Various　Cu　catalysts　were　prepared　by　the　calcination　and　reduction　of　Cu-containing　layered　double　hydroxides　(LDHs)　including　Cu-Al　LDHs,　Cu-Mg-Al　LDHs,　Cu-Zn-Al　LDHs,　and　Cu-Zn-Cr　LDHs.　The　catalysts　were　characterized　by　using　ICP,　N-2　physisorption,　TG,　SEM,　XRD,　H-2-TPR,　and　N2O　chemisorption,　and　tested　for　the　water-gas　shift　(WGS)　reaction　at　453-623　K.　The　characterization　results　reveal　the　formation　of　LDHs　on　the　as-synthesized　precursors.　Upon　calcination　and　reduction,　highly　dispersed　Cu　nanopartides,　particularly　for　Cu/MgO/Al2O3,　were　formed.　The　Cu　surface　area　and　Cu　dispersion　was　found　to　be　Cu/MgO/Al2O3　＞　Cu/Al2O3　＞　Cu/ZnO/Al2O3　＞　Cu/ZnO/Cr2O3.　The　activity　of　the　LDHs-derived　Cu　catalysts　for　WGS　decreased　in　the　order　of　Cu/MgO/Al2O3　similar　to　Cu/ZnO/Al2O3　＞　Cu/ZnO/Cr2O3　＞　Cu/Al2O3.　The　high　activity　of　Cu/MgO/Al2O3　was　attributed　to　its　high　Cu-0　surface　area　and　Cu　dispersion,　while　the　interaction　between　metallic　Cu　and　ZnO　on　Cu/ZnO/Al2O3　might　be　responsible　for　the　WGS　activity.　Interestingly,　the　highly　dispersed　Cu　metal　particles　on　the　Cu/MgO/Al2O3　catalyst　seemed　stable　during　the　WGS　reaction.　(C)　Copyright　2015,　Hydrogen　Energy　Publications,　LLC.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.