NameCensus.

UK surname

Landau

A habitational surname referring to a person from any of several places named Landau in Germany.

In the 1881 census there were 28 people recorded with the Landau surname, ranking it #29,646 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 489, ranked #10,141, up from #29,646 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Landau is 502 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1646.4%.

1881 census count

28

Ranked #29,646

Modern count

489

2016, ranked #10,141

Peak year

2013

502 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Landau had 28 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,646 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 489 in 2016, ranked #10,141.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 36 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Landau surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Landau surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Landau 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
1861 historical 3 #33,861
1881 historical 28 #29,646
1891 historical 7 #33,665
1901 historical 26 #31,152
1911 historical 36 #29,370
1997 modern 448 #10,113
1998 modern 441 #10,560
1999 modern 446 #10,513
2000 modern 440 #10,629
2001 modern 426 #10,697
2002 modern 436 #10,712
2003 modern 463 #10,026
2004 modern 461 #10,107
2005 modern 436 #10,457
2006 modern 415 #10,928
2007 modern 432 #10,682
2008 modern 430 #10,834
2009 modern 443 #10,821
2010 modern 470 #10,524
2011 modern 459 #10,607
2012 modern 455 #10,574
2013 modern 502 #9,993
2014 modern 489 #10,253
2015 modern 491 #10,134
2016 modern 489 #10,141

Geography

Back to top

Where Landaus 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 Hackney 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 003 Hackney
2 Barnet 032 Barnet
3 Hackney 001 Hackney
4 Barnet 014 Barnet
5 Barnet 037 Barnet

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Landau

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Landau

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Landau surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Landau 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Landau 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

Landau 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

Landau 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 Landau is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Landau

The surname Landau originated in Germany, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the German words "land" meaning "country" and "au" meaning "meadow" or "water meadow," suggesting a connection to rural or agricultural areas.

One of the earliest known references to the name Landau can be found in the town of Landau in der Pfalz, situated in the modern-day state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. This town was first mentioned in historical records as early as the 9th century, and it is likely that the surname Landau emerged from this region.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Landau appeared in various legal documents and records across different regions of Germany. Notably, a certain Heinrich Landau was mentioned in a document from the city of Nuremberg in 1304, indicating the spread of this surname beyond its origins.

In the 16th century, the Landau family gained prominence through the figure of Johann Landau (1490-1542), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and contributed to the translation of the Bible into German.

Another notable individual with the surname Landau was Georg Landau (1807-1879), a German-born American lawyer and politician who served as the 20th Mayor of Baltimore from 1860 to 1863. He was also a prominent figure in the Union movement during the American Civil War.

In the 19th century, the name Landau was associated with the Landau carriage, a type of four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle that originated in the town of Landau in der Pfalz. This connection further highlights the geographical origins of the surname.

Other noteworthy individuals with the surname Landau include Walter Landau (1909-1988), an American film producer and director, and Lev Landau (1908-1968), a Soviet physicist who made significant contributions to the field of theoretical physics and won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1962.

While the surname Landau has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and other countries, due to emigration and migration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Landau families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Landau 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 13 Landaus recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.76x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 13 4.76x
Northumberland 7 17.24x
Warwickshire 6 8.72x
Lincolnshire 1 2.29x
Surrey 1 0.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 9 Landaus recorded in 1881 and an index of 334.57x.

Place Total Index
Whitechapel London 9 334.57x
Westgate 7 278.88x
Birmingham 6 26.17x
Westminster St James 3 107.14x
Caterham 1 169.49x
Skirbeck Quarter 1 1250.00x
St Pancras London 1 4.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anna 1
Annie 1
Clara 1
Dora 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Louise 1
Minna 1
Rosa 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Frederick 3
Abraham 1
Arthur 1
Henry 1
Herman 1
Isaac 1
Isaacs 1
Jacob 1
Leopold 1
Marcus 1
May 1
Morris 1
Sydney 1
William 1

FAQ

Landau surname: questions and answers

How common was the Landau surname in 1881?

In 1881, 28 people were recorded with the Landau surname. That placed it at #29,646 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Landau surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 489 in 2016. That gives Landau a modern rank of #10,141.

What does the Landau surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to a person from any of several places named Landau in Germany.

What does the Landau map show?

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