LAURENCE
Laurence is a surname of Latin origin. It is derived from the given name Laurentius, a classical male name meaning “man from Laurentum”, an ancient Roman city situated in Italy.
The name Laurentius is itself rooted in the Latin word laurus, which refers to the laurel tree. In antiquity the laurel was the emblem of triumph and honour; those who bore the name were often linked, either by birth or by association, with the city of Laurentum or with the symbolic dignity embodied in the laurel.
Christian influence also helped popularise the name during the Middle Ages. The martyrdom of St. Laurence of Rome in the mid‑third century provided a religious patron whose name was widely adopted by converts and laypeople alike, further cementing the use of Laurence as a surname across Europe.
In historical documents the surname occurs in a variety of spellings. Early examples include Magister Laurentius recorded in the episcopal archives of Glasgow in 1195, John Lorence noted in Suffolk in 1268, and Heinrich Lenz of Alzey in 1341. The only instance of the name in the English Domesday Book of 1086 is a later expansion of the name’s use during the centuries that followed.
Across continental Europe the surname and its derivatives appear in many forms. The English variants include Laurence and Laurens; the French variants are Lorent, Laurans and Laurant; the Italian forms are Lorenz, Renzi and Lorente; the Spanish variants are Lorenzo and Lorente; the German forms include Lenz and Frentz; and the Polish name Wawrzyniec and the Hungarian Lorincz are also derived from the same Latin root.
Today the surname is most commonly found in English‑speaking countries. In the United Kingdom it remains a recognised family name, while in other English‑speaking nations such as the United States, Canada and Australia it continues to be borne by many individuals. The surname also maintains a presence throughout Europe, notably in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Ireland, reflecting its long history of migration and assimilation.
Typical given names associated with the Laurence surname
Male
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Amanda
- Eileen
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Gillian
- Jacqueline
- Karen
- Margaret
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Sharon
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Lawrence
- Lowrance
- Laurance
- Lawrenson
- Larkins
- Lawes
- Lawrance
- Larkin
- Lawrie
- Laws
- Larence
- Larance
- Larrance
- Larrence
- Larwence
- Laurans
- Laurant
- Laurenco
- Laurene
- Laurense
- Laurent
- Laurente
- Laurenti
- Laurents
- Laurenz
- Laureyns
- Laurnece
- Lawance
- Lawarence
- Lawence
- Lawerence
- Lawrrence
- Leurent
- Lewrence
- Lieurance
- Lorance
- Lorence
- Loriente
- Lorrance
- Lourance
- Lourence
- Laurencio
- Laurens
- Laurenza
- Laurenzi
- Lawerance
- Lawrense
- Loren
- Lorens
- Lorenz
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Laurence in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 1,611 people named Laurence in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,038th most common surname in Britain. Around 25 in a million people in Britain are named Laurence.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Laurence
- Timothy Laurence - Royal Navy admiral
- Noel Laurence - Royal Navy admiral (1882 to 1970)
- Chris Laurence - Musician
- Perceval Maitland Laurence - Lawyer (1854 to 1930)
- Elizabeth Laurence -
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.