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

Lawer, 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 Lawer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lawer in America

Lawer is the 78316th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lawer surname appeared 244 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 Lawer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lawer 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 Lawer

The surname Lawer is believed to have originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "laghweard," which means "guardian of the law." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have held positions related to law enforcement or legal administration.

The earliest known record of the Lawer surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of documents from the late 13th century that recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name appears as "Lauar" and "Lauuer."

Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as "Lawir," "Lawyr," and "Lawer" becoming more common. These spellings likely reflected regional dialects and the preferences of individual scribes.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the Lawer surname was John Lawer, a Scottish clergyman who served as the Bishop of Brechin from 1454 to 1465. He was known for his involvement in ecclesiastical affairs and his role in mediating disputes between the Church and the Scottish nobility.

During the 16th century, the name Lawer appeared in various records throughout Scotland, including legal documents and parish registers. One prominent individual was Robert Lawer (c. 1535-1607), a Scottish scholar and poet who served as the Principal of King's College at the University of Aberdeen.

In the 17th century, the Lawer surname gained recognition in Scotland's literary circles. James Lawer (1610-1676) was a Scottish poet and playwright whose works included the tragedy "The Marchant's Tragedy" and the collection "Poetical Recreations."

Another notable figure from this period was Sir John Lawer (1625-1688), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1677 to 1688. He played a significant role in the legal and political affairs of the time and was known for his defense of the rule of law.

As the centuries progressed, the Lawer surname continued to be associated with various professions, including law, academia, and the arts. While not as numerous as some other Scottish surnames, it has maintained a presence in Scotland and beyond, with descendants bearing the name residing in various parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lawer

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

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 Lawer 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 Lawer 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 Lawer was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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