NameCensus.

UK surname

Lawther

A variant of the English surname Lather, derived from the medieval occupation of a lather or crossbow maker.

In the 1881 census there were 143 people recorded with the Lawther surname, ranking it #15,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 408, ranked #11,711, up from #15,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Monkwearmouth and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Paisley West, Paisley Glenburn East and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lawther is 439 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 185.3%.

1881 census count

143

Ranked #15,955

Modern count

408

2016, ranked #11,711

Peak year

2010

439 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lawther had 143 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 408 in 2016, ranked #11,711.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 343 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lawther surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lawther surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lawther 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 131 #14,243
1861 historical 243 #10,116
1881 historical 143 #15,955
1891 historical 288 #11,450
1901 historical 298 #11,695
1911 historical 343 #10,416
1997 modern 403 #10,955
1998 modern 422 #10,928
1999 modern 418 #11,071
2000 modern 417 #11,068
2001 modern 403 #11,163
2002 modern 397 #11,497
2003 modern 385 #11,570
2004 modern 390 #11,495
2005 modern 402 #11,137
2006 modern 416 #10,912
2007 modern 412 #11,116
2008 modern 420 #11,033
2009 modern 422 #11,221
2010 modern 439 #11,121
2011 modern 431 #11,155
2012 modern 439 #10,873
2013 modern 425 #11,382
2014 modern 417 #11,632
2015 modern 409 #11,713
2016 modern 408 #11,711

Geography

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Where Lawthers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Monkwearmouth, Glasgow, Bedlington and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Paisley West, Paisley Glenburn East, Rotherham, Sunderland and Shandon. 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 Monkwearmouth Durham
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Bedlington Northumberland
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Paisley West Renfrewshire
2 Paisley Glenburn East Renfrewshire
3 Rotherham 018 Rotherham
4 Sunderland 024 Sunderland
5 Shandon City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lawther

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lawther

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lawther, 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 Lawther surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lawther 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Lawther is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Lawther 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

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

Meaning and origin of Lawther

The surname Lawther is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "hlaw," which means "hill" or "mound," combined with the suffix "-ther," denoting someone who lived near or worked on a hill or elevated land.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, particularly in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. It is likely that the name was initially used as a descriptive term for individuals who resided or worked on elevated terrains.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Lawther appears in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire, a census-like record from the late 13th century. This document mentions a "William de Lawther" as a landholder in the village of Staynton (now Stainton).

In the 14th century, the name Lawther can be found in the Placita de Quo Warranto, a collection of legal records from the reign of Edward I. This document mentions a "John Lawther" who held land in the village of Yolton (now Youlton) in Yorkshire.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Lawther has been subject to various spelling variations, including Lather, Lawthor, Lawder, and Lawdre, reflecting the fluid nature of surnames in those times.

One notable figure bearing the Lawther surname was Sir William Lawther (c. 1545-1616), a prominent English merchant and alderman in the City of London during the Elizabethan era. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1589 and played a significant role in the city's governance and trade.

Another historical figure was John Lawther (1637-1693), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of Laverton in Somerset. He published several religious works, including "A Treatise on the Catechism" and "A Discourse on the Visible Church."

In the 18th century, Thomas Lawther (1720-1789) was a renowned British architect and surveyor. He designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary Woolnoth and the Foundling Hospital.

The Lawther family also had a presence in Scotland, with one of the earliest recorded individuals being Robert Lawther (1785-1856), a Scottish merchant and banker who played a significant role in establishing the Western Bank of Scotland.

In the 19th century, William Lawther (1836-1912) was a prominent English industrialist and philanthropist. He founded the Lawther Manufacturing Company, which produced textiles and machinery, and contributed significantly to the development of the industrial town of Rochdale.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lawther families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lawther 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 60 Lawthers recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.46x.

County Total Index
Durham 60 14.46x
Middlesex 23 1.65x
Northumberland 21 10.12x
Lanarkshire 20 4.43x
Nottinghamshire 6 3.19x
Lancashire 4 0.24x
Hampshire 3 1.05x
Surrey 2 0.29x
Hertfordshire 1 1.04x
Kent 1 0.21x
Perthshire 1 1.60x
West Lothian 1 4.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ryhope in Durham leads with 21 Lawthers recorded in 1881 and an index of 729.17x.

Place Total Index
Ryhope 21 729.17x
Bedlington 14 202.02x
Bishopwearmouth 12 33.70x
Govan 11 9.86x
Islington London 11 8.14x
St Sepulchre London 10 490.20x
Glasgow 8 9.99x
Monkwearmouth 7 176.32x
Kyo 6 307.69x
Nottingham St Mary 6 12.34x
Newbottle 5 220.26x
Sunderland 5 68.21x
Elswick 4 24.15x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 37.04x
Salford 3 6.16x
Southampton St Mary 3 16.69x
Togstone 3 2727.27x
Barony 1 0.88x
Broughton In Salford 1 6.61x
Deptford St Paul 1 2.72x
Hammersmith London 1 2.91x
Linlithgow 1 37.17x
Little Dunkeld 1 94.34x
Richmond 1 10.50x
Ryton Woodside 1 192.31x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.56x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.07x
Stevenage 1 67.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Ann 6
Jane 6
Mary 6
Sarah 4
Emily 3
Isabella 3
Edith 2
Hannah 2
Alexandra 1
Beatrice 1
Christiana 1
Christobel 1
Deborah 1
Dorothy 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Keziah 1
Louisa 1
Maud 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Lawther surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lawther surname in 1881?

In 1881, 143 people were recorded with the Lawther surname. That placed it at #15,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lawther surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 408 in 2016. That gives Lawther a modern rank of #11,711.

What does the Lawther surname mean?

A variant of the English surname Lather, derived from the medieval occupation of a lather or crossbow maker.

What does the Lawther map show?

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