This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Lawrence.' In the Lowlands and on the Borders, popularly Lowrie or Laurie, whence the many North English and Scottish variations of this name. The English sobriquet of the fox was Reynard, which see. In Scotland Lawrence stood sponsor to the animal.

'Whil slee Tod Lowrie hads without his mow.' - Ramsay's Poems.

'He said; and round the courtiers all and each Applauded Lawrie for his winsome speech.' ibid.

Hence 'Lowrie-like,' having the crafty look of a fox. The full name Lawrence was also applied to the fox, proving that Lowry and Lawry are the true offspring of the name.

'Lawrence the actis and the proccis wrait.': Bannatyne Poems.

1677. Buried — Mary Lower: St. Dionis Backchurch.

1743. Married — Edward Lowry and Sarah Gilbert: St. George Chapel, Mayfair.

1784. — Hugh Laurie and Frances Storie: St. George, Hanover Square.

Diminutives of Laurence which see. Innes (p. 21) says Laurie is another shape of Laurenceson, but this is unlikely. The church of Edzell was dedicated to S. Laurence the Martyr, and his well is near by the churchyard. The name has been also explained, with still less probability; as from Scots lowrie, 'foxy'. The name of Gavin Lawrie, governor of New Jersey during the colonial period, is spelled in a letter quoted in The Haigs of Bemersyde as Lowry. In old records (barony court book of Stitchell, kirk-session records, tombstones, etc.) the surname is found spelled Lauri (1655), Laurie, Laurri, Laury (1665), Lawrie, Lawiy, Lame, Larry, Lowry, Lourie, Loury, and Lowrry.

A variant of Laurie, which see. We find it as a forename in 1467 in which year Lowry Smith was juror on an inquisition anent fishing in the Tweed (RD., 461), and in 1567 Lourie Quhyt was a tenant of the abbot of Kelso (Kelso, p. 524). Gilbert Lowrie in Coldingham witnessed a retour of special service in 1497 (Home, 28), David Lowry appears in Irvine as king's officer in 1529 (Irvine, II, p. 36), and Robert Lowry possessed land there in 1540 (ibid., 169). Thomas Loure, a charter witness at Doune, 1540 (RMS., III, 2278). John Loury was officer of the lordship of Ballincreiff in 1557 (ER., XIX, p. 23), and Joseph Lowrye was minister at the kirk of Lenzie in 1620 (SBR., p. 152). James Lowrey was admitted burgess freeman of Glasgow in 1600 (Burgesses), John Lourie is recorded in Melrose in 1641, and Thomas Lourie was a Quaker in the same burgh in 1684 (RRM., I, p. 89; III, p. 43). The kirk bell given to S. Nicholas church, Aberdeen, by Provost Leyth in 1351, was called the 'Lourie.' Additional evidence that Lowrie is merely a variant of Laurie is shown by the entry in the Dumfries Retours in 1672 where mention is made of "Robertus Lowrie de Maxweltoun haeres Joannis Lowrie de Maxweltoun," where, of course, the persons named are members of the old and well-known family of "Annie Laurie.".

(like Laurie, Scot. and North.E.

dims. of Laurence, q.v.

And Symy that was sone brint With his lad Loury.—Colkelbie Sow (15th cent.), 213-14.

Both Lowrie and Lawrie are Scot. nicknames for the fox or for supp. fox­like persons.

(Scottish) Descendant of Laurie, pet form of Lawrence (the laurel, symbol of victory).

A northern abbreviation of Lawrence.

Lowrie and lawrie are, in Scotland, designations of the fox, and the words are also applied to a person of crafty or fox-like disposition.

Frequently written Lewry. In Normandy there are two places called Lorei-one in the arrondissement of Evreux, the other in the Cotentin. At the making of Domesday, Hugh de Luri held lands in capite, co. Dorset. Another Norman patriarch, William Leurie, (without the territorial prefix) was a tenant in chief in cos. Oxon, Glouc., and Essex. But see Lowrie. Some Lowrys claim descent from the Scottish family of Laurie, of Maxwelton, near Dumfries, whose name was variously written Laurie, Lawrey, Lawry, Lowry, Lowrey, and Lowray. B.L.G.

Signifies in Scotch a crafty person, or one who lowers, that is, contracts his brow; hence a "lowry day"—cloudy.