NameCensus.

UK surname

Laws

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "hills" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 3,331 people recorded with the Laws surname, ranking it #1,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,396, ranked #1,549, down from #1,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Fenland and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Laws is 4,691 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.0%.

1881 census count

3,331

Ranked #1,363

Modern count

4,396

2016, ranked #1,549

Peak year

1998

4,691 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Laws had 3,331 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,396 in 2016, ranked #1,549.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,647 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Laws surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Laws surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Laws 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 2,494 #1,191
1861 historical 2,163 #1,350
1881 historical 3,331 #1,363
1891 historical 3,670 #1,304
1901 historical 4,201 #1,339
1911 historical 4,647 #1,113
1997 modern 4,513 #1,452
1998 modern 4,691 #1,454
1999 modern 4,657 #1,471
2000 modern 4,604 #1,479
2001 modern 4,509 #1,478
2002 modern 4,582 #1,487
2003 modern 4,409 #1,501
2004 modern 4,418 #1,503
2005 modern 4,349 #1,506
2006 modern 4,354 #1,506
2007 modern 4,375 #1,513
2008 modern 4,349 #1,530
2009 modern 4,409 #1,540
2010 modern 4,517 #1,544
2011 modern 4,405 #1,552
2012 modern 4,351 #1,550
2013 modern 4,448 #1,540
2014 modern 4,450 #1,554
2015 modern 4,398 #1,557
2016 modern 4,396 #1,549

Geography

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Where Laws' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Fenland, Newcastle upon Tyne and Northumberland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 021 Sunderland
2 Fenland 011 Fenland
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 029 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Northumberland 020 Northumberland
5 Sunderland 027 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Laws

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Laws

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Laws surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Laws 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Laws is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Laws 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

Laws 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 Laws 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 Laws, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Laws

The surname Laws is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "lagu" meaning law. It emerged in the Middle Ages as an occupational name for those involved in the legal profession, such as lawyers, judges, or clerks of the court.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where a William Laws is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a John de la Lawe in Oxfordshire, showcasing the variant spelling common during that era.

The name Laws is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, where many early bearers of the surname were found. However, it later spread to other parts of England, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Lancashire.

In the 13th century, the Domesday Book records a landowner named Robertus de la Lawe in Lincolnshire, indicating the presence of the name in that region as well. This entry provides valuable insight into the medieval origins of the surname.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Laws include John Laws (c.1632-1688), a prominent English mathematician and theologian who served as a fellow at Christ's College, Cambridge. Another notable bearer was Richard Laws (1728-1784), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Laws was also found in Scotland, where it was associated with places like Lawsknowe in Berwickshire and Lawshill in Lanarkshire, further highlighting the connection between the name and the concept of law or legal matters.

Other notable individuals with the surname Laws include Jonathan Laws (1725-1787), an English clergyman and author, and Samuel Laws (1745-1821), an English philanthropist and abolitionist who worked towards the abolition of the slave trade.

Over the centuries, variations in spelling emerged, including Lawes, Lawe, and Laus, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects. However, the core meaning of the name remained tied to its legal and occupational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Laws families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Laws 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. Durham leads with 535 Laws' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.54x.

