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Irish surname

Lawlor: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

Ó Leathlobhair · 'descendant of Leathlobhar' (half-leper)

Woulfe (1923) gives Lawlor, Lalor and Lawler as anglicised forms of Ó Leathlobhair, 'descendant of Leathlobhar'. He names an early Ulidian family and a family of kinsmen of the O'Moores who were one of the 'seven septs of Leix', seated at Dysart Enos near the Rock of Dunamase. In 1890 Ireland's birth indexes held 142 entries for Lawlor, Lalor and Lawler, principally in Dublin, Queen's, Wicklow and Wexford.

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Coat of arms associated with the Lawlor surname
Irish formÓ Leathlobhair
Meaning'descendant of Leathlobhar' (half-leper)
CountiesLeix, Queen's, Dublin, Wicklow
Other spellings5

Origin of the Lawlor name

Woulfe names: (1) an Ulidian family descended from Leathlobhar, King of Ulidia (d. 871), kings of Dalradia and Ulidia in the early 10th century; (2) kinsmen of the O'Moores, one of the 'seven septs of Leix', seated at Dysart Enos near the Rock of Dunamase; (3) a family in Co. Monaghan.[1]

  1. 871Death of Leathlobhar, King of Ulidia, ancestor of the Ulidian family.[1]
  2. Early 10th centuryThe Uí Leathlobhair appear in the Annals as kings of Dalradia and Ulidia.[1]
  3. Reign of ElizabethDriven from Dysart Enos by the English family of Pigott; dispersed through Leinster.[1]
  4. Early 17th centuryA remnant transplanted with the O'Moores to Kerry.[1]
  5. 1690'O LAWLOR' appears in Sir James Terry's list of Irish septs.[3]
  6. 1847James Finton Lalor's letter in the Nation advocates a struggle for national independence.[5]
  7. 1854Peter Lalor commands the insurgent miners at the Eureka stockade, Ballarat.[6]
  8. 1890142 birth entries: Lawlor 59, Lalor 42, Lawler 41.[2][4]

Where in Ireland

Co. LeixSeated at Dysart Enos, near the Rock of Dunamase, as one of the 'seven septs of Leix'.[1]
Co. Queen'sA principal county for the name in 1890; the Lalor brothers came from Tinakill, Queen's County.[2][5][6]
Co. DublinFirst of the counties where the name was principally found in 1890.[2]
Co. WicklowAmong the counties where the name was principally found in 1890.[2]
Co. WexfordAmong the counties where the name was principally found in 1890.[2]
Co. KerryA remnant was transplanted with the O'Moores to Kerry in the early 17th century.[1]
Co. MonaghanWoulfe: 'There was also a family of the name in Co. Monaghan.'[1]

Notable people named Lawlor

James Finton Lalord. 1849Politician, eldest son of Patrick Lalor of Tinakill, Queen's County; chief contributor to the 'Irish Felon' in 1848.[5]
Peter Lalor1823–1889Born at Tinakill; commanded the rebels at the Eureka stockade in 1854; later speaker of the house, 1880–1888.[6]

Other spellings

Lalor · Lawler · O'Lalor · O Lawler · O Lalour[1][2]

The Lawlor coat of arms

'O LAWLOR' is printed in the 'List of Names of Irish Septs as given in the Book of Arms, compiled by Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald (1690)', as reproduced by Matheson. The list gives sept names only; it does not describe any arms, and it does not mean that everyone named Lawlor is entitled to a coat of arms.[3]

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Lawlor surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Lawlor crest gifts

Clan Lawlor Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap DY13 Lawlor Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Lawlor Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Olawlor Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapKS95 Classic Cap - Olawlor Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Olawlor Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Lawlor Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapZG87 Classic Cap - Lawlor Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Lawlor Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00Clan Olawlor Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap VS33 Olawlor Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Olawlor Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00

Lawlor surname: questions

What does the surname Lawlor mean?

Woulfe gives Lawlor as a form of Ó Leathlobhair, 'descendant of Leathlobhar', a name he glosses as 'half-leper'.[1]

Are Lawlor, Lalor and Lawler the same name?

Woulfe lists Lalor, Lawlor and Lawler (with O Lalour, O Lawler and O'Lalor) as anglicised forms of Ó Leathlobhair, and Matheson printed the three spellings on one line for 1890: Lawlor 59, Lalor 42, Lawler 41, 142 in all.[1][2]

Where in Ireland is the Lawlor name from?

Woulfe places one family at Dysart Enos near the Rock of Dunamase, as one of the 'seven septs of Leix', with a remnant later transplanted to Kerry; he also names an early Ulidian family and a family in Co. Monaghan. In 1890 the name was principally found in Dublin, Queen's, Wicklow and Wexford.[1][2]

Were the Lawlors one of the seven septs of Leix?

Yes, per Woulfe: the Ó Leathlobhair family, kinsmen of the O'Moores, were one of the 'seven septs of Leix', seated at Dysart Enos until the English family of Pigott drove them out in the reign of Elizabeth.[1]

Sources

  1. Ó Leathlobhair — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ol/o-leathlobhair.php
  2. Lawlor — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/lawlor.php
  3. List of Names of Irish Septs (Terry, 1690) — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/irish-septs.php
  4. Table Explanation — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/table-explanation.php
  5. Lalor, James Finton — Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Wikisource. en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/...
  6. Lalor, Peter — Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Wikisource. en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/...

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).