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

Lawler, 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 Lawler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lawler in America

Lawler is the 2516th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lawler surname appeared 14,387 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Lawler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lawler 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 Lawler

The surname Lawler is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word "Labhradha," which means "loud voice" or "speaker." It is believed to have originated in the 12th century in County Galway, Ireland.

The name Lawler is thought to have been initially a nickname for someone with a powerful or booming voice, perhaps a storyteller or orator. Over time, this nickname became a hereditary surname passed down through generations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Lawler is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The document mentions a Diarmaid Ó Labhradha, an Irish chieftain from County Galway, who lived in the late 12th century.

Another early reference to the name Lawler comes from the 14th century, when a John Lawler was listed as a landowner in the Pipe Rolls of County Galway. This suggests that the Lawler family had established itself as a prominent clan in the region by that time.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Fergal Ó Labhradha, anglicized as Fergal Lawler, was a celebrated Irish poet and bard. He was renowned for his poetic compositions and is mentioned in various literary works of the era.

During the 17th century, the surname Lawler began to spread beyond County Galway as the family migrated to other parts of Ireland and eventually to other countries, such as England and America. One prominent individual was John Lawler, born in 1668, who was a successful merchant and landowner in County Cork.

In the 18th century, a famous bearer of the Lawler name was Robert Lawler, born in 1720 in County Tipperary. He was a renowned scholar and educator who served as the headmaster of several prestigious schools in Ireland.

Another notable figure was Michael Lawler, born in 1799 in County Mayo. He was a prominent Irish revolutionary who participated in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and later became a respected writer and historian, documenting the struggles for Irish independence.

As the Lawler family continued to disperse worldwide, the surname gained recognition in various fields. One such individual was John Lawler, an American politician born in 1837, who served as a U.S. Congressman from Illinois in the late 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lawler

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

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

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

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