NameCensus.

UK surname

Last

A surname indicating someone who came last or after others.

In the 1881 census there were 2,394 people recorded with the Last surname, ranking it #1,863 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,886, ranked #2,327, down from #1,863 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bradfield St George and Ipswich St Clement and Warren House. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ipswich, Mid Suffolk and Suffolk Coastal.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Last is 3,236 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.6%.

1881 census count

2,394

Ranked #1,863

Modern count

2,886

2016, ranked #2,327

Peak year

1911

3,236 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Last had 2,394 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,863 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,886 in 2016, ranked #2,327.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,236 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Last surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Last surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Last 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 1,515 #1,891
1861 historical 1,385 #2,073
1881 historical 2,394 #1,863
1891 historical 2,406 #1,955
1901 historical 2,897 #1,935
1911 historical 3,236 #1,608
1997 modern 3,136 #2,046
1998 modern 3,217 #2,081
1999 modern 3,205 #2,104
2000 modern 3,187 #2,107
2001 modern 3,097 #2,122
2002 modern 3,154 #2,124
2003 modern 3,036 #2,164
2004 modern 3,006 #2,179
2005 modern 2,971 #2,181
2006 modern 2,927 #2,209
2007 modern 2,931 #2,236
2008 modern 2,913 #2,265
2009 modern 2,933 #2,308
2010 modern 2,948 #2,338
2011 modern 2,869 #2,370
2012 modern 2,835 #2,353
2013 modern 2,935 #2,320
2014 modern 2,927 #2,331
2015 modern 2,884 #2,341
2016 modern 2,886 #2,327

Geography

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Where Lasts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bradfield St George, Ipswich St Clement and Warren House and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ipswich, Mid Suffolk and Suffolk Coastal. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bradfield St George Suffolk
4 Ipswich St Clement and Warren House Suffolk
5 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ipswich 003 Ipswich
2 Mid Suffolk 007 Mid Suffolk
3 Suffolk Coastal 002 Suffolk Coastal
4 Ipswich 016 Ipswich
5 Mid Suffolk 004 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Last

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Last

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Last, 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 Last surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Last 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Last is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Last 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

Last falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Last

The surname LAST originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "lest," meaning "smallest" or "least." The name likely emerged as a nickname for someone of small stature or the youngest child in a family.

LAST was initially concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire, where it was commonly spelled as "Laste" or "Leste" in medieval records. One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Robert Laste is listed as a resident of Yorkshire.

During the 14th century, the surname gained prominence in the nearby county of Lincolnshire, where it was sometimes rendered as "Laste" or "Laatste." The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 record a John Laste living in the town of Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

In the 15th century, the LAST surname began to spread to other parts of England, including London and the Home Counties. The Subsidy Rolls of 1524 mention a Thomas Last residing in the parish of St. Botolph without Aldgate, London.

Notable individuals bearing the LAST surname throughout history include:

1. Sir John Last (c. 1504-1565), a wealthy merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London.

2. William Last (c. 1570-1645), an English composer and lutenist who served as a musician in the court of King James I.

3. Samuel Last (1651-1718), an English Puritan minister and author, best known for his work "The Profane State of the Universe."

4. Thomas Last (1688-1756), a renowned English clockmaker and inventor, credited with developing the first marine chronometer.

5. Sir Ralph Last (1746-1820), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

The LAST surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Lastingham in North Yorkshire and Lastholme in Lancashire. These locations may have influenced the development and propagation of the surname in their respective regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Last families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Last 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. Suffolk leads with 1,220 Lasts recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.07x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 1,220 43.07x
Middlesex 352 1.51x
Essex 210 4.57x
Kent 122 1.54x
Surrey 105 0.93x
Norfolk 95 2.66x
Yorkshire 41 0.18x
Lancashire 33 0.12x
Warwickshire 17 0.29x
Berkshire 16 0.92x
Cambridgeshire 16 1.09x
Devon 16 0.33x
Staffordshire 15 0.19x
Hampshire 14 0.29x
Derbyshire 12 0.33x
Somerset 12 0.32x
Huntingdonshire 11 2.38x
Sussex 10 0.26x
Wiltshire 10 0.49x
Durham 8 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.26x
Gloucestershire 7 0.15x
Monmouthshire 6 0.36x
Dorset 5 0.33x
Cheshire 4 0.08x
Leicestershire 3 0.12x
Northamptonshire 3 0.14x
Glamorgan 2 0.05x
Hertfordshire 2 0.12x
Lanarkshire 2 0.03x
Worcestershire 2 0.07x
Brecknockshire 1 0.22x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Rutland 1 0.59x
Shropshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ipswich St Clement in Suffolk leads with 66 Lasts recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.67x.

