NameCensus.

UK surname

Lawrey

A surname derived from the English place name Lawrie or Lowry.

In the 1881 census there were 182 people recorded with the Lawrey surname, ranking it #13,647 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, down from #13,647 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, St Columb Minor and Gulval. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Rossendale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lawrey is 196 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 24.2%.

1881 census count

182

Ranked #13,647

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1911

196 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lawrey had 182 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,647 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 196 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Lawrey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lawrey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lawrey 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 126 #14,626
1861 historical 138 #16,365
1881 historical 182 #13,647
1891 historical 146 #18,664
1901 historical 171 #16,689
1911 historical 196 #15,150
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 126 #24,094
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 138 #23,094
2003 modern 139 #22,734
2004 modern 140 #22,793
2005 modern 142 #22,577
2006 modern 125 #24,611
2007 modern 130 #24,389
2008 modern 136 #24,004
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 145 #24,031
2011 modern 135 #24,922
2012 modern 137 #24,731
2013 modern 129 #26,211
2014 modern 131 #26,089
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Lawreys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, St Columb Minor, Gulval, Sancreed and Ludgvan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Rossendale. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 St Columb Minor Cornwall
3 Gulval Cornwall
4 Sancreed Cornwall
5 Ludgvan Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 065 Cornwall
2 Rossendale 001 Rossendale
3 Cornwall 067 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 011 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lawrey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lawrey

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Lawrey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lawrey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Lawrey is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lawrey 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

Lawrey falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lawrey

The surname Lawrey has its origins in England, with records of the name dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hlaw" meaning a hill or mound, and "hrycg" meaning a ridge, suggesting that the name may have originated from a geographic location or a topographical feature.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were ancient records of landowners in various counties of England. The spelling variations during this period include Lawerye, Lawrye, and Lawrey.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a certain John Lawrey was mentioned in 1349. This suggests that the name may have been particularly prevalent in the northern regions of England during this time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Lawrey was William Lawrey, who was born in Gloucestershire in 1520. He was a prominent merchant and landowner during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Sir Nicholas Lawrey, who lived from 1567 to 1624. He was a member of the English gentry and served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, John Lawrey (1712-1793) was a renowned English botanist and horticulturist, known for his work in cataloging and classifying plant species.

During the Victorian era, the name was borne by Elizabeth Lawrey (1832-1905), a pioneering female author and journalist who wrote extensively on social and political issues of her time.

The surname Lawrey has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Lawrey's Hill in Gloucestershire and Lawrey's Moor in Yorkshire, further reinforcing the potential geographic origins of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lawrey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lawrey 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. Cornwall leads with 131 Lawreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.91x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 131 65.91x
Lancashire 14 0.67x
Northumberland 11 4.21x
Durham 7 1.34x
Devon 6 1.64x
Kent 5 0.83x
Surrey 3 0.35x
Middlesex 2 0.11x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gulval in Cornwall leads with 28 Lawreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2187.50x.

Place Total Index
Gulval 28 2187.50x
Ludgvan 18 1139.24x
Madron Penzance 13 179.81x
St Columb Major 10 606.06x
St Mewan 10 1639.34x
St Columb Minor 9 538.92x
St Neot 9 1153.85x
St Buryan 7 853.66x
Higher Booths 6 159.57x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 6 38.46x
Camborne 5 61.05x
Gillingham 5 40.49x
Kea 5 337.84x
Plymouth Charles The 5 31.06x
Prudhoe Castle 5 980.39x
Ryhope 5 137.74x
Tywardreath 5 390.63x
Redruth 4 71.17x
West Derby 4 6.56x
Newchurch 3 17.61x
St Austell 3 44.18x
St Ives 3 77.12x
Newington 2 3.08x
Bermondsey 1 1.91x
Hammersmith London 1 2.31x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 4.42x
Manchester 1 1.07x
Milford Haven 1 222.22x
Paul 1 27.70x
Saltash 1 64.94x
South Shields 1 21.51x
St Martin In Fields 1 9.51x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.91x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 19
William 14
James 6
Richard 6
Charles 5
Thomas 5
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Andrew 2
Edwin 2
George 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andw.E. 1
Earnest 1
Frank 1
Franklin 1
Frederick 1
Geo.M. 1
Harwin 1
Henery 1
Henry 1
Hugh 1
Jas.C. 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Nicholas 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Sidney 1
Willm. 1
Wm.J.G. 1

FAQ

Lawrey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lawrey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 182 people were recorded with the Lawrey surname. That placed it at #13,647 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lawrey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Lawrey a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Lawrey surname mean?

A surname derived from the English place name Lawrie or Lowry.

What does the Lawrey map show?

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