NameCensus.

UK surname

Lale

A surname of Turkish origin meaning "tulip" or "red flower."

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Lale surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, down from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Shanklin, Newchurch and Kingston-on-Thames. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newark and Sherwood, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lale is 171 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.7%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

2000

171 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lale had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016, ranked #23,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 146 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Lale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lale 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 67 #21,440
1861 historical 70 #24,911
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 146 #18,664
1901 historical 108 #21,836
1911 historical 119 #20,535
1997 modern 148 #21,295
1998 modern 166 #20,329
1999 modern 170 #20,153
2000 modern 171 #20,044
2001 modern 160 #20,616
2002 modern 167 #20,457
2003 modern 149 #21,766
2004 modern 153 #21,528
2005 modern 149 #21,866
2006 modern 147 #22,221
2007 modern 147 #22,510
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 146 #23,352
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 150 #23,309
2012 modern 160 #22,260
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 156 #23,231
2015 modern 155 #23,194
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Lales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Shanklin, Newchurch, Kingston-on-Thames, London parishes and Brading. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newark and Sherwood, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Westminster and New Forest. 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 Shanklin Hampshire
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
4 London parishes London 3
5 Brading Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newark and Sherwood 010 Newark and Sherwood
2 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight
3 Portsmouth 007 Portsmouth
4 Westminster 017 Westminster
5 New Forest 022 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lale

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Lale is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lale is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lale falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lale is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lale

The surname LALE has its origins in Turkey and can be traced back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Turkish word "lale," which means "tulip." The name likely originated in areas where tulips were cultivated or traded, such as the regions around Istanbul and Izmir.

In the Ottoman Empire, tulips held a significant cultural and symbolic importance, and their cultivation was a prestigious endeavor. As a result, it is possible that the surname LALE was initially associated with individuals involved in the tulip trade or cultivation industry.

Historically, the surname LALE appears in various Ottoman records, including tax registers and court documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. While no specific references to the name have been found in major historical works like the Domesday Book, its presence in Ottoman records indicates its longevity and significance within Turkish society.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname LALE was Mehmet Lale, a prominent Ottoman bureaucrat and diplomat who lived in the late 16th century. He served as the Ottoman ambassador to several European courts and played a crucial role in facilitating diplomatic relations between the Ottoman Empire and various European powers.

Another notable figure with the surname LALE was Ali Lale Pasha, a high-ranking Ottoman military commander who lived in the late 17th century. He participated in several significant military campaigns and was known for his strategic prowess on the battlefield.

In the 18th century, Hüseyin Lale Efendi was a renowned Ottoman calligrapher and artist. His intricate calligraphic works and miniature paintings were highly regarded and are still celebrated as masterpieces of Ottoman art.

The surname LALE also has connections to certain place names in Turkey, such as the town of Lalapaşa, located in the Edirne province. This town's name is believed to be derived from the surname LALE, possibly due to the presence of prominent LALE families in the area or the cultivation of tulips in the region.

Another notable individual with the surname LALE was İsmail Hakkı Lale, a prominent Turkish poet and scholar who lived in the late 19th century. His works contributed significantly to the literary and intellectual discourse of the Ottoman Empire during its waning years.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lale 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. Hampshire leads with 79 Lales recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.28x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 79 37.28x
Surrey 7 1.39x
Middlesex 6 0.58x
Devon 5 2.32x
Yorkshire 4 0.39x
Royal Navy 2 16.23x
Wiltshire 2 2.19x
Staffordshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ventnor in Hampshire leads with 42 Lales recorded in 1881 and an index of 2079.21x.

Place Total Index
Ventnor 42 2079.21x
Brading 16 567.38x
Newchurch 8 1666.67x
St George Hanover Square 6 32.93x
Portsea 5 12.04x
Sculcoates 4 24.63x
Shanklin 4 634.92x
Tormoham 4 43.91x
Wandsworth 4 40.20x
Royal Navy 2 18.99x
Swindon 2 28.21x
Bicton 1 1666.67x
Bonchurch 1 416.67x
Carisbrooke 1 34.01x
Chale 1 416.67x
Chiddingfold 1 212.77x
Lambeth 1 1.11x
Portsmouth 1 20.49x
Southwark St Olave 1 126.58x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 2.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 5
Emily 4
Louisa 3
Alice 2
E. 2
Hannah 2
Lucy 2
Rose 2
Sarah 2
A. 1
Ada 1
Annie 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Georginia 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Louise 1
Maltilda 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Nora 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 12
William 5
Albert 4
Henry 4
John 4
Charles 3
Alfred 2
S. 2
Arthur 1
Basil 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
G. 1
Horatio 1
Hy. 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Levi 1
Mark 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Lale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Lale surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016. That gives Lale a modern rank of #23,408.

What does the Lale surname mean?

A surname of Turkish origin meaning "tulip" or "red flower."

What does the Lale map show?

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