Place Total Index
Ipswich St Clement 66 91.67x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 62 116.63x
Rougham 62 953.85x
Ipswich St Mathew 56 70.55x
Mile End Old Town London 49 9.90x
Ipswich St Margaret 47 48.90x
Bradfield St George 41 1161.47x
Bury St Edmunds St James 39 51.55x
St Marylebone London 38 3.06x
St Pancras London 33 1.76x
Kensington London 29 2.24x
Stonham Earl 29 575.40x
Bromley London 27 5.28x
Hackney London 27 2.07x
Halstead 27 50.42x
Debenham 25 265.96x
Diss 25 81.57x
Occold 25 598.09x
Paddington London 22 2.57x
Great Yarmouth 21 7.09x
Parham 21 591.55x
Shoreditch London 21 2.08x
St Osyth 19 170.25x
Barking 18 122.78x
Chelmsford 18 22.85x
Barton Mills 17 453.33x
Ipswich St Helen 17 50.63x
Lee 17 14.76x
Bruisyard 16 842.11x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 16 60.86x
Lowestoft 16 11.96x
Birmingham 15 0.77x
Butley 15 503.36x
Helmingham 15 553.51x
Horringer 15 284.63x
Lawshall 15 235.85x
Alderton 14 330.19x
Bow London 14 4.73x
Braintree 14 33.96x
Knodishall 14 392.16x
Battersea 13 1.52x
Chevington 13 293.45x
Grundisburgh 13 198.47x
Lambeth 13 0.64x
Framsden 12 191.08x
Great Barton 12 182.93x
Heybridge 12 89.89x
Islington London 12 0.53x
Trimley St Martin 12 246.91x
West Ham 12 1.18x
Brettenham 11 436.51x
Clapham 11 3.78x
Coddenham 11 169.49x
Colchester St Leonard 11 74.48x
Combs 11 116.28x
Framlingham 11 54.70x
Heigham 11 5.73x
Limehouse London 11 4.31x
Little Paxton 11 495.50x
Chatham 10 4.58x
Claydon 10 236.97x
Faversham 10 13.22x
Hadleigh 10 36.39x
Ipswich St Mary At Elms 10 111.11x
Letheringham 10 621.12x
Southwark St Saviour 10 8.37x
Barrow In Furness 9 2.40x
Bocking 9 32.60x
Croydon 9 1.43x
Gislingham 9 205.01x
Hammersmith London 9 1.57x
Ipswich St Peter 9 23.60x
Little Saxham 9 652.17x
Northwold 9 93.95x
Westminster St Margaret 9 8.02x
Woolpit 9 109.36x
Burgh 8 392.16x
Eyke 8 264.90x
Ipswich St Mary Key 8 108.84x
Leiston 8 41.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 120
Sarah 74
Ellen 53
Eliza 46
Elizabeth 45
Emma 45
Alice 44
Emily 40
Jane 34
Harriet 33
Ann 32
Louisa 31
Annie 28
Charlotte 23
Hannah 20
Martha 19
Florence 18
Susan 18
Maria 17
Harriett 16
Kate 15
Sophia 15
Ada 13
Caroline 13
Clara 13
Edith 13
Agnes 12
Fanny 11
Julia 11
Anna 10
Catherine 10
Rosa 10
Lucy 9
Frances 8
Eleanor 7
Esther 7
Laura 7
Matilda 7
Maud 7
Rebecca 7
Amelia 6
Minnie 6
Susannah 6
Anne 5
Ethel 5
Georgina 5
Jessie 5
Margaret 5
Selina 5
Mabel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 164
George 110
John 86
James 67
Henry 58
Frederick 55
Charles 49
Arthur 42
Thomas 40
Walter 40
Alfred 35
Harry 30
Robert 30
Albert 25
Edward 25
Joseph 25
Samuel 24
Ernest 15
Herbert 15
Benjamin 13
Frank 11
Edgar 8
Wm. 8
Francis 7
Fredk. 7
Mark 7
Joshua 6
Richard 6
Daniel 5
David 5
Edwin 5
Percy 5
Philip 5
Frederic 4
Isaac 4
Simon 4
Bertram 3
Cecil 3
Cornelius 3
Edmund 3
Ephraim 3
Josiah 3
Willie 3
Allen 2
Christopher 2
Ebenezer 2
Fred 2
Infant 2
Phillip 2
Rowland 2

FAQ

Last surname: questions and answers

How common was the Last surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,394 people were recorded with the Last surname. That placed it at #1,863 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Last surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,886 in 2016. That gives Last a modern rank of #2,327.

What does the Last surname mean?

A surname indicating someone who came last or after others.

What does the Last map show?

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