County Total Index
Durham 535 5.54x
Norfolk 514 10.29x
Northumberland 401 8.30x
Middlesex 400 1.23x
Surrey 231 1.46x
Suffolk 187 4.73x
Yorkshire 177 0.55x
Kent 162 1.46x
Hampshire 142 2.13x
Cambridgeshire 81 3.94x
Essex 69 1.08x
Dorset 64 3.00x
Lancashire 62 0.16x
Sussex 47 0.86x
Lincolnshire 28 0.54x
Cumberland 27 0.97x
Warwickshire 19 0.23x
Aberdeenshire 17 0.57x
Wiltshire 15 0.52x
Gloucestershire 12 0.19x
Staffordshire 12 0.11x
Cheshire 11 0.15x
Huntingdonshire 11 1.71x
Devon 10 0.15x
Glamorgan 10 0.18x
Berkshire 9 0.37x
Cornwall 9 0.24x
Pembrokeshire 9 0.87x
Lanarkshire 7 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.16x
Perthshire 7 0.48x
Midlothian 6 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.20x
Worcestershire 4 0.09x
Ayrshire 3 0.12x
Bedfordshire 3 0.18x
Derbyshire 3 0.06x
Somerset 3 0.06x
Hertfordshire 2 0.09x
Oxfordshire 2 0.10x
Angus 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.03x
Monmouthshire 1 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.13x
Northamptonshire 1 0.03x
Renfrewshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 59 Laws' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.87x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 59 1.87x
Bedlington 57 35.32x
Lambeth 57 2.01x
Byker 56 23.44x
Heigham 55 20.52x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 50 17.32x
Hackney London 46 2.53x
Kensington London 45 2.49x
Bishopwearmouth 40 4.82x
Monkwearmouth Shore 40 21.20x
Gateshead 39 5.39x
Portsea 38 2.91x
Litcham 37 412.95x
Fincham 36 409.09x
Littleport 33 83.95x
Westoe 31 5.66x
Great Yarmouth 30 7.25x
Battersea 29 2.43x
Folkestone 29 13.49x
Newcastle On Tyne St 29 11.58x
Camberwell 28 1.35x
Elswick 28 7.26x
Norwich St James 28 71.47x
Leeds 26 1.43x
East Dereham 25 39.62x
St Marylebone London 24 1.38x
Stranton 24 7.38x
St Pancras London 23 0.88x
Bethnal Green London 22 1.56x
Southwark St George Martyr 22 3.37x
Dawdon 21 17.67x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 20 13.34x
Newington 20 1.67x
Wandsworth 20 6.40x
Beccles 19 29.84x
Elvet 19 27.24x
Acton 18 9.45x
Cowpen 18 16.17x
Mile End Old Town London 18 2.60x
West Ham 18 1.27x
East Winch 17 378.62x
Hornsey 17 4.14x
Shadforth 17 90.67x
Stockton On Tees 17 3.65x
Seaton Delaval 16 37.70x
Winlaton 16 17.26x
Bungay Holy Trinity 15 73.89x
Haswell 15 21.66x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 15 3.58x
Ringwood 15 35.21x
Willington 15 26.86x
Aberdeen Old Machar 14 2.23x
Normanby In 14 16.27x
Paddington London 14 1.17x
Brighton 13 1.18x
Costessey 13 121.04x
Southwold 13 55.51x
Birmingham 12 0.44x
Chelsea London 12 1.23x
Clapham 12 2.95x
East Holme 12 1212.12x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 12 39.50x
Ryhope 12 17.89x
Harton 11 28.81x
Hastings St Mary 11 8.07x
Lakenheath 11 52.66x
Market Weston 11 336.39x
Ospringe 11 80.65x
Widnes 11 3.96x
Wingate 11 16.60x
Binsted 10 39.39x
Caldewgate 10 6.53x
Cramlington 10 15.66x
Darlington 10 2.68x
Hainford 10 143.06x
Heworth 10 5.25x
Lakenham 10 14.09x
Poplar London 10 1.63x
St George In East London 10 3.27x
Wolverhampton 10 1.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 227
Elizabeth 130
Sarah 102
Jane 82
Hannah 53
Eliza 52
Alice 51
Ann 50
Emma 48
Margaret 42
Isabella 41
Annie 37
Emily 37
Ellen 33
Martha 27
Caroline 25
Charlotte 25
Louisa 20
Maria 20
Edith 19
Harriet 19
Susan 19
Rebecca 18
Agnes 16
Florence 16
Catherine 15
Ada 13
Fanny 13
Kate 12
Anne 11
Dorothy 11
Harriett 11
Sophia 11
Frances 10
Lucy 9
Rosa 9
Amelia 8
Gertrude 8
Julia 8
Ruth 8
Anna 7
Francis 7
Minnie 7
Susannah 7
Elizth. 6
Jessie 6
Esther 5
Lizzie 5
Matilda 5
Maud 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 227
William 215
George 144
Thomas 116
Robert 96
James 87
Henry 56
Charles 54
Joseph 49
Edward 45
Alfred 28
Arthur 28
Frederick 26
Samuel 21
Benjamin 19
Walter 18
Ernest 16
Herbert 16
Matthew 16
Richard 16
Albert 15
Cuthbert 11
Harry 11
Stephen 10
Frank 8
Geo. 8
Isaac 8
Alexander 7
Anthony 7
Michael 7
David 6
Horace 6
Francis 5
Fredrick 5
Philip 5
Wm. 5
Christopher 4
Edwd. 4
Edwin 4
Jno. 4
Luke 4
Mark 4
Peter 4
Ralph 4
Adam 3
Chas. 3
Jacob 3
Jesse 3
Jonathan 3
Louis 3

FAQ

Laws surname: questions and answers

How common was the Laws surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,331 people were recorded with the Laws surname. That placed it at #1,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Laws surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,396 in 2016. That gives Laws a modern rank of #1,549.

What does the Laws surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "hills" in Old English.

What does the Laws map show?

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