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

Lawhorn, 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 Lawhorn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lawhorn in America

Lawhorn is the 6248th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lawhorn surname appeared 5,465 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Lawhorn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lawhorn 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 Lawhorn

The surname Lawhorn originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hlaw" meaning hill or mound, and "horn" referring to a horn-shaped bend or curve. This suggests the name may have originated from a geographical feature, perhaps a settlement situated near a curved hill or mound.

Early spellings of the name include Lawehorn, Lauhorn, and Lawehorne, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. The name is believed to have first appeared in the county of Gloucestershire, with records indicating families bearing the name residing in the villages of Naunton and Guiting Power.

One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1327, which lists a Robert Lawhorn as a taxpayer in the village of Naunton. This suggests the name was already established in the region by the 14th century.

During the 16th century, the Lawhorn family appears to have expanded their presence beyond Gloucestershire. Records from this period show individuals with the surname residing in the counties of Wiltshire, Somerset, and Dorset. Notable figures from this time include William Lawhorn, a merchant from Salisbury, Wiltshire, who was born in 1542.

In the 17th century, the Lawhorne spelling variation emerged, as seen in the birth record of John Lawhorne, born in 1657 in the village of Guiting Power, Gloucestershire. This spelling remained in use alongside Lawhorn for several generations.

The 18th century saw the migration of some Lawhorn families to the American colonies. One notable individual was Thomas Lawhorn, who was born in Gloucestershire in 1712 and later settled in Virginia, where he became a respected landowner and farmer.

Other notable individuals with the surname Lawhorn throughout history include:

1. Sir Robert Lawhorn (1527-1591), a English judge and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. Elizabeth Lawhorn (1675-1744), an early settler in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and one of the accusers in the Salem Witch Trials.
3. Captain James Lawhorn (1745-1818), an American Revolutionary War officer from Virginia who later became a prominent politician.
4. Mary Lawhorn (1801-1879), a pioneering educator and founder of one of the first schools for African American children in Tennessee.
5. John Lawhorn (1887-1958), a renowned British architect known for his work in the Arts and Crafts style.

While the Lawhorn surname may not be among the most common, its history spans centuries and can be traced back to its roots in the English countryside, reflecting the diverse experiences of those who have borne this name throughout the generations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lawhorn

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

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

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

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