Lavery

Lavery, also spelled Lowry, Lowrie, Lory, Lavoy and Lowery, is an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Labhradha, meaning the "descendants of Labhradha".^[1]

The Ó Labhradha descend from Labhradh, who was the father of Etru, chief of the Monagh, a people belonging to the Irish over-kingdom of Ulaid.^[1] At the time of Etru's death in 1056, the sept was located in the area of Magh Rath (present-day Moira, County Down).^[2] It is in this area as well as the adjoining part of County Antrim where the surname is still most common.^[2] A strong concentration of them can also be found in the Montiaghs district of County Armagh, where many moved to during the Plantation of Ulster.^[2]

Due to the number of Laverys in these areas they had to adopt monikers to distinguish between them, as such there were three distinct branches: the Baun-Laverys, from the Irish word bán, meaning "white"; the Roe-Laverys, from the Irish word rua, meaning "red"; and the Trin-Laverys, from the Irish word tréan, meaning "strong".^[2] The Trin-Laverys often mistranslated their name into English as Armstrong.^[3] An example of the adoption of Armstrong is Dr. John Armstrong who was born Trenlavery.^[2]

Some of those who are Lowrys may descend from the Mac Labharaigh of Galloway, Scotland.^[2] Many of the Lowrys and Lowries in Ulster descend likewise from Scotland, where their names are variants of Laurie, a diminutive of Lawrence, common in Dumfriesshire.^[2] Notable amongst these Lowrys are the Earls of Belmore in County Fermanagh, who descend from the Lauries of Maxwelltown, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland.^[2]

Laverys

Arts and entertainment

Bryony Lavery (born 1947), British dramatist
Emmet Lavery (1902–1986), American playwright and screenwriter
Emmet G. Lavery, Jr. (1927–2014), American TV and film producer
Fred Lavery (born 1955), Canadian singer–songwriter and music producer
Sir John Lavery (1856–1941), Irish painter
Hazel Lavery (1880–1935), American–Irish painter, artist's model on Irish banknotes
Father Sean Lavery (1931–1999), Irish priest and music director
Sean Lavery (dancer) (1956–2018), American ballet dancer and ballet master

Politics

Cecil Lavery (1894–1967), Irish politician and judge
Frederick Lavery (1898–1971), Australian trade unionist and politician
Ian Lavery (born 1963), British trade unionist and politician

Sport

Patrick Lavery (1884–1915), English footballer
Philip Lavery (born 1990), Irish cyclist

Other

Dave Lavery (born 1959), American roboticist
Ryan Lavery, character in the American TV drama All My Children
William Edward Lavery (1930–2009), president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
William J. Lavery (1938–2024), judge in Connecticut, United States

Lowrys

Calvin Lowry, American football player
Dave Lowry, ice hockey player
Dinny Lowry (1934–2025), Irish soccer player
Flora E. Lowry (1879–1933), American anthologist
Heath W. Lowry, historian
Henry Berry Lowrie, Confederate outlaw
Henry Dawson Lowry, English journalist
Hiram Harrison Lowry, American Methodist missionary to China
James Lowry, Jr., mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Joseph Wilson Lowry, 18th century engraver
Kyle Lowry, American basketball player
L. S. Lowry, British artist/painter
Leonard Lowry (1884–1947), New Zealand politician
Lois Lowry, author
Malcolm Lowry, author and poet
Mark Lowry, comedian
Martin Lowry, chemist
Michael Lowry (politician), Irish politician
Noah Lowry, baseball pitcher
Oliver H. Lowry (1910–1996), American biochemist
Ray Lowry, cartoonist, musician
Rich Lowry, editor and columnist
Robert Lowry (governor) (1831–1910), American politician, governor of Mississippi
Robert Lowry (hymn writer) (1826–1899), American professor of literature, Baptist minister and composer of gospel hymns
Robert Lowry (Indiana) (1824–1904), American politician, U.S. Representative from Indiana
Robert Lowry (writer) (1919–1994), American novelist, short story writer and independent press publisher
Robert Lowry, Baron Lowry (1919–1999), Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland and a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
Robert Lowry (Royal Navy officer) (1854–1920), British admiral
Robert William Lowry (printer), printer
Shane Lowry (footballer), Australian/Irish footballer
Shane Lowry (golfer), Irish golfer
Sylvanus Lowry, American politician
Thomas Lowry, businessman
Tommy Lowry, English footballer

Lowery

Bill Lowery (politician) (born 1947), U.S. Republican politician from California
Bill Lowery (record producer) (1924–2004), American music entrepreneur
Clint Lowery (born 1971), guitarist of the rock band Sevendust
Corey Lowery (born 1973), bass guitarist of Eye Empire, Saint Asonia, and previously Dark New Day
Damon Lowery (born 1967), American basketball player
David Lowery
Evelyn G. Lowery (1925–2013), American civil rights activist and leader
George H. Lowery Jr. (1913-1978), American ornithologist
Finn Lowery (1990–2019), New Zealand water polo player
Hugh Lowery (1892–1972), American football player
Ian Lowery (1956–2001), English musician
James Lowery, several people of that name
Joan Lowery Nixon (1927-2003), American journalist and author
John Lowery (born 1971), American guitarist with Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie
Joseph Lowery (1921-2020), American minister and civil rights leader
Lillian M. Lowery, superintendent of the Maryland State Department of Education
Mark Lowery (1957–2023), member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
Robert Lowery (actor) (1913-1971), American actor
Robert O. Lowery, the first African-American New York City Fire Commissioner
Savannah Lowery, New York City Ballet soloist
Terrell Lowery (born 1970), American professional baseball player and college basketball player
Tom Lowery (born 1997), English footballer
Tony Lowery (born 1961), English footballer
Tony Lowery (born 1969), American football player

Notable people