Surname Lawson - Meaning and Origin
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K. Lawson
read moreLawson: What does the surname Lawson mean?
The surname Lawson is of English and Scottish origin and essentially means "son of Lawrence." It is derived from the combination of the personal name "Lawrence" (derived from the Latin 'Laurentius' which means 'man from Laurentum,' a town in Italy) and "son," a common term in surnames denoting "descendant of". Lawson can therefore be interpreted as the 'descendant or son of Lawrence.' Noteworthily, variations of the name exist across different cultures and languages. Some of the common alternative spellings include Laweson, Lawsone, and Lawesone. The name's prevalence in Scotland is associated with the tradition of Scottish patronymic surnames while its English roots can be traced back to various regions in England such as Yorkshire and Cumberland.
Order DNA origin analysisLawson: Where does the name Lawson come from?
The surname Lawson is of English and Scottish origin. It derives from a patronymic form of the given name "Law", a pet form of "Lawrence", derived from the Roman name Laurentius ('man from Laurentum', a town in Italy). The suffix "son" suggests 'son of Law', thus forming Lawson. The name Lawson started appearing in records from the 16th century in different parts of England and Scotland.
Today, Lawson is fairly widespread across English-speaking countries, but it's most common in Northern England and Scotland. It is also prevalent in the United States, Canada, and Australia. According to Forebears, the top five countries with the highest number of people named Lawson are the United States, Nigeria, England, Australia, and Canada. In Scotland, the Lawson name is mainly concentrated in the areas of Midlothian and Angus. Research suggests the use of surname is increasing, ranking it as the 559th most common surname in the world.
Variations of the surname Lawson
The surname Lawson is of Scottish and English origin. Variants of the surname include Lawton, Law, Laws, and Larson. In the Danish language, the name is spelled as "Larsen", in Norwegian as "Larsen" or "Larssen", and in Swedish, as "Larsson".
These represent patronymic forms that translate as "son of Laurence". It's quite spread among the Scandinavian countries due to their common practice of patronymic naming. The surname is derived from the Roman (Latin) "Laurentius", which means "man from Laurentum", a town in Italy.
Alternative spellings can also include Lochinson, Lochsoun, Laweson, and Lauson. Some surnames of a similar origin due to the root "Law," denoting a familial connection to a person named Lawrence or Laurence, are Lawman, Lawrance, Lawless, and Lawler.
There is also the possibility of Lawson being a locational surname coming from places named Lawson in Cumberland and West Yorkshire.
While different surnames may denote different branches or shifts in family lines, these represent potential variations of the Lawson surname.
Famous people with the name Lawson
- Nigella Lawson: British author, chef, and television personality
- Caty Maxwell Lawson: American journalist and radio broadcaster
- Gary Lawson: former professional football player
- Wilbert Lawson: British actor
- Juliette Lawson: French dress designer
- Jamie Lawson: English singer and songwriter
- Joanna Lawson: British author of romance novels
- George Lawson: American author and poet
- Christopher Lawson: English actor
- Annie Lawson: American character actress