NameCensus.

UK surname

Laud

An old English surname derived from the word "hlāf" meaning "bread" or "loaf."

In the 1881 census there were 292 people recorded with the Laud surname, ranking it #9,912 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 372, ranked #12,539, down from #9,912 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Moulton, London parishes and Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Laud is 397 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.4%.

1881 census count

292

Ranked #9,912

Modern count

372

2016, ranked #12,539

Peak year

2011

397 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Laud had 292 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,912 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 372 in 2016, ranked #12,539.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 298 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Laud surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Laud surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Laud 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 164 #14,188
1881 historical 292 #9,912
1891 historical 298 #11,167
1901 historical 29 #30,848
1911 historical 193 #15,294
1997 modern 351 #12,145
1998 modern 365 #12,175
1999 modern 362 #12,316
2000 modern 356 #12,408
2001 modern 352 #12,318
2002 modern 345 #12,754
2003 modern 354 #12,319
2004 modern 366 #12,053
2005 modern 351 #12,343
2006 modern 352 #12,396
2007 modern 353 #12,521
2008 modern 350 #12,694
2009 modern 376 #12,290
2010 modern 389 #12,251
2011 modern 397 #11,921
2012 modern 376 #12,262
2013 modern 377 #12,449
2014 modern 373 #12,633
2015 modern 366 #12,717
2016 modern 372 #12,539

Geography

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Where Lauds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Moulton, London parishes, Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire), Wakefield and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire and Huntingdonshire. 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 Moulton Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire) Cambridgeshire
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 008 South Derbyshire
2 South Derbyshire 007 South Derbyshire
3 South Derbyshire 009 South Derbyshire
4 South Derbyshire 011 South Derbyshire
5 Huntingdonshire 007 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Laud

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Laud

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Laud is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Laud 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

Laud 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 Laud is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Laud

The surname Laud is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hlude" or "hlud," meaning loud or clamorous. This name likely originated in the late Anglo-Saxon period, around the 9th to 11th centuries.

The earliest known reference to the surname Laud can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as "Loud" or "Lovde." It is believed that this name was initially given as a nickname to someone with a boisterous or loud voice.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Laud was concentrated in the southern counties of England, particularly in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire. Early variations of the spelling included Loude, Lowde, and Lowed.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the Laud surname was William Laud (1573-1645), an English Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of King James I and King Charles I. He was a prominent figure in the Anglican Church and played a significant role in shaping its doctrines and practices.

Another notable individual with the surname Laud was Thomas Laud (1670-1717), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury in the early 18th century.

In the 19th century, John Laud (1805-1875) was a prominent English architect known for his contributions to the Gothic Revival style. He designed several notable buildings, including the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Redhill, Surrey.

The surname Laud has also been associated with places such as Loud's Hill in Wiltshire, which dates back to the 16th century and is believed to be named after a family with the surname Laud who lived in the area.

Another notable bearer of the Laud surname was Benjamin Laud (1852-1914), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

While the surname Laud is not as common today, it remains a part of English heritage, with its roots tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon period and the Old English language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Laud families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Laud 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. Lincolnshire leads with 58 Lauds recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.33x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 58 13.33x
Yorkshire 43 1.59x
Devon 29 5.12x
Surrey 25 1.89x
Cambridgeshire 24 13.92x
Lancashire 22 0.68x
Middlesex 15 0.55x
Essex 14 2.61x
Durham 8 0.99x
Norfolk 6 1.43x
Gloucestershire 5 0.94x
Derbyshire 4 0.94x
Northamptonshire 4 1.56x
Hampshire 3 0.54x
Huntingdonshire 3 5.55x
Kent 3 0.32x
Westmorland 3 5.02x
Renfrewshire 2 0.95x
Suffolk 2 0.60x
Wiltshire 2 0.83x
Herefordshire 1 0.90x
Hertfordshire 1 0.53x
Rutland 1 5.01x
Shropshire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whittlesey St Mary St in Cambridgeshire leads with 24 Lauds recorded in 1881 and an index of 398.67x.

Place Total Index
Whittlesey St Mary St 24 398.67x
Tiverton 21 215.16x
Manchester 14 9.64x
Moulton 14 669.86x
Whaplode Drove 13 1780.82x
West Ham 11 9.27x
Camberwell 10 5.75x
Leake 10 502.51x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 9 91.93x
Bishopwearmouth 8 11.51x
Wakefield 8 38.65x
Seaton 7 321.10x
Southcoates 6 40.08x
Deeping St James 5 324.68x
Nether Hallam 5 13.70x
Newington 5 4.97x
Penge 5 28.77x
Potter Newton 5 105.04x
Heigham 4 17.81x
Richmond 4 21.53x
Stapleton 4 39.49x
Applethwaite 3 168.54x
Bluntisham 3 297.03x
Carisbrooke 3 38.76x
Faldingworth 3 1153.85x
Islington London 3 1.14x
Spalding 3 34.72x
St George Hanover Square 3 6.26x
St Pancras London 3 1.37x
Toxteth Park 3 2.74x
Wellingborough 3 23.31x
Whaplode 3 202.70x
Wickenby 3 1200.00x
Broughton In Salford 2 6.77x
Church Gresley 2 29.50x
Dewsbury 2 7.23x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 11.52x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 2 64.94x
Liverpool 2 1.02x
Neilston 2 18.89x
Outwell 2 246.91x
Pinchbeck 2 71.68x
Trowbridge 2 18.80x
Battersea 1 1.00x
Beckenham 1 8.24x
Chetwynd 1 131.58x
Chipping Ongar 1 108.70x
Codicote 1 89.29x
Crigglestone 1 38.46x
Eccleshill 1 15.24x
Erith 1 10.93x
Glossop Dale 1 5.01x
Grantham 1 17.64x
Halberton 1 75.76x
Hammersmith London 1 1.49x
Holy Trinity 1 1.54x
Kensington London 1 0.66x
Lexden 1 46.30x
Little Easton 1 370.37x
Peterborough 1 5.40x
Rastrick 1 13.35x
Ross 1 22.52x
Sheffield 1 1.16x
Shipley 1 7.14x
St Marylebone London 1 0.69x
Sutton Valence 1 95.24x
Westbury On Trym 1 5.53x
Westminster St James 1 3.57x
Westminster St John 1 3.02x
Westminster St Margaret 1 7.62x
Weston 1 126.58x
Whissendine 1 147.06x
Wirksworth 1 25.84x
Withington 1 9.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 16
Sarah 14
Mary 13
Ann 12
Emma 6
Alice 5
Eliza 5
Susan 5
Hannah 4
Amelia 3
Annie 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Louisa 3
Rebecca 3
Ada 2
Adelaide 2
Agnes 2
Charlotte 2
Charlte. 2
Dorothy 2
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Susanna 2
Amy 1
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Ida 1
Infant 1
Jemima 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Mable 1
Margaret 1
Margretta 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Melan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
John 15
George 14
James 7
Frederick 6
Robert 5
Arthur 4
Joseph 4
Thomas 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Charles 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Joe 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Josua 1
Lewis 1
Peter 1
R. 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
W. 1
Walt. 1

FAQ

Laud surname: questions and answers

How common was the Laud surname in 1881?

In 1881, 292 people were recorded with the Laud surname. That placed it at #9,912 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Laud surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 372 in 2016. That gives Laud a modern rank of #12,539.

What does the Laud surname mean?

An old English surname derived from the word "hlāf" meaning "bread" or "loaf."

What does the Laud map show?

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