Lawrence - Coleraine, Londonderry

[bnl]

Hi,

I am trying to trace my great grandfather (Alexander Lawrence). I have been told he was born on 23 February 1840 in Coleraine, Londonderry but I have been unable to find any information on him. I would appreciate any assistance in breaking down my brick wall.

[aghadowey]

Welcome to Rootschat. Do you have any more information about Alexander Lawrence? for example, did he marry? have you found him in any records?, etc.

[Bannerman]

Hi bnl

According to the 1901 and 1911 census returns for the county, the following frequencies of name  show up :

Laurence 1901 = 1 and obviously incorrect where forename and surname were mixed ie Hegarty Laurence
Laurence 1911 = 17, again two were mixed and the remaining 15 were in the Magherafelt / Castledawson / Cookstown area

Lawrence 1901 = 31 where all but three were in the Magherafelt / Castledawson / Moneymore / Cookstown area.
Lawrence 1911 = 21 and again all but 2 were in the Magherafelt / Castledawson / Moneymore / Cookstown area.

There would not appear to be any occurrence of either variant in the Coleraine region of the county in either census. I realize this is a few years after the birth of your ancestor but this is probably still a good guidance based on reasonably static population movements. If it was me I would be looking further south than Coleraine. (Standing to be corrected)

The 1901 Census has an Alexander Lawrence in the Brackagh Slieve Gallion are of south Derry age 37 and the 1911 Census has Alexander Laurence in the same area age 55. It does appear that the spelling changed from one census to the next for large numbers of this surname  but it must be remembered that the levels of literacy were exceptionally low by modern standards, especially in the 19th century / turn of the 20th and enumerators would have put their own slant on what they heard from householders who were unable to fill out their own forms. In other words it pays to search around with as many variants of a surname as you can come up with.

Hope this helps

[Bannerman]

And having said all that Griffiths Valuation has a Samuel Lawrence in Blindgate St. in Coleraine when the valuation was made in 1859. !

[Bannerman]

And the 1852 Ulster Street Directory for Coleraine  has Samuel Laurence, magistrate listed in Bannfield House and also a Mrs Laurence in Hanover Place listed under the heading of " Nobility and Gentry."

[aghadowey]

There would not appear to be any occurrence of either variant in the Coleraine region of the county in either census. I realize this is a few years after the birth of your ancestor but this is probably still a good guidance based on reasonably static population movements. If it was me I would be looking further south than Coleraine. (Standing to be corrected)

Afraid the above information is incorrect. In 1911 census there were Lawrence families at Ballylagan and Curragh townlands (Somerset D.E.D.) which is just outside Coleraine. There are Lawrence in that area yet.
There were also Lawrences about Coleraine but hopefully bni will have more details.

[bnl]

Hi,

Many thanks to aghadowey and Bannerman for your replies.

Other information I have on Alexander Lawrence is -

a. Our Lawrence "coat of arms" is almost identical to the St.Lawrence/Lord Howth "coat of arms" so perhaps
    there is some connection with them. However, our "Coat of arms" appears to be English? See pictures
    enclosed.

b. He emigrated to South Africa in 1862 and in the book "Aided Immigration from Britain to South Africa 1857-    1867" by Esmè Bull, he is recorded as -
    Permit No: R1520/P1397       Name: LAWRENCE, Alexander       Age: 22       Status: Single                       
    Occupation: Labourer
    Destination: 1 Chapel Street, Capetown. South Africa. (Residence of Brown LAWRENCE)
    From: County Derry, Ireland
    Ship: "John Vanner"
    Arrival Date: March 1862
    Travelling with Alexander was Mary LAWRENCE aged 20, also single. Occupation Housemaid

c. As far as I know, his father was resident in England when he went to South Africa.
 
d. Other Lawrence's that arrived in Cape Town between May 1860 and January 1865 from County Derry     
    were - Brown 19, Hugh Lawrence 29, Eliza 37, James R (Jonathon) 3, David 1 and Catherine Ann 22.

[aghadowey]

I have numerous Lawrence deaths in Coleraine but nothing that ties into your family or with a South African connection. Unfortunately all the people you've listed were born well before the start of civil registration of births in Ireland (1864). To find church records you'd need to know what religion the family were in Ireland.
Seems strange that Alexander's father was in England in 1862 but think it's very unlikely that the family had a coat of arms.

[bnl]

Thanks for your comments.
I am interested in your comment "but I think it's very unlikely that the family had a coat of arms". The coat of arms was researched by an heraldic researcher, based on information from Alexander Lawrence's grandson, who was the family historian at the time, and part of the coat of arms was then incorporated into the coat of arms of the town that Alexander founded in South Africa.