Lau Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Lau last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Lau last name
Meaning of the Lau last name: a dweller at the sign of the lion. According to Elsdon Smith, the German surname Lau first described a dweller at the sign of the lion, or someone who came from Laue or Lauen (lion), in Germany. Modern surname data shows Lau bearers in the United States, Canada and Germany.
Arms associated with the Lau name
Sharing a surname establishes no coat of arms entitlement; heraldry follows documented individual lineages.
Get your full Lau family history
This is only a glimpse of the Lau story. The full Lau history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Lau coat of arms. Get the full Lau report.
Lau name FAQ
What does the Lau name mean?
A dweller at the sign of the lion. Common variants include Laue.
Where does the Lau surname come from?
It originates in Germany, and is also found in the United States and Canada.
Is there a Lau coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Lau coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Elsdon C. Smith, Dictionary of American Family Names (1956), individual surname entries; modern indexed dictionary entries supersede conflicting interpretations.; Forebears, Surnam.es and individual surname distribution references.