NameCensus.

UK surname

Lack

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning a small stream or brook, or a meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 1,026 people recorded with the Lack surname, ranking it #3,825 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,266, ranked #4,725, down from #3,825 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Willingham, Kempston and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Ryedale and Bedford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lack is 1,668 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.4%.

1881 census count

1,026

Ranked #3,825

Modern count

1,266

2016, ranked #4,725

Peak year

1911

1,668 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lack had 1,026 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,825 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,266 in 2016, ranked #4,725.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,668 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lack surname distribution map

The map shows where the Lack surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Lack surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lack over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 811 #3,310
1861 historical 1,111 #2,524
1881 historical 1,026 #3,825
1891 historical 1,243 #3,472
1901 historical 1,362 #3,687
1911 historical 1,668 #2,928
1997 modern 1,315 #4,360
1998 modern 1,360 #4,381
1999 modern 1,348 #4,449
2000 modern 1,333 #4,467
2001 modern 1,297 #4,495
2002 modern 1,339 #4,468
2003 modern 1,310 #4,455
2004 modern 1,320 #4,424
2005 modern 1,260 #4,559
2006 modern 1,269 #4,544
2007 modern 1,275 #4,556
2008 modern 1,261 #4,633
2009 modern 1,288 #4,644
2010 modern 1,319 #4,644
2011 modern 1,301 #4,637
2012 modern 1,273 #4,660
2013 modern 1,281 #4,718
2014 modern 1,294 #4,695
2015 modern 1,286 #4,674
2016 modern 1,266 #4,725

Geography

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Where Lacks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Willingham, Kempston, London parishes, St Pancras and Yardley Hastings. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Ryedale, Bedford, South Kesteven and Barnet. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Willingham Cambridgeshire
2 Kempston Bedfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Yardley Hastings Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 009 East Northamptonshire
2 Ryedale 002 Ryedale
3 Bedford 004 Bedford
4 South Kesteven 008 South Kesteven
5 Barnet 004 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lack

These lists show first names that appear often with the Lack surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lack

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lack, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Lack surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lack household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Lack is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lack is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lack falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lack is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Lack, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lack

The surname Lack originated in England in the Middle Ages and is derived from the Old English word "lacu", meaning a stream or brook. It likely referred to someone who lived near a stream or brook. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lache" and "Lak".

The name was initially concentrated in the counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Staffordshire, where many small streams and brooks were present. Over time, variations in spelling emerged, such as Lacke, Lackey, and Laky. The name was also associated with various place names, including Lache in Cheshire and Lak in Lancashire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Lack was John de Lak, who lived in Lancashire in the 13th century. Another notable figure was Robert Lacy, born around 1438 in Cheshire, who served as a member of the English parliament in the 15th century.

During the 16th century, the name Lack appeared in various historical records, such as parish registers and court documents. In 1564, a William Lack was recorded in the parish records of Eccleston, Lancashire. In the same century, a John Lack was mentioned in the court records of Staffordshire in 1587.

As the name spread across England, it was sometimes anglicized to Lack or Lacke. One notable figure was Thomas Lacke, born in 1624 in Shropshire, who was a prominent landowner and magistrate in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the name continued to be found in various parts of England. For example, a James Lack was born in 1732 in Gloucestershire and later became a successful merchant in Bristol. Another notable figure was William Lack, born in 1756 in Somerset, who served as a naval officer during the Napoleonic Wars.

While the surname Lack has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, due to migration and immigration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lack families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lack surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Northamptonshire leads with 200 Lacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.37x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 200 21.37x
Middlesex 194 1.95x
Norfolk 147 9.61x
Surrey 73 1.51x
Bedfordshire 70 13.59x
Cambridgeshire 49 7.78x
Staffordshire 43 1.28x
Warwickshire 29 1.16x
Lancashire 25 0.21x
Yorkshire 24 0.24x
Kent 23 0.68x
Gloucestershire 17 0.87x
Buckinghamshire 15 2.49x
Durham 15 0.51x
Devon 13 0.63x
Essex 10 0.51x
Suffolk 10 0.83x
Berkshire 9 1.21x
Hampshire 9 0.44x
Wiltshire 8 0.91x
Derbyshire 7 0.45x
Lincolnshire 6 0.38x
Huntingdonshire 4 2.02x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.30x
Brecknockshire 3 1.51x
Hertfordshire 3 0.44x
Northumberland 2 0.14x
Royal Navy 2 1.69x
Sussex 2 0.12x
Angus 1 0.11x
Cheshire 1 0.05x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Westmorland 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Yardley Hastings in Northamptonshire leads with 56 Lacks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1393.03x.

Place Total Index
Yardley Hastings 56 1393.03x
Willingham 30 557.62x
Islington London 26 2.70x
Wells Next Sea 25 280.27x
Kempston 23 196.58x
Northampton All Sts 20 62.97x
Dean 19 1137.72x
St Pancras London 19 2.37x
Luton 16 17.94x
Raunds 16 167.89x
Kingsthorpe 15 144.23x
Lambeth 14 1.61x
Rushden 14 111.82x
Bilston 13 19.97x
Northampton St Peter 13 228.47x
Birmingham 11 1.32x
Poplar London 11 5.86x
Bermondsey 10 3.38x
Bethnal Green London 10 2.31x
Cottenham 10 119.33x
Edmonton 10 12.47x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 10 100.70x
Spotland 10 7.62x
Wellingborough 10 21.25x
Wolverton 10 80.32x
Northampton Priory St 9 16.03x
St Marylebone London 9 1.69x
Wimbledon 9 16.54x
Bristol St George 8 8.86x
Kensington London 8 1.45x
Middlestone 8 134.68x
Norwich St Saviour 8 148.98x
Shoreditch London 8 1.85x
Swaffham 8 64.26x
Willesden 8 8.53x
Wolverhampton 8 3.10x
Bromley London 7 3.20x
Chertsey 7 22.34x
Chigwell 7 37.76x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.98x
Erith 7 20.93x
Hampstead London 7 4.52x
Hornsey 7 5.56x
Paddington London 7 1.91x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 4.39x
St Andrew Holborn London 7 16.25x
Swindon 7 10.26x
Thorpe Next Norwich 7 43.16x
West Lynn 7 357.14x
Bilton 6 103.81x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 6 47.54x
Elsworth 6 262.01x
Grendon 6 324.32x
Hammersmith London 6 2.45x
Handsworth 6 7.25x
Little Walsingham 6 173.41x
New Windsor 6 23.89x
Sheffield 6 1.91x
Snettisham 6 141.51x
South Creake 6 172.91x
Wednesfield 6 12.14x
Barrow In Furness 5 3.11x
Battersea 5 1.37x
Blisworth 5 138.50x
Chiswick 5 9.20x
Coventry Holy Trinity 5 6.67x
Dunstable 5 31.59x
Great Fransham 5 446.43x
Greenwich 5 3.16x
Harborne 5 4.65x
Heston 5 15.13x
Holkham 5 271.74x
Leckhampton 5 41.60x
Mildenhall 5 38.82x
Docking 4 83.16x
East Rudham 4 148.15x
Idle 4 8.75x
Penge 4 6.29x
Rugby 4 11.78x
Southery 4 99.01x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Lack surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 60
Sarah 39
Elizabeth 30
Emma 24
Ann 19
Jane 19
Hannah 17
Ellen 16
Emily 16
Alice 15
Annie 11
Fanny 11
Eliza 10
Martha 10
Charlotte 9
Louisa 9
Florence 8
Maria 8
Esther 7
Kate 7
Ada 6
Edith 6
Harriet 6
Harriett 6
Susan 6
Caroline 5
Ruth 5
Susannah 5
Amelia 4
Gertrude 4
Lucy 4
Lydia 4
Margaret 4
Betsy 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Elizth. 3
Frances 3
Mabel 3
Maude 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Adelaide 2
Barbara 2
Eleanor 2
Helena 2
Margarett 2
Minnie 2
Naomi 2
Roseanna 2

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Lack surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 62
John 54
Thomas 41
George 34
James 33
Charles 30
Henry 14
Joseph 14
Robert 14
Frederick 12
Walter 10
Alfred 9
Albert 8
Arthur 8
Edward 7
Herbert 7
Samuel 7
Fredrick 5
Frank 4
Fredk. 4
Thos. 4
Earnest 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Harry 3
Joel 3
Jonathan 3
Josiah 3
Percy 3
Wm. 3
Amos 2
Daniel 2
Ezra 2
Frederic 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
Lewis 2
Matthew 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2
Wilfred 2
Anthony 1
Chas. 1
Chas.K. 1
Fred 1
Jabez 1
Wolfe 1

FAQ

Lack surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lack surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,026 people were recorded with the Lack surname. That placed it at #3,825 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lack surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,266 in 2016. That gives Lack a modern rank of #4,725.

What does the Lack surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning a small stream or brook, or a meadow.

What does the Lack map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lack bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.