NameCensus.

UK surname

Lais

An uncommon surname of Portuguese or Galician origin, possibly derived from a place name.

In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Lais surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 108, ranked #29,578, up from #33,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redbridge, Enfield and Newham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lais is 119 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5300.0%.

1881 census count

2

Ranked #33,721

Modern count

108

2016, ranked #29,578

Peak year

2010

119 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lais had 2 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016, ranked #29,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 29 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Lais surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lais surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lais 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 29 #30,287
1881 historical 2 #33,721
1891 historical 10 #33,355
1997 modern 75 #30,109
1998 modern 91 #28,806
1999 modern 86 #29,496
2000 modern 91 #28,952
2001 modern 89 #28,932
2002 modern 87 #29,644
2003 modern 93 #28,829
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 109 #27,533
2009 modern 117 #26,927
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 103 #30,235
2014 modern 109 #29,452
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 108 #29,578

Geography

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Where Lais' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redbridge, Enfield and Newham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redbridge 001 Redbridge
2 Enfield 032 Enfield
3 Newham 029 Newham
4 Redbridge 009 Redbridge
5 Redbridge 019 Redbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lais

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lais

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lais, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Lais surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Lais household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Lais is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lais is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lais falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lais 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Lais

The surname LAIS has its origins in France, where it can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "lais," which referred to a type of poetic narrative or song. The name is thought to have originated as a descriptive surname for minstrels or troubadours who composed and performed these lais.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the LAIS surname appeared in various records from the region of Normandy in northern France. One of the earliest documented references is found in the Cartulaire de Lyre, a medieval manuscript from the 12th century, which mentions a certain Willelmus Lais.

The LAIS name is also associated with the town of Laigle, located in the Orne department of Normandy. It is possible that some bearers of the surname may have originally hailed from this place or nearby areas.

During the Middle Ages, the spelling of the name varied considerably, with forms such as Lays, Laiz, and Laisne being used interchangeably. This was common for surnames during this period, as standardized spelling was not yet established.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the LAIS surname was Marie de France, a 12th-century poet and fabulist who wrote in the Anglo-Norman language. She is best known for her collection of lais and fables, including the famous "Lai du Chèvrefeuille" (The Honeysuckle).

Another prominent figure was Jean de Lais, a 14th-century French knight who fought alongside Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War. He participated in the famous Battle of Orléans in 1429 and was present at the coronation of Charles VII in Reims.

In England, the LAIS surname can be traced back to the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many French nobles and their retaiues settled in the country. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Robert de Lais, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195.

During the 16th century, the LAIS surname was also found in Scotland, where it appeared in various forms such as Leyis and Leys. One notable bearer was David Leys, a Scottish merchant and burgess of Aberdeen, who lived in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the French Huguenot diaspora brought the LAIS surname to other parts of Europe and the Americas. Pierre Lais, a Huguenot refugee from France, settled in Amsterdam in the 1680s and later emigrated to England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lais families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lais 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. Middlesex leads with 2 Lais' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2 10.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paddington London in Middlesex leads with 1 Lais' recorded in 1881 and an index of 140.85x.

Place Total Index
Paddington London 1 140.85x
St Pancras London 1 64.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annette 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Albert 1

FAQ

Lais surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lais surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Lais surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lais surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016. That gives Lais a modern rank of #29,578.

What does the Lais surname mean?

An uncommon surname of Portuguese or Galician origin, possibly derived from a place name.

What does the Lais map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lais 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.