NameCensus.

UK surname

Lauder

A Scottish locational surname originating from a place name derived from the Old English words "hlaw" meaning hill and "duru" meaning cross-ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 1,586 people recorded with the Lauder surname, ranking it #2,675 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,049, ranked #3,151, down from #2,675 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Ayton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheviot West, Coldstream and Area and Carse of Stirling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lauder is 2,049 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.2%.

1881 census count

1,586

Ranked #2,675

Modern count

2,049

2016, ranked #3,151

Peak year

2016

2,049 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lauder had 1,586 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,675 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,049 in 2016, ranked #3,151.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,586 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lauder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lauder surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lauder 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 614 #4,206
1861 historical 997 #2,796
1881 historical 1,586 #2,675
1891 historical 1,242 #3,477
1901 historical 1,235 #4,010
1911 historical 395 #9,373
1997 modern 1,955 #3,111
1998 modern 2,035 #3,117
1999 modern 2,035 #3,140
2000 modern 2,014 #3,149
2001 modern 1,963 #3,155
2002 modern 1,966 #3,218
2003 modern 1,907 #3,228
2004 modern 1,903 #3,232
2005 modern 1,860 #3,269
2006 modern 1,870 #3,278
2007 modern 1,898 #3,259
2008 modern 1,919 #3,246
2009 modern 1,971 #3,252
2010 modern 2,013 #3,255
2011 modern 2,009 #3,226
2012 modern 1,995 #3,202
2013 modern 2,029 #3,201
2014 modern 2,032 #3,223
2015 modern 2,029 #3,195
2016 modern 2,049 #3,151

Geography

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Where Lauders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Ayton, Glasgow and Kilmarnock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheviot West, Coldstream and Area, Carse of Stirling, Gateshead and County Durham. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Ayton Berwick
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kilmarnock Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheviot West Scottish Borders
2 Coldstream and Area Scottish Borders
3 Carse of Stirling Stirling
4 Gateshead 004 Gateshead
5 County Durham 046 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lauder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lauder

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lauder, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Lauder surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lauder household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lauder is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Lauder is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lauder falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lauder is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lauder

The surname Lauder is of Scottish origin, deriving from the village of Lauder in the Borders region of Scotland. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "hlaw" meaning "hill" and "deru" meaning "a place overgrown with bushes or brambles," thus referring to a bramble-covered hill.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Lauder can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls made during the Scottish Wars of Independence. The name is spelled as "Lauuedere" in these records.

Another early reference to the Lauder name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1328, where a person named William de Lauuedere is mentioned.

During the 15th century, the Lauder family played a significant role in Scottish history. Sir Robert Lauder of Bass (c. 1370-1437) was a prominent Scottish statesman and military commander who fought in the Battle of Homildon Hill in 1402. His son, Sir Robert Lauder of Edrington (c. 1400-1476), was also a notable figure who served as a diplomat and a member of the Scottish Parliament.

In the 16th century, Sir Richard Lauder of Halton (c. 1510-1575) was a Scottish author and poet, best known for his collection of Scottish proverbs and sayings titled "The Metaphorical Reveries of the Knicht of Caucht."

Another notable bearer of the Lauder surname was Sir John Lauder, 1st Lord Fountainhall (1646-1722), who was a Scottish judge and legal writer. He is particularly renowned for his extensive historical notes and observations on Scottish legal proceedings, which provide valuable insight into the legal system of that era.

The Lauder surname has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Lauder (the original village), Lauderdale (a region in the Scottish Borders), and Lauderhaugh (a hamlet in the Scottish Borders).

Over the centuries, the Lauder surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Lawder, Lawdere, Laudre, and Lauther, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lauder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lauder 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. Lanarkshire leads with 241 Lauders recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.85x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 241 4.85x
Midlothian 227 11.04x
Berwickshire 112 60.24x
Roxburghshire 106 38.11x
Renfrewshire 79 6.64x
Ayrshire 62 5.40x
Middlesex 59 0.38x
Northumberland 53 2.32x
Durham 49 1.07x
Perthshire 48 6.97x
Selkirkshire 42 30.24x
Lancashire 35 0.19x
Surrey 34 0.45x
Dumfriesshire 31 9.14x
West Lothian 25 10.81x
Kent 24 0.46x
East Lothian 21 10.33x
Angus 20 1.41x
Banffshire 19 5.97x
Dunbartonshire 18 4.36x
Morayshire 18 7.55x
Stirlingshire 18 3.18x
Buteshire 17 18.27x
Gloucestershire 16 0.53x
Staffordshire 15 0.29x
Argyllshire 13 3.04x
Hampshire 13 0.41x
Fife 12 1.32x
Worcestershire 12 0.60x
Yorkshire 12 0.08x
Cheshire 11 0.32x
Devon 11 0.34x
Cumberland 10 0.76x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.63x
Inverness-shire 9 1.96x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.34x
Peeblesshire 7 9.69x
Somerset 7 0.28x
Bedfordshire 6 0.75x
Nairnshire 6 12.80x
Clackmannanshire 5 3.94x
Derbyshire 5 0.21x
Leicestershire 5 0.29x
Hertfordshire 4 0.38x
Warwickshire 4 0.10x
Wiltshire 4 0.29x
Essex 3 0.10x
Lincolnshire 3 0.12x
Royal Navy 2 1.09x
Wigtownshire 2 0.98x
Flintshire 1 0.24x
Suffolk 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 114 Lauders recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.78x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 114 13.78x
Barony 76 6.05x
Govan 54 4.40x
Glasgow 44 4.99x
Abbey 43 23.68x
Kilmarnock 35 25.59x
South Leith 34 14.69x
Selkirk 21 53.67x
Galashiels 18 35.05x
Dunse 17 96.43x
Rothesay 16 35.52x
Ayton 15 139.15x
Langton 15 563.91x
Blackford 14 166.07x
Maxton 14 580.91x
Mile End Old Town London 14 4.28x
Ordiquhill 14 371.35x
Bathgate 13 25.90x
Borthwick 13 141.46x
Edinburgh Canongate 13 24.83x
Forres 13 51.83x
Helmington Row 13 61.09x
Edinburgh Old Church 12 72.68x
Inveresk 12 21.55x
New Kilpatrick 12 30.57x
Melrose 11 45.74x
Torphichen 11 136.65x
Ardrossan 10 25.14x
Falkirk 10 7.54x
Jedburgh 10 36.68x
Kilmore Kilbride 10 36.86x
Lilliesleaf 10 265.25x
Longbenton 10 10.33x
Newington 10 1.76x
Ryde 10 14.79x
Cambusnethan 9 8.16x
Croydon 9 2.17x
Duddo 9 947.37x
Inverness 9 7.80x
North Leith 9 9.45x
Old Monkland 9 4.57x
West Greenock 9 4.21x
Bewcastle 8 171.31x
Bothwell 8 5.94x
Bristol St Michael 8 30.98x
Dundee 8 1.51x
Islington London 8 0.54x
Lauder 8 77.82x
Monifieth 8 15.92x
Nenthorn 8 333.33x
Poplar London 8 2.76x
Whittinghame 8 237.39x
Bedminster 7 3.01x
Coldstream 7 52.04x
Deptford St Paul 7 1.73x
Dunblane 7 42.45x
Gordon 7 159.45x
Greenlaw 7 106.38x
Hownam 7 507.25x
Innerleithen 7 36.52x
Lesmahagow 7 13.33x
Roxburgh 7 131.58x
Rudford 7 614.04x
Salford 7 1.31x
Stranton 7 4.55x
Tweedmouth 7 24.58x
Dalton In Furness 6 8.53x
Duddingston 6 14.53x
Eckford 6 124.74x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 3.03x
Kidderminster Borough 6 5.11x
Kilbarchan 6 16.60x
Legerwood 6 204.78x
Maryhill 6 6.17x
Newbrough 6 148.15x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 6 15.39x
Ryton 6 37.38x
Smailholm 6 256.41x
St Ninians 6 10.69x
Stoke Damerel 6 2.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Margaret 16
Elizabeth 13
Jane 13
Ann 8
Eliza 7
Ellen 7
Sarah 7
Isabella 6
Emily 5
Emma 5
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Frances 4
Harriet 4
Alice 3
Annie 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Jessie 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Euphemia 2
Harriett 2
Helen 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Bridget 1
C. 1
Cathrine 1
Cornelia 1
E.S. 1
Ealenor 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Hepzebah 1
Isbella 1
Jannet 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Thomasina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
George 19
James 15
Thomas 15
John 11
Robert 10
Alexander 6
Frederick 6
Alfred 5
David 5
Francis 5
Edward 4
Henry 4
Joseph 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Wm. 3
Archibald 2
Edwin 2
H.S. 2
Harry 2
Michael 2
Thos. 2
Andrew 1
Augustus 1
Austin 1
Benjiman 1
Chas. 1
Colin 1
Edmond 1
Edwd.Richd. 1
Elijah 1
Ernist 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Isaac 1
Jasper 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Morris 1
Parker 1
Paul 1
Peter 1
R.S. 1
Raymond 1
Richard 1
Rob. 1
Saml. 1

FAQ

Lauder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lauder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,586 people were recorded with the Lauder surname. That placed it at #2,675 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lauder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,049 in 2016. That gives Lauder a modern rank of #3,151.

What does the Lauder surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname originating from a place name derived from the Old English words "hlaw" meaning hill and "duru" meaning cross-ridge.

What does the Lauder map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lauder 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.