NameCensus.

UK surname

Launder

A surname of Norman origin referring to someone who laundered or washed clothes professionally.

In the 1881 census there were 235 people recorded with the Launder surname, ranking it #11,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 339, ranked #13,492, down from #11,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Redruth, London parishes and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth, South Lakeland and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Launder is 473 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.3%.

1881 census count

235

Ranked #11,573

Modern count

339

2016, ranked #13,492

Peak year

1891

473 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Launder had 235 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016, ranked #13,492.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 473 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Launder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Launder surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Launder 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 293 #7,783
1861 historical 354 #7,224
1881 historical 235 #11,573
1891 historical 473 #7,758
1901 historical 297 #11,721
1911 historical 335 #10,584
1997 modern 339 #12,464
1998 modern 359 #12,321
1999 modern 353 #12,522
2000 modern 358 #12,356
2001 modern 346 #12,478
2002 modern 351 #12,583
2003 modern 346 #12,511
2004 modern 343 #12,616
2005 modern 337 #12,738
2006 modern 329 #13,044
2007 modern 336 #12,975
2008 modern 338 #13,044
2009 modern 364 #12,584
2010 modern 366 #12,800
2011 modern 358 #12,883
2012 modern 336 #13,376
2013 modern 339 #13,477
2014 modern 344 #13,426
2015 modern 344 #13,332
2016 modern 339 #13,492

Geography

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Where Launders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Redruth, London parishes, Plymouth St Charles the Martyr, Beer Ferris and Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Plymouth, South Lakeland, Neath Port Talbot and Burnley. 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 Redruth Cornwall
2 London parishes London 2
3 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon
4 Beer Ferris Devon
5 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Plymouth 027 Plymouth
2 South Lakeland 005 South Lakeland
3 Neath Port Talbot 018 Neath Port Talbot
4 Burnley 011 Burnley
5 Plymouth 026 Plymouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Launder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Launder

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Launder surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Launder household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

London Fringe

Within London, Launder is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Launder is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Launder 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 Launder is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Launder

The surname Launder is of English origin, deriving from the Old French word 'lavandier,' which means 'washer' or 'launderer.' It emerged in the Middle Ages as an occupational surname, referring to individuals who worked as launderers or washers of clothes and linens.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Launder can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England. One notable early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where the name appears as 'Lavendur.'

In the 14th century, the surname was sometimes spelled 'Lavender' or 'Lavendar,' reflecting the Old French origin. This variant spelling can be seen in records such as the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a 'Johannes Lavendar' is listed.

The Launder surname is also linked to certain place names in England, such as Launder Abbey in Buckinghamshire, which was founded in the 12th century. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname based on their association with this location or similar places.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Launder was John Launder, who was born in Gloucestershire, England, around 1490. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the region.

Another notable bearer of the Launder surname was Sir Thomas Launder (1535-1614), an English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various parish records across England, such as the baptism of Elizabeth Launder in St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London, in 1635.

William Launder (1640-1705) was a respected English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Wotton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire.

Mary Launder (1710-1792) was a renowned English poet and writer from Bath, whose works were widely published and acclaimed in her lifetime.

As the centuries progressed, the Launder surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with some bearers achieving notable positions in society, such as Richard Launder (1820-1898), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Oxfordshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Launder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Launder 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 69 Launders recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.52x.

County Total Index
Devon 69 15.52x
Cornwall 41 16.95x
Middlesex 21 0.98x
Gloucestershire 15 3.58x
Sussex 13 3.61x
Surrey 11 1.06x
Durham 10 1.57x
Lancashire 10 0.39x
Leicestershire 8 3.38x
Glamorgan 6 1.61x
Kent 4 0.55x
Hampshire 3 0.69x
Royal Navy 3 11.78x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.69x
Derbyshire 1 0.30x
Staffordshire 1 0.14x
Warwickshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Redruth in Cornwall leads with 31 Launders recorded in 1881 and an index of 453.22x.

Place Total Index
Redruth 31 453.22x
Plymouth St Andrew 24 70.07x
Plymouth Charles The 12 61.26x
Beerferris 11 1264.37x
Stoke Damerel 11 35.35x
Habergham Eaves 9 38.84x
Wisborough Green 8 661.16x
Ashburton 6 281.69x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 6 78.23x
Swansea Town 6 19.68x
Wigston Magna 6 191.08x
Willesden 6 29.79x
Paddington London 5 6.37x
Battersea 4 5.09x
Camberwell 4 2.93x
Kenwyn 4 63.29x
St Pancras London 4 2.33x
Stroud 4 49.08x
Tillington 4 615.38x
West Herrington 4 179.37x
Houghton Le Spring 3 68.34x
Islington London 3 1.45x
Royal Navy 3 13.79x
Stranton 3 14.03x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 5.07x
Castle Donnington 2 102.04x
Cheltenham 2 6.19x
Kensington London 2 1.68x
Ryde 2 21.25x
St Gluvias Penryn 2 103.09x
St Hilary Marazion 2 303.03x
Bere Ferrers 1 136.99x
Berkeley 1 42.92x
Birmingham 1 0.56x
Brighton 1 1.38x
Canterbury St Mary 1 20.45x
Chelsea London 1 1.55x
Compton Gifford 1 71.94x
Devonport 1 19.57x
Elksley 1 416.67x
Everton 1 1.24x
Gwennap 1 21.93x
Haslemere 1 121.95x
Lambeth 1 0.54x
Lanteglos By Fowey 1 102.04x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.34x
Plumstead 1 4.12x
Portsea 1 1.17x
Sevenoaks 1 16.92x
St Budeaux 1 72.46x
Sundridge 1 81.97x
Tavistock 1 19.72x
Turnditch 1 454.55x
Willenhall 1 7.40x
Wimbledon 1 8.55x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 13
George 10
Thomas 9
Charles 6
Henry 5
James 5
Richard 5
Robert 4
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Matthew 2
Nicholas 2
Stephen 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Arnold 1
Daniel 1
Darcy 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk.John 1
Harald 1
Hubert 1
Joseph 1
Marsh 1
Percy 1
Sam. 1
Silvanus 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Launder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Launder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 235 people were recorded with the Launder surname. That placed it at #11,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Launder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016. That gives Launder a modern rank of #13,492.

What does the Launder surname mean?

A surname of Norman origin referring to someone who laundered or washed clothes professionally.

What does the Launder map show?

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