NameCensus.

UK surname

Lawless

An English surname denoting a person outside the law, or living free of society's legal constraints.

In the 1881 census there were 1,078 people recorded with the Lawless surname, ranking it #3,678 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,447, ranked #2,693, up from #3,678 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Warrington and Chesterfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lawless is 2,509 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 127.0%.

1881 census count

1,078

Ranked #3,678

Modern count

2,447

2016, ranked #2,693

Peak year

2010

2,509 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lawless had 1,078 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,678 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,447 in 2016, ranked #2,693.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,326 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Lawless surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lawless surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lawless 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 501 #4,984
1861 historical 501 #5,220
1881 historical 1,078 #3,678
1891 historical 1,096 #3,856
1901 historical 1,326 #3,777
1911 historical 1,270 #3,738
1997 modern 2,250 #2,757
1998 modern 2,324 #2,778
1999 modern 2,354 #2,773
2000 modern 2,343 #2,767
2001 modern 2,283 #2,769
2002 modern 2,346 #2,766
2003 modern 2,294 #2,759
2004 modern 2,317 #2,734
2005 modern 2,337 #2,689
2006 modern 2,296 #2,726
2007 modern 2,337 #2,713
2008 modern 2,341 #2,729
2009 modern 2,436 #2,702
2010 modern 2,509 #2,688
2011 modern 2,491 #2,676
2012 modern 2,399 #2,710
2013 modern 2,433 #2,727
2014 modern 2,457 #2,724
2015 modern 2,438 #2,714
2016 modern 2,447 #2,693

Geography

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Where Lawless' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Warrington, Chesterfield, Knowsley and Wellingborough. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 002 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Warrington 018 Warrington
3 Chesterfield 007 Chesterfield
4 Knowsley 004 Knowsley
5 Wellingborough 010 Wellingborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lawless

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lawless

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Lawless surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Lawless household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lawless 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

Lawless is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lawless falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lawless 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Lawless

The surname Lawless originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'laghles', meaning 'outlaw' or 'lawless one'. This suggests that the name may have been initially a descriptive nickname given to someone who lived outside the law or exhibited lawless behavior.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Lawless surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a William le Laweles is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

In the 14th century, the Lawless family held lands in Leicestershire, and their name appears in various historical records from that area during this period. A notable example is John Lawless, who is listed in the Feet of Fines for Leicestershire in 1379.

The Lawless name also has a connection to Ireland, where it is believed to have been introduced by English settlers during the Norman invasion in the 12th century. Over time, the name became well-established in various parts of Ireland, particularly in counties such as Kildare and Laois.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Lawless name in Ireland can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, which mention a Hugh Lawless who died in 1330. The name also appears in various Irish records from the 16th and 17th centuries, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns and the Census of Ireland from 1659.

Notable individuals with the Lawless surname include:

1. Thomas Lawless (c.1530-1605), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar who served as the Archbishop of Dublin from 1574 until his death. 2. Valentine Lawless (1628-1688), an Irish soldier and landowner who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. 3. Sir Nicholas Lawless (1639-1703), an Irish soldier and politician who served as the Governor of Galway during the Williamite War. 4. John Lawless (1773-1837), an Irish politician and judge who served as the Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. 5. John Lawless (1837-1923), an Irish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

