History of your Surname
Get access to Lawley family records.Start a free trial

Lawley Family History

Lawley Name Meaning

English (mainly West Midlands): habitational name from Lawley in Shropshire named in Old English as ‘Lafa's wood’ from the personal name Lāfa (from lāf ‘remnant survivor’) + lēah ‘wood glade’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Hawley, Fawley, Pawley, Manley, Barley, Batley, Hanley, Loxley

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Lawley family from?

You can see how Lawley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lawley family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lawley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1840 there were 8 Lawley families living in Alabama. This was about 73% of all the recorded Lawley's in USA. Alabama had the highest population of Lawley families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lawley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Lawley ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Lawley. 21% of Lawley men worked as a Laborer and 17% of Lawley women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lawley were Miner and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Lawley | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    21%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Truck Driver
    9%
  • Miner
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    17%
  • Housework
    14%
  • Teacher
    9%
  • Housekeeper
    9%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Lawley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 33,000 census records available for the last name Lawley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lawley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Lawley

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Lawley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Lawley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Lawley. For the veterans among your Lawley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lawley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lawley family history

Discover More

What is the average Lawley lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Lawley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1953, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Lawley in 1953 was 25, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lawley

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lawley family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Lawley last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial