UK surname
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a hollow or small valley.
In the 1881 census there were 16 people recorded with the Lage surname, ranking it #31,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 39, ranked #35,484, down from #31,301 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Millom, Muncaster and Bristol City: St James. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lage is 147 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 143.8%.
1881 census count
16
Ranked #31,301
Modern count
39
2016, ranked #35,484
Peak year
1861
147 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Lage surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Lage surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 38 | #26,502 |
| 1861 | historical | 147 | #15,539 |
| 1881 | historical | 16 | #31,301 |
| 1891 | historical | 107 | #22,967 |
| 1901 | historical | 28 | #30,951 |
| 1911 | historical | 48 | #28,006 |
| 1997 | modern | 23 | #35,484 |
| 1998 | modern | 25 | #35,365 |
| 1999 | modern | 20 | #35,923 |
| 2000 | modern | 15 | #36,425 |
| 2001 | modern | 15 | #36,265 |
| 2002 | modern | 17 | #36,164 |
| 2003 | modern | 18 | #36,115 |
| 2004 | modern | 19 | #36,147 |
| 2005 | modern | 21 | #36,083 |
| 2006 | modern | 25 | #35,903 |
| 2007 | modern | 26 | #35,932 |
| 2008 | modern | 26 | #36,012 |
| 2009 | modern | 31 | #35,794 |
| 2010 | modern | 37 | #35,566 |
| 2011 | modern | 36 | #35,613 |
| 2012 | modern | 34 | #35,711 |
| 2013 | modern | 39 | #35,483 |
| 2014 | modern | 38 | #35,547 |
| 2015 | modern | 41 | #35,383 |
| 2016 | modern | 39 | #35,484 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Millom, Muncaster, Bristol City: St James, Morchard Bishop and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | Millom, Muncaster | Cumberland |
| 3 | Bristol City: St James | Gloucestershire |
| 4 | Morchard Bishop | Devon |
| 5 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Lage surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lage, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Lage surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Lage household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Lage is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lage is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Lage, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname LAGE is believed to have originated in Northern Germany, most likely in the Hanseatic city of Lübeck, during the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Low German word "lage," which means "low-lying" or "situated in a valley." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive term for someone who lived in a low-lying area or a valley.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name LAGE can be found in the Lübeck city records from the late 14th century, where it appears as "Laghe." This spelling variation likely reflects the regional pronunciation at the time. Another early reference is in the Mecklenburg census records of the late 15th century, where the name is spelled "Lage."
In the 16th century, the name LAGE began to spread beyond Northern Germany, appearing in records from various parts of the Holy Roman Empire. One notable example is Hans Lage, a merchant from Bremen who traded extensively with the Netherlands and England in the mid-1500s.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the LAGE surname continued to be found throughout Northern Germany and the surrounding regions. Johann Lage, a historian from Lübeck who lived from 1589 to 1667, wrote several works on the history of his hometown and the Hanseatic League.
As the name spread further afield, it also underwent various spelling variations. In the Netherlands, for instance, it was sometimes rendered as "Laghe" or "Laege." One of the earliest recorded examples of this variation is Pieter Laghe, a Dutch merchant from Amsterdam who lived in the late 16th century.
While the LAGE name remained concentrated in Northern Germany and the Low Countries for many centuries, it eventually made its way to other parts of Europe and even overseas. For example, there are records of a family named LAGE living in the Swedish province of Skåne in the late 18th century.
Another notable individual with the LAGE surname was Friedrich Lage, a German-American artist and painter who lived from 1808 to 1876. He was born in Hanover, Germany, but emigrated to the United States in the mid-19th century and became known for his landscapes and portraits.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lage surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Essex leads with 5 Lages recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.24x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Essex | 5 | 16.24x |
| Lancashire | 4 | 2.16x |
| Norfolk | 3 | 12.51x |
| Angus | 1 | 6.92x |
| Dorset | 1 | 9.77x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 3.13x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 4.01x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wanstead in Essex leads with 5 Lages recorded in 1881 and an index of 925.93x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Wanstead | 5 | 925.93x |
| Bressingham | 3 | 10000.00x |
| Openshaw | 3 | 344.83x |
| Dundee | 1 | 18.52x |
| Great Grimsby | 1 | 63.29x |
| Portsea | 1 | 15.95x |
| Puncknowle | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Walton Le Dale | 1 | 200.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Lage surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 16 people were recorded with the Lage surname. That placed it at #31,301 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 39 in 2016. That gives Lage a modern rank of #35,484.
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a hollow or small valley.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lage bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.