NameCensus.

UK surname

Lansbury

An English surname derived from the place name Lansbury in Essex.

In the 1881 census there were 182 people recorded with the Lansbury surname, ranking it #13,647 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 217, ranked #18,535, down from #13,647 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Beckenham and Wytham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Babergh and Welwyn Hatfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lansbury is 245 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.2%.

1881 census count

182

Ranked #13,647

Modern count

217

2016, ranked #18,535

Peak year

1911

245 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lansbury had 182 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,647 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016, ranked #18,535.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 245 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lansbury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lansbury surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lansbury 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 114 #15,716
1861 historical 117 #18,635
1881 historical 182 #13,647
1891 historical 191 #15,437
1901 historical 196 #15,329
1911 historical 245 #13,084
1997 modern 230 #16,109
1998 modern 235 #16,358
1999 modern 242 #16,146
2000 modern 228 #16,743
2001 modern 227 #16,573
2002 modern 226 #16,939
2003 modern 223 #16,905
2004 modern 211 #17,590
2005 modern 213 #17,435
2006 modern 220 #17,204
2007 modern 219 #17,425
2008 modern 220 #17,544
2009 modern 236 #17,103
2010 modern 239 #17,280
2011 modern 228 #17,673
2012 modern 220 #18,034
2013 modern 221 #18,252
2014 modern 220 #18,471
2015 modern 214 #18,712
2016 modern 217 #18,535

Geography

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Where Lansburys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Beckenham, Wytham, Bromley and Barnet, Chipping. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Babergh, Welwyn Hatfield and Birmingham. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Beckenham Kent
3 Wytham Berkshire
4 Bromley Kent
5 Barnet, Chipping Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 009 Northumberland
2 Babergh 004 Babergh
3 Welwyn Hatfield 015 Welwyn Hatfield
4 Northumberland 010 Northumberland
5 Birmingham 029 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lansbury

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lansbury

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Lansbury surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lansbury 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Lansbury 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

Lansbury is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lansbury falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lansbury 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lansbury

The surname Lansbury originated in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "lan" meaning lane or path, and "burgh" meaning a fortified town or borough. This suggests the name may have been given to someone who lived near a lane leading to a fortified town or borough.

Early variations of the spelling included Lanesberie, Lanesbury, and Lanesburi. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198, where a John de Lanesberie is mentioned.

The Lansbury name can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Lansbury in Oxfordshire and Lansbury Farm in Buckinghamshire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and adoption of the surname in those areas.

Notable historical figures with the surname Lansbury include:

1. William Lansbury (c. 1536-1610), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in 1588.

2. George Lansbury (1859-1940), a British politician and leader of the Labour Party from 1932 to 1935.

3. Angela Lansbury (1925-2022), the renowned British-American actress known for her roles in films and TV shows like "Murder, She Wrote".

4. Edgar Lansbury (1930-2020), a British-American actor and producer, and the son of Angela Lansbury.

5. James Lansbury (born 1985), a British actor and the grandson of Angela Lansbury.

While the Lansbury surname did not appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, it is well-documented in various historical records, particularly in southern England, where it is believed to have originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lansbury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lansbury 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. Bedfordshire leads with 30 Lansburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.63x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 30 32.63x
Middlesex 29 1.63x
Oxfordshire 25 22.80x
Kent 19 3.14x
Berkshire 12 9.01x
Staffordshire 10 1.67x
Northamptonshire 8 4.79x
Warwickshire 8 1.79x
Essex 6 1.71x
Anglesey 5 15.89x
Buckinghamshire 4 3.73x
Somerset 4 1.40x
Yorkshire 4 0.23x
Derbyshire 3 1.08x
Surrey 3 0.35x
Worcestershire 3 1.29x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.78x
Lancashire 2 0.09x
Monmouthshire 2 1.56x
Hampshire 1 0.27x
Hertfordshire 1 0.82x
Sussex 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromley in Kent leads with 13 Lansburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 140.85x.

Place Total Index
Bromley 13 140.85x
Bedford St Mary 10 421.94x
Wytham 10 8333.33x
Heath Reach 9 1384.62x
Oxford St Thomas 8 156.25x
Hammersmith London 7 16.01x
Islington London 7 4.07x
Middle Aston 7 11666.67x
West Bromwich 6 17.49x
West Ham 6 7.75x
Whitechapel London 6 34.29x
Ampthill 5 364.96x
Deddington 5 420.17x
Holyhead 5 85.18x
Lewisham 5 15.48x
Bilton 4 388.35x
Kimberworth 4 40.98x
Leighton Buzzard 4 101.27x
Steeple Aston 4 975.61x
Wednesbury 4 26.70x
Yatton 4 360.36x
Chipping Barnet 3 638.30x
Crick 3 535.71x
Edgbaston 3 21.61x
Mile End New Town London 3 85.47x
Wing 3 303.03x
Worcester St Clement 3 204.08x
Cumnor 2 327.87x
Long Eaton 2 54.50x
Paddington London 2 3.06x
Potsgrove 2 1666.67x
Wellingborough 2 23.81x
Aston 1 0.81x
Bermondsey 1 1.89x
Bletchley 1 322.58x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 5.98x
Camberwell 1 0.88x
Chipping Barnet 1 46.73x
Elsworth 1 243.90x
Farnborough 1 26.18x
Hastings St Mary 1 13.42x
Kirkdale 1 2.82x
Monmouth 1 29.41x
Northampton Priory St 1 9.98x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 11.76x
Oxford St Giles 1 19.12x
Pentrich 1 64.10x
Southwark St John 1 18.42x
St Andrewthe Less 1 7.78x
St Luke London 1 3.51x
Trevethin 1 8.25x
Welford 1 175.44x
Woolwich 1 4.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Ann 8
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 6
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Alice 2
Amy 2
Caroline 2
Jane 2
Margret 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Berlena 1
Bessie 1
Bettey 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Christania 1
Eliza.A. 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Lilie 1
Lotty 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Maryann 1
May 1
Nora 1
Phebe 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 10
Thomas 9
James 6
Joseph 6
Charles 5
Edward 5
George 5
Henry 4
David 3
Harry 3
Ernest 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Clement 1
Cyril 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwin 1
Farquehanon 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Jonas 1
Jonathan 1
Montague 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Vernon 1
Wallace 1

FAQ

Lansbury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lansbury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 182 people were recorded with the Lansbury surname. That placed it at #13,647 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lansbury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 217 in 2016. That gives Lansbury a modern rank of #18,535.

What does the Lansbury surname mean?

An English surname derived from the place name Lansbury in Essex.

What does the Lansbury map show?

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