NameCensus.

UK surname

Laurenson

A Scottish surname derived from the medieval given name 'Laurence'.

In the 1881 census there were 736 people recorded with the Laurenson surname, ranking it #4,976 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 539, ranked #9,438, down from #4,976 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lerwick, Walls and Sandness and Tingwall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Shetland, Lerwick North and North Mainland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Laurenson is 736 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 26.8%.

1881 census count

736

Ranked #4,976

Modern count

539

2016, ranked #9,438

Peak year

1881

736 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Laurenson had 736 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,976 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 539 in 2016, ranked #9,438.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 736 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Laurenson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Laurenson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Laurenson 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 598 #4,284
1861 historical 618 #4,318
1881 historical 736 #4,976
1891 historical 683 #5,732
1901 historical 585 #7,209
1911 historical 112 #21,274
1997 modern 472 #9,716
1998 modern 470 #10,066
1999 modern 496 #9,713
2000 modern 520 #9,339
2001 modern 478 #9,783
2002 modern 502 #9,601
2003 modern 483 #9,735
2004 modern 490 #9,639
2005 modern 504 #9,393
2006 modern 501 #9,481
2007 modern 512 #9,412
2008 modern 515 #9,430
2009 modern 520 #9,568
2010 modern 525 #9,692
2011 modern 513 #9,765
2012 modern 530 #9,445
2013 modern 546 #9,392
2014 modern 551 #9,378
2015 modern 539 #9,477
2016 modern 539 #9,438

Geography

Back to top

Where Laurensons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lerwick, Walls and Sandness, Tingwall, Bressay and Nesting. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Shetland, Lerwick North, North Mainland, Lerwick South and Shetland South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lerwick Shetland
2 Walls and Sandness Shetland
3 Tingwall Shetland
4 Bressay Shetland
5 Nesting Shetland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Shetland Shetland Islands
2 Lerwick North Shetland Islands
3 North Mainland Shetland Islands
4 Lerwick South Shetland Islands
5 Shetland South Shetland Islands

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Laurenson

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Laurenson

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

Spacious Rural Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Laurenson is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Laurenson is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Laurenson falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Laurenson 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 Laurenson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Laurenson

The surname LAURENSON is of Scottish origin, with records indicating its presence in various regions of Scotland from the 16th century onwards. It is believed to be a patronymic name derived from the given name Laurence or Lawrence, which itself has roots in the Latin name Laurentius, meaning "from Laurentum."

Laurentum was an ancient city in Italy, and the name Laurentius was originally used to denote someone from that region. Over time, it became a popular personal name across Europe, and in Scotland, it evolved into the surname LAURENSON, indicating "son of Laurence" or "son of Lawrence."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LAURENSON can be found in the records of the Parish of Fortingall in Perthshire, Scotland, where a certain John Laurenson is mentioned in 1557. Another early reference is found in the Burgh Records of Edinburgh, where a William Laurenson is listed as a merchant in 1587.

The LAURENSON name has historical connections to various places across Scotland, particularly in areas like Perthshire, Fife, and Aberdeenshire. In some instances, the surname may have derived from a place name rather than a personal name, such as Laurencekirk in Kincardineshire, which was once known as Laurenson's Kirk.

Notable individuals with the surname LAURENSON include:

1. James Laurenson (1834-1901), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to education and healthcare in Aberdeen. 2. John Laurenson (1835-1921), a Scottish-American engineer and inventor known for his work on early refrigeration systems. 3. Elizabeth Laurenson (1829-1908), a Scottish author and poet who wrote extensively about life in the Highlands. 4. Robert Laurenson (1856-1937), a Scottish architect who designed numerous buildings in Glasgow and Edinburgh. 5. William Laurenson (1872-1945), a Scottish soldier who served in the Boer War and later became a prominent businessman in South Africa.

While the LAURENSON name may have evolved over the centuries, its Scottish origins and association with the personal name Laurence or Lawrence remain a consistent thread throughout its history. The surname continues to be prevalent in various regions of Scotland and among Scottish diaspora communities around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Laurenson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Laurenson 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. Shetland leads with 512 Laurensons recorded in 1881 and an index of 699.26x.

