the Laraway surname. That placed it at #28,837 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Laraway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016. That gives Laraway a modern rank of #32,476.

What does the Laraway surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a road or path maker.

What does the Laraway map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Laraway bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.