Find out how popular the last name Laswell is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Laswell.

Laswell, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Laswell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Laswell in America

Laswell is the 22026th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Laswell surname appeared 1,177 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Laswell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Laswell to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Laswell

The surname Laswell traces its origins to England, having emerged in the medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "læs" meaning "pasture" and "well" signifying a source of water, suggesting it may have initially referred to someone who lived near a well in a pasture or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lesewelle." This historical record provides insight into the name's early spelling variations, showcasing its evolution over time.

In the 13th century, records from Nottinghamshire mention a John de Laswell, indicating the name's presence in that region. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 list a William Laswell residing in Oxfordshire, further solidifying the name's geographical distribution across different parts of England.

The placename "Laswell" itself can be traced back to a hamlet in Warwickshire, near the town of Kenilworth. It is likely that the surname originated from this location, with families adopting the placename as their surname, a common practice in medieval times.

Notable individuals bearing the Laswell surname throughout history include:

1. Thomas Laswell (c. 1560-1640), an English clergyman and author known for his theological writings.
2. Robert Laswell (1687-1761), a prominent merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who played a significant role in the local economy and politics.
3. Elizabeth Laswell (1732-1803), a renowned English painter and portraitist during the 18th century, renowned for her depictions of aristocratic families.
4. William Laswell (1819-1895), a British engineer and inventor who patented several innovations in steam engine design.
5. Sir Arthur Laswell (1856-1924), a British military officer who served in the Boer War and later became a Member of Parliament.

While the Laswell surname may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the English countryside, where it originated as a descriptive name for those residing near a well in a pasture or meadow.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Laswell

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Laswell.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Laswell was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Laswell has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

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

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

Reference this page

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!