Surname Laidlaw - Meaning and Origin
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Laidlaw: What does the surname Laidlaw mean?
Laidlaw is a Scottish surname of medieval origins, likely hailing from Berwickshire in Southeast Scotland. It is of Anglo-Saxon derivation, stemming from a place near Houndslow, in the county of Middlesex, known as "Levedale" in ancient times. The name's meaning can be split into two parts: "leid/laid", an ancient term referring to a 'road' or 'route', and "law", denoting a hill. Consequently, the surname Laidlaw essentially means "a path or road leading up to a hill". This was possibly used to refer to people living near or around such geographical features. The first recorded spelling of the family name is said to date back to the 13th century. Like many surnames of the period, the name spelling underwent significant changes over time, appearing in various forms, such as Laidlaw, Laidley, and Laidlay, among others. Despite these variations, its essence pertaining to geographical orientation holds true across its forms.
Order DNA origin analysisLaidlaw: Where does the name Laidlaw come from?
The surname Laidlaw is of Scottish origin, deriving from an old Scots dialect. It comes from the term "lede" which means "hill" and "law" which also means "hill", essentially translating to “hill hill”. Traditionally it was used to refer to someone living near a hill. The Laidlaw surname first originated from the border region of Scotland and England.
Today, the Laidlaw surname is most common in Scotland, especially in the regions where the family held a family seat from ancient times. Though less common, it is also found in England. Post the era of the British Empire, the surname has spread to former colonies such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. Its presence in these countries is however much less than in the UK. Laidlaw is relatively uncommon worldwide and does not rank highly in terms of global surname distribution.
Variations of the surname Laidlaw
The surname Laidlaw is of Scottish origin and is derived from the Scots language words "Lawit-law", meaning a hill that floods. The surname has various spellings due to regional differences and interpretations over time. Variants include Lidlaw, Laidlow, Laidlay, Ladly, Ladlie, Ladlaw, Ledlie, Lidly, and Lydly.
Laidlaw also has several septs, or branches, with different surnames. These are families that might not share the exact same surname, but are connected through a shared clan history.
The different branches or septs related to the Laidlaw clan include the names Copeland, Telfer, and Telford. In some cases, variants of these names might also be considered connected to the Laidlaw surname, such as Copland or Tellford. The further spread and global migration led to slight variations in the name spelling, hence the development of these multiple versions.
These variations occur due to the phonetic transcriptions of the Scots language, and similar sounding surnames in different languages may not have the same roots as Laidlaw. Each Laidlaw variant is unique and carries its own distinct history, evolving over time and across different regions.
Famous people with the name Laidlaw
- John Laidlaw: former British Army officer and president of the British Olympic Association.
- Gary Laidlaw: Scottish International football player.
- David Laidlaw: Canadian physicist and computer scientist.
- David Laidlaw-Sly: British novelist and screenwriter.
- Frank Laidlaw: Australian cricketer.
- Robert Laidlaw: former New Zealand cricketer.
- Derek Laidlaw: English former professional rugby union player.
- Will Laidlaw: Scottish international rugby union player.
- Robert Laidlaw: former Australian politician.
- Phil Laidlaw: Canadian retired professional ice hockey player.
- Bill Laidlaw: British businessman and military officer.
- Cliff Laidlaw: Canadian professional hockey player.
- George Laidlaw: former Canadian Member of Parliament.
- David Laidlaw MBE: chairman of the Rotary Club of Birkenhead.
- Ruth Laidlaw: New Zealand novelist.
- Richard Laidlaw: Scottish footballer.
- Duncan Laidlaw: former New Zealand cricketer.
- Jessie Laidlaw: British actress best known for playing the role of Rona in the television series Footballers' Wives.
- Youl Laidlaw: New Zealand former long-distance runner and coach.
- David Hamilton Laidlaw: Canadian academic and biotechnologist.