Hi Laws researchers, I sent out six copies to individuals who requested them last night. Now I see there are a number more requesting this article. My Laws go back to 1711 in MA., NH, VT, OH, IN, IL, and then KS. I had posted queries on each of my Laws families above the post about this article. If any one has any individual questions for me, you can write me at [email protected] I also belong to the LAWS registry in England. However, most of those researchers still live in England, with only a few of us in the USA. I hope you find this informative and enjoy it. Here is the article: The Ancient History of the Distinguished Surname: Law Few areas in Britain have produced as many notable families in world history such as the names of Armstrong, Nixon, Graham, Bell, Carson, Hume, Irving, Lock, Rutherford, as the Border regions of England and Scotland. The family name Law is included in this group. Researchers have confirmed the first documented history of this name is in Lowland Scotland and Northern England, tracing it through many ancient manuscripts including private collections of historical and genealogical records. The Inquisition, the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, the Ragman Rolls, the Hearth Rolls, the Domesday Book, Paris Cartularies, Baptismals, and Tax Rolls. The first record of the name Law was found in Northumberland where they were lords off the manor and seated from very ancient times. Different spellings of the name were found in the archives researched, typically linking each alternate to the root source of the surname. The surname Law, occurred in many references from time to time. The surname was spelt LAW, LAWE, and LAWES, and these changes in spelling frequently occurred, even between father and son. Scribes and church officials recorded the name from its sound. The family name LAW is believed to be descended originally from the Strathclyde Britons. This ancient founding race of the north were a mixture of Gaelic / Celts whose original territories ranged from Lancashire in the south, northwards to the south bank of the river Clyde in Scotland. Tracing its ancient development , the name Law was found in Northumberland and intermarried with the powerful Border family of RIDDELL of Swinbourne Castle and Felton House. By the 15th. century they had moved north into Scotland and acquired estates at Anstruthers and Burntoun in Fifeshire, Cameron, Eastern Kinevie, and Newton, and Lauriston in Edinburgh. Of this latter branch the scion of the family was a Count of the Empire of France. By the 17th. century they had migrated south to England were they were established in Sussex and elevated to the Lords Ellenborough, the Earls of Ellenborough, and Viscounts Southam. They also acquired estates at Canon Hill in Berkshire, and in Stanmore and Newington in Middlesex. They became the Bishops of Carlisle, Bath, and Wells, and Archdeacon of Rochester. Their present family seats are at Coleraine, Marble Hill, Killaloe, and Lauriston. Notable amongst the family at this time was Lord Ellenborough. By the year 1000 AD Border life was in turmoil. In 1246, six chiefs from the Scottish side, and six from the English side met at Carlisle and produced a set of laws governing all the Border clans. These were unlike any laws prevailing in England or Scotland, or for that matter anywhere else in the world, for example, it was a far greater offence to refuse to help a neighbour recover his property, wife, sheep, cattle or horses than it was to steal them in the first place. Hence the expression "Hot Trod", or "a hot pursuit, from which we get the modern "hot to trot". For refusal of assistance during a "hot trod", a person could be hanged on the instant without trial. Frequently, the descendants of these clans or families apologetically refer to themselves as being descended from cattle of horse thieves when, in fact, it was an accepted code of life on the Border. In 1603 the unified English and Scottish crowns, under James I, dispersed these unruly Border clans, clans which had served loyally in the defence of each side. The unification of the governments was threatened and it was imperative that the old Border code should be broken up. Hence, the Border clans were banished to England, northern Scotland, and to Ireland. Some were outlawed directly to Ireland, the Colonies and the New World. Many Border clans settled in Northern Ireland, transferred between 1650 and 1700 with grants of land provided they undertook to remain Protestant. Hence they became known as the undertakers. Many became proudly Irish. In Ireland they settled in north east Ulster and in the County of Kildare. But life in Ireland was little more rewarding and they sought a more challenging life. They looked to the New World and sailed aboard the "White Sails", an armada of sailing ships such as the HECTOR, the RAMBLER, and the DOVE, which struggled across the stormy Atlantic. Some ships lost 30 or 40% of their passenger list, migrants who where buried at sea, having died of dysentery, cholera, smallpox, and typhoid. In North America, some of the first migrants which could be considered kinsman of the family name LAW and their spelling variants were Mary Law, who settled in Virginia in 1643; John Law settled in Annapolis, MD, in 1719; Andrew Law settled in Maryland in 1774, George Law settled in Charlestown, S.C. in 1763; the family also settled in Georgia, Pennsylvania, California, New York, and Massachusetts. Nathan LAWE settled in Virginia in 1623; L. LAWE settled in San Francisco, Cal.. in 1852; Mr. LAWES, wife and daughter settled in New England in 1637; Elizabeth LAWES settled in Maryland in 1683; Francis LAWES settled in Boston, Mass. in 1637. In Newfoundland, James LAW was married at St. John's in 1786; Henry LAW was a fisherman of Burying Place in 1871. The migrants formed wagon trains westward, rolling west to their prairies, on the wets coast. During the American War of Independence those that remain loyal to the crown moved north into Canada and became known as the United Empire Loyalists. There were many notable contemporaries of this name Law, Baron Coleraine; Baron Ellenborough; Mr. Justice Law, Justice of Appeal; Admiral Sir Horace Law; James Law, (Q.C. Scot); Frank William Law, Consulting Ophthalmic Surgeon; Col. Hugh Law; Sir John LAWES; Richard Maitland Laws, Director, British Antarctic Survey. The most ancient grant of a coat of arms found was: Ermine on a diagonal red stripe between two red cocks, three gold stars. The crest was : A red cock. The ancient family motto for this distinguished name was: "COMPOSITUM JUS FASQUE ANIMI" Taken from a computer extract prepared on the name LAW,by: The Hall of Names Ltd. 205 St. John's Hill, Battersea, London, SW11 1TH. England. Sent by Mr Ian Stuart Law, Manchester, England