Lawson first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Lawson has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Lawson

Son of Lawrence, a habitational name from a place in England.

Popularity of Lawson by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Lawson is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 96% of people named Lawson being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 768 male babies and 33 female babies born with the name Lawson.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 33 baby girls were named Lawson in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 768 33
2022 781 35
2021 896 33
2020 870 22
2019 870 28
2018 853 33
2017 713 35
2016 715 27
2015 699 29
2014 576 25
2013 523 12
2012 491 17
2011 432 11
2010 401 18
2009 390 15
2008 330 12
2007 371 11
2006 336 15
2005 297 13
2004 263 17
2003 215 12
2002 197 6
2001 156 9
2000 158 17
1999 139 6
1998 100 8
1997 85 5
1996 59 6
1995 62 6
1994 72 0
1993 61 0
1992 46 6
1991 35 0
1990 38 0
1989 48 0
1988 41 0
1987 26 0
1986 26 0
1985 20 0
1984 31 0
1983 23 0
1982 22 0
1981 17 0
1980 23 0
1979 27 0
1978 15 0
1977 26 0
1976 17 0
1975 17 0
1974 19 0

The history of the first name Lawson

The given name Lawson has its origins in the English language and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "law" and "son," which together translate to "son of the law." This suggests that the name was initially given to the sons of lawyers, judges, or lawmen during the medieval period.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Lawson can be traced back to the 13th century in England. During this time, surnames were becoming more prevalent, and many were derived from occupations or familial relationships. The name Lawson likely emerged as a way to identify the sons of those involved in the legal profession or law enforcement.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Lawson was Sir Roger Lawson, an English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France in the mid-14th century. He was a prominent figure during the reign of King Edward III and played a crucial role in several battles, including the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Lawson, an English clergyman and theologian who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a prolific writer and authored several books on religious topics, including "The Dicing Prayer" and "The Body of Divinity."

In the 18th century, John Lawson, an English explorer and naturalist, made significant contributions to the study of the flora and fauna of the American colonies. His book "A New Voyage to Carolina," published in 1709, provided detailed accounts of his travels and observations of the natural world in the Carolinas.

Moving into the 19th century, Henry Brougham Lawson, an Australian writer and poet, gained recognition for his works depicting life in the Australian outback. Born in 1867, he is considered one of the most influential figures in Australian literature and is renowned for his short stories and poems that capture the harsh realities of rural life.

Finally, in the 20th century, Wilbur Lawson, an American baseball player, made his mark in the sport. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox in the 1930s and was known for his exceptional defensive skills as an outfielder.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the given name Lawson, a name with roots in the legal profession and a rich heritage spanning several centuries.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Lawson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Lawson, please contact us.

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We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Lawson first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/lawson-meaning-and-history/.

"Lawson first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/lawson-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Lawson first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/lawson-meaning-and-history/.

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