County Total Index
Shetland 512 699.26x
Lancashire 127 1.49x
Midlothian 33 3.44x
Lanarkshire 10 0.43x
Yorkshire 8 0.11x
Durham 7 0.33x
Warwickshire 7 0.39x
Glamorgan 6 0.48x
Northumberland 5 0.47x
Surrey 5 0.14x
Gloucestershire 3 0.21x
Middlesex 3 0.04x
Angus 2 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.21x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.15x
Caithness 1 1.02x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 1.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunrossness in Shetland leads with 94 Laurensons recorded in 1881 and an index of 975.10x.

Place Total Index
Dunrossness 94 975.10x
Lerwick Gulberwick 73 644.31x
Bressay Burra Quarff 56 1755.49x
Tingwall 54 1475.41x
Nesting Lunnas Whalsay 47 728.68x
Delting 40 970.87x
Bressay 39 3391.30x
Unst 27 503.73x
Sandsting Aitsting 25 376.51x
Preston 23 10.10x
Walls 18 507.04x
North Leith 15 33.75x
Fetlar North Yell 14 1320.75x
Liverpool 14 2.71x
Prescot 12 77.97x
South Leith 12 11.10x
Eccleston In Prescot 10 23.41x
Parr 10 32.85x
West Derby 10 4.02x
Whiteness Weisdale 10 452.49x
Walls Sandness 9 638.30x
Barony 8 1.36x
Thornton In Fylde 8 42.99x
Coventry St Michael 7 12.05x
Windle 7 14.62x
Westoe 6 4.96x
Accrington 5 6.46x
Camberwell 5 1.09x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.29x
Gomersal 4 12.06x
Lancaster 4 7.90x
Swansea Town 4 3.91x
Tynemouth 4 7.00x
Walls Sandness Papa 4 634.92x
Batley 3 4.44x
Bristol St Nicholas 3 118.58x
Everton 3 1.11x
Kirkham 3 26.67x
Toxteth Park 3 1.04x
Walton On Hill 3 6.51x
Cardiff St Mary 2 2.91x
Ditton 2 57.47x
Govan 2 0.35x
Huyton With Roby 2 20.06x
Montrose 2 4.97x
Nottingham St Mary 2 0.80x
St Pancras London 2 0.35x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 0.72x
Aighton Bailey 1 24.39x
Bishopwearmouth 1 0.55x
Blackburn 1 0.44x
Cawthorne In Wortley 1 34.84x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 4.09x
Hampton Wick London 1 19.05x
Heaton Norris 1 2.07x
Kirkdale 1 0.70x
Layton With Warbreck 1 3.20x
Lerwick 1 212.77x
North Shields 1 4.70x
Simonswood 1 87.72x
Spetisbury 1 76.92x
Utkinton 1 78.13x
Whiston 1 15.06x
Wick 1 3.15x
Widnes 1 1.63x
Yell Mid 1 41.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 12
Ann 7
Ellen 6
Margaret 5
Sarah 5
Annie 4
Harriet 4
Alice 3
Martha 3
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Esther 2
Jane 2
Anderina 1
Bertha 1
Bessey 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Elizbeth 1
Elizth. 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
M.A. 1
Madeline 1
Maggie 1
Margeret 1
Margrt. 1
Maria 1
Mgt.A. 1
Monica 1
Rachael 1
Rose 1
S.Jane 1
Walburga 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
Thomas 12
William 11
James 10
Henry 4
Joseph 4
Charles 3
Thos. 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Adam 1
Adnon 1
Albert 1
Cuthbert 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Jas. 1
Mary 1
Norman 1
Robert 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Laurenson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Laurenson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 736 people were recorded with the Laurenson surname. That placed it at #4,976 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Laurenson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 539 in 2016. That gives Laurenson a modern rank of #9,438.

What does the Laurenson surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from the medieval given name 'Laurence'.

What does the Laurenson map show?

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