While the Lawless surname has its origins in England and Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, due to migration and immigration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lawless families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lawless 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 479 Lawless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.84x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 479 3.84x
Middlesex 97 0.92x
Yorkshire 96 0.92x
Durham 46 1.47x
Cheshire 44 1.90x
Surrey 34 0.66x
Warwickshire 33 1.24x
Lanarkshire 31 0.91x
Staffordshire 30 0.85x
Devon 18 0.82x
Kent 16 0.45x
Sussex 13 0.73x
Angus 12 1.23x
Dunbartonshire 11 3.89x
Caernarfonshire 10 2.35x
Pembrokeshire 9 2.69x
Cumberland 8 0.88x
Monmouthshire 7 0.92x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.94x
Flintshire 6 2.12x
Lincolnshire 6 0.36x
West Lothian 6 3.79x
Channel Islands 5 1.60x
Northumberland 5 0.32x
Shropshire 5 0.55x
Somerset 5 0.30x
Gloucestershire 4 0.19x
Midlothian 4 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.28x
Royal Navy 4 3.19x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.68x
Denbighshire 3 0.76x
Roxburghshire 3 1.58x
Stirlingshire 3 0.77x
Hampshire 2 0.09x
Merionethshire 2 1.04x
Anglesey 1 0.54x
Ayrshire 1 0.13x
Berkshire 1 0.13x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Norfolk 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.15x
Renfrewshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 88 Lawless' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.61x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 88 11.61x
Warrington 87 58.81x
Manchester 36 6.42x
West Derby 24 6.57x
Chorlton On Medlock 22 11.10x
Salford 19 5.18x
Aston 18 2.46x
Brightside Bierlow 18 8.81x
Kirkdale 16 7.62x
Everton 15 3.77x
Tanfield 15 40.32x
Glasgow 12 1.99x
Kimberworth 12 20.75x
Northowram 12 16.42x
St George Hanover Square 12 6.48x
Walsall Foreign 12 6.54x
Bury 11 7.72x
Sheffield 11 3.32x
Bethnal Green London 10 2.19x
Birmingham 10 1.13x
Llanbeblig 10 23.18x
Oldham 10 2.48x
Stockport 10 8.37x
Wardleworth 10 14.02x
Barony 9 1.05x
Brighton 9 2.52x
Newchurch 9 8.82x
Rainford 9 66.72x
Westminster St John 9 7.03x
Wolverhampton 9 3.30x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 2.93x
Cleator 8 21.23x
Dundee 8 2.20x
Eccleston In Prescot 8 12.77x
Harraton 8 131.15x
Higher Bebington 8 53.84x
Hulme 8 3.07x
Radcliffe 8 13.30x
Ratcliffe London 8 13.78x
St Marylebone London 8 1.42x
Stoke Damerel 8 5.22x
Windle 8 11.39x
Christchurch 7 29.76x
Ince In Makerfield 7 12.06x
Latchford 7 45.40x
Mile End Old Town London 7 3.13x
Penge 7 10.42x
Plumstead 7 5.85x
Saddleworth 7 8.71x
Thames Ditton 7 65.79x
Whalley 7 38.48x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 6.18x
Boness 6 27.49x
Canterbury St Gregory 6 126.85x
Castleton 6 4.81x
Flint 6 37.38x
Newington 6 1.54x
Preston 6 1.80x
Stretford 6 8.74x
Warley 6 19.92x
Westoe 6 3.38x
Whitworth 6 26.20x
Wolverton 6 45.59x
Appleton 5 95.06x
Bermondsey 5 1.60x
Cardross 5 14.74x
Halifax 5 3.27x
Kensington London 5 0.86x
Leeds 5 0.85x
Old Kilpatrick 5 14.97x
Ryhope 5 23.02x
St Giles Cripplegate 5 35.82x
St Pancras London 5 0.59x
Stamford St George 5 66.14x
Camberwell 4 0.60x
Dewsbury 4 3.74x
Gorbals 4 19.81x
Pembroke St Mary 4 9.29x
Royal Navy 4 3.73x
Walton On Hill 4 5.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 114
Elizabeth 37
Sarah 34
Margaret 25
Catherine 23
Ann 21
Jane 19
Bridget 16
Kate 15
Emma 14
Ellen 12
Eliza 9
Emily 9
Alice 8
Annie 8
Maria 8
Rose 7
Hannah 6
Anne 5
Amelia 4
Fanny 4
Louisa 4
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Harriet 3
Maggie 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Anastasia 2
Betty 2
Cathrine 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Esther 2
Julia 2
Lilly 2
Margret 2
Nancy 2
Rosina 2
Susan 2
Teresa 2
Victoria 2
Bridjet 1
Elizath. 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth.Hannah 1
Jemima 1
Jemimah 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 85
James 53
William 42
Thomas 41
Patrick 25
Joseph 21
Edward 19
Michael 19
Peter 19
George 14
Richard 14
Charles 11
Henry 11
Walter 8
Arthur 7
Martin 6
Robert 6
Wm. 6
Alfred 4
Benjamin 4
Frederick 4
Jas. 4
Albert 3
Christopher 3
Daniel 3
Denis 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Lawrence 2
Matthew 2
Patk. 2
Samuel 2
C. 1
Dennis 1
Eaton 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Infant 1
Mathew 1
Mic. 1
Michel 1
Nicholas 1
Nicolas 1
Norman 1
Pat 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Lawless surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lawless surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,078 people were recorded with the Lawless surname. That placed it at #3,678 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lawless surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,447 in 2016. That gives Lawless a modern rank of #2,693.

What does the Lawless surname mean?

An English surname denoting a person outside the law, or living free of society's legal constraints.

What does the Lawless map show?

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