NameCensus.

UK surname

Lamey

A location surname originating from the French place name Lemé.

In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Lamey surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 321, ranked #14,065, up from #22,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Devonport Stonehouse, East, St George in the East and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, Wirral and Halton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lamey is 368 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 296.3%.

1881 census count

81

Ranked #22,082

Modern count

321

2016, ranked #14,065

Peak year

1997

368 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lamey had 81 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 321 in 2016, ranked #14,065.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 199 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Lamey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lamey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lamey 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 44 #25,328
1861 historical 89 #22,419
1881 historical 81 #22,082
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 141 #18,718
1911 historical 199 #15,016
1997 modern 368 #11,719
1998 modern 367 #12,121
1999 modern 365 #12,245
2000 modern 357 #12,380
2001 modern 356 #12,228
2002 modern 354 #12,490
2003 modern 348 #12,452
2004 modern 354 #12,358
2005 modern 346 #12,464
2006 modern 355 #12,316
2007 modern 362 #12,271
2008 modern 355 #12,565
2009 modern 355 #12,832
2010 modern 356 #13,071
2011 modern 351 #13,059
2012 modern 341 #13,217
2013 modern 352 #13,130
2014 modern 341 #13,528
2015 modern 331 #13,739
2016 modern 321 #14,065

Geography

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Where Lameys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Devonport Stonehouse, East, St George in the East, Manchester, St Matthew Bethnal Green and Dalry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, Wirral and Halton. 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 Devonport Stonehouse, East Devon
2 St George in the East London (East Districts)
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 Dalry Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 001 Torridge
2 Torridge 004 Torridge
3 Wirral 031 Wirral
4 Halton 006 Halton
5 Torridge 005 Torridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lamey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lamey

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Lamey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Lamey 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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, Lamey 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

Lamey 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

Lamey falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lamey 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 Lamey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lamey

The surname Lamey has its origins in France and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "l'aimé," meaning "the beloved." This suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon a person who was particularly cherished or adored within their community.

The earliest recorded instance of the Lamey surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Normandy. It is believed that the name was initially associated with a noble family or estate, as many surnames during that era were derived from place names or titles of land ownership.

One notable historical reference to the Lamey name can be found in the Hundred Rolls, a census-like record compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I (1272-1307). This document mentions a certain "Robert de Lamé," indicating the presence of the name in England as early as the 13th century.

In the 15th century, a prominent figure named Jean Lamey (1420-1498) was a French cleric and theologian who served as the Bishop of Évreux. His influential writings and teachings contributed to the spread and recognition of the Lamey name within the ecclesiastical circles of France.

Another individual of note was Jacques Lamey (1568-1643), a French mathematician and astronomer who worked at the renowned Collège de France in Paris. His contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and his publication on the use of logarithms in astronomical calculations brought further distinction to the Lamey name.

In the 17th century, the Lamey surname also found its way to the New World, with records indicating the presence of a family by that name in the early colonial settlements of New France (present-day Quebec, Canada). One such individual was Pierre Lamey (1630-1685), a farmer and landowner who established roots in the Seigneurie of Rivière-du-Loup.

Over the centuries, variations of the Lamey surname emerged, including Lamy, Lamé, and Lameye. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects, scribal errors, or personal preferences in spelling and pronunciation. Despite these variations, the core meaning and lineage of the name remained consistent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lamey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lamey 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. Devon leads with 38 Lameys recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.11x.

County Total Index
Devon 38 23.11x
Middlesex 31 3.92x
Lancashire 8 0.85x
Angus 1 1.37x
Glamorgan 1 0.73x
Hampshire 1 0.62x
Hertfordshire 1 1.84x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Northam in Devon leads with 33 Lameys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2750.00x.

Place Total Index
Northam 33 2750.00x
St George In East London 17 228.80x
Bethnal Green London 13 37.88x
Liverpool 6 10.54x
Georgeham 4 1904.76x
Bishop Stortford 1 54.95x
East Stonehouse 1 30.86x
Kettins 1 400.00x
Kirkdale 1 6.34x
Mile End Old Town London 1 5.95x
Penarth 1 74.63x
Portsea 1 3.15x
Whittingham 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Alice 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Hephzibah 2
Margaret 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Georgiania 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Isabel 1
Katherine 1
Lilla 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
William 7
Alfred 3
Frederick 3
George 3
Charles 2
Henry 2
Michael 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Thomas 2
Andrew 1
Bartholemow 1
Chas. 1
James 1
Martin 1
Percy 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Lamey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lamey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Lamey surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lamey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 321 in 2016. That gives Lamey a modern rank of #14,065.

What does the Lamey surname mean?

A location surname originating from the French place name Lemé.

What does the Lamey map show?

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