NameCensus.

UK surname

Lewis

A surname of English, Scottish, or Welsh origin, derived from various personal names meaning "renowned warrior."

In the 1881 census there were 78,614 people recorded with the Lewis surname, ranking it #25 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114,738, ranked #22, up from #25 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot and Powys.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lewis is 117,850 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.0%.

1881 census count

78,614

Ranked #25

Modern count

114,738

2016, ranked #22

Peak year

2010

117,850 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lewis had 78,614 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114,738 in 2016, ranked #22.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 105,942 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lewis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lewis surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lewis 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 55,536 #21
1861 historical 55,148 #25
1881 historical 78,614 #25
1891 historical 84,275 #25
1901 historical 97,213 #25
1911 historical 105,942 #25
1997 modern 111,339 #22
1998 modern 115,643 #23
1999 modern 116,444 #23
2000 modern 116,102 #22
2001 modern 113,019 #22
2002 modern 115,391 #22
2003 modern 112,685 #22
2004 modern 112,578 #21
2005 modern 110,906 #21
2006 modern 110,877 #21
2007 modern 111,892 #21
2008 modern 112,466 #22
2009 modern 115,323 #22
2010 modern 117,850 #22
2011 modern 116,205 #22
2012 modern 113,778 #22
2013 modern 115,874 #22
2014 modern 116,473 #22
2015 modern 115,332 #22
2016 modern 114,738 #22

Geography

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Where Lewis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Powys and Merthyr Tydfil. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
5 Aberdare Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carmarthenshire 027 Carmarthenshire
2 Neath Port Talbot 004 Neath Port Talbot
3 Neath Port Talbot 020 Neath Port Talbot
4 Powys 021 Powys
5 Merthyr Tydfil 002 Merthyr Tydfil

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lewis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lewis

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

Lewis 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

Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lewis

The surname LEWIS originated in Britain, derived from the Old French personal name "Lew(i)s", which was the Norman form of the Germanic name "Hludwig" or "Chlodovech". This name comes from the elements "hlud" meaning "loud" or "famous" and "wig" meaning "war" or "warrior". The name was introduced to Britain after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The earliest recorded instances of the LEWIS surname date back to the late 11th century in England. One of the earliest known bearers was Radulphus Leu(u)is, who was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was prevalent in various counties across England, including Shropshire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire.

In the 13th century, the surname was also recorded in Wales, where it was likely adopted by those of Norman descent or by Welsh individuals who adopted the name. The earliest known record in Wales is of a Leuwys ap Gruffydd, who lived in Denbighshire in the late 13th century.

Throughout history, the LEWIS surname has been associated with various notable individuals. One of the most famous was Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), the American explorer who led the Lewis and Clark Expedition across the western United States. Another notable bearer was C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), the renowned British writer and scholar best known for his Chronicles of Narnia fantasy series.

Other notable figures with the LEWIS surname include Carl Lewis (born 1961), the American Olympic track and field athlete; Jerry Lee Lewis (1935-2022), the American rock and roll pioneer; and Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951), the American novelist and playwright who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1930.

Over time, the LEWIS surname has evolved and been spelled in various ways, including Lewys, Leuwis, and Llewis, particularly in Wales. Additionally, some place names in Britain, such as Lewisham in London and Lewistown in Wales, are believed to have derived from the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lewis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lewis 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. Glamorgan leads with 13,453 Lewis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.06x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 13,453 10.06x
Middlesex 6,037 0.79x
Monmouthshire 5,122 9.22x
Carmarthenshire 4,772 14.74x
Lancashire 4,476 0.49x
Gloucestershire 2,827 1.88x
Pembrokeshire 2,816 11.54x
Surrey 2,634 0.70x
Staffordshire 2,235 0.86x
Shropshire 2,137 3.22x
Cardiganshire 2,087 11.14x
Warwickshire 1,825 0.94x
Brecknockshire 1,743 11.35x
Herefordshire 1,741 5.53x
Montgomeryshire 1,613 9.16x
Cheshire 1,604 0.95x
Yorkshire 1,588 0.21x
Somerset 1,515 1.23x
Kent 1,506 0.57x
Worcestershire 1,425 1.42x
Devon 1,142 0.71x
Hampshire 1,069 0.68x
Merionethshire 1,049 7.46x
Essex 952 0.63x
Caernarfonshire 930 2.99x
Radnorshire 888 14.33x
Anglesey 862 6.33x
Flintshire 758 3.67x
Wiltshire 758 1.12x
Denbighshire 756 2.61x
Durham 692 0.30x
Sussex 491 0.38x
Berkshire 451 0.78x
Suffolk 422 0.45x
Northamptonshire 366 0.51x
Lanarkshire 325 0.13x
Derbyshire 320 0.27x
Norfolk 309 0.26x
Oxfordshire 275 0.58x
Lincolnshire 266 0.22x
Hertfordshire 230 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 228 0.22x
Leicestershire 200 0.23x
Cornwall 196 0.23x
Cumberland 191 0.29x
Northumberland 183 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 156 0.34x
Dorset 147 0.29x
Midlothian 146 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 115 0.24x
Huntingdonshire 79 0.52x
Bedfordshire 71 0.18x
Renfrewshire 67 0.11x
Royal Navy 63 0.69x
Aberdeenshire 57 0.08x
Westmorland 56 0.33x
Angus 52 0.07x
Channel Islands 50 0.22x
Ayrshire 34 0.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 33 0.30x
Dumfriesshire 18 0.11x
Fife 16 0.04x
Berwickshire 15 0.16x
Isle of Man 14 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 13 0.06x
Perthshire 12 0.03x
Selkirkshire 12 0.17x
West Lothian 11 0.10x
Roxburghshire 6 0.04x
Stirlingshire 4 0.01x
Caithness 3 0.03x
Kincardineshire 3 0.03x
Peeblesshire 3 0.08x
Wigtownshire 3 0.03x
Buteshire 2 0.04x
Inverness-shire 2 0.01x
Sutherland 2 0.03x
Kinross-shire 1 0.05x
Nairnshire 1 0.04x
Rutland 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan leads with 1,759 Lewis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.68x.

Place Total Index
Merthyr Tydfil 1,759 13.68x
Ystradyfodwg 1,393 11.87x
Aberdare 1,114 12.13x
Bedwellty 1,043 10.64x
Llanelly 827 11.34x
Birmingham 738 1.14x
Clase 663 13.33x
Carmarthen St Peter 643 23.24x
Swansea Town 620 5.65x
Islington London 548 0.74x
Aston 541 1.01x
St Pancras London 511 0.83x
Aberystruth 509 10.40x
Lambeth 501 0.75x
Liverpool 465 0.84x
Llanwonno 465 9.68x
Camberwell 448 0.91x
Gelligaer 435 14.24x
Trevethin 427 8.14x
Llanguick 423 17.66x
Toxteth Park 406 1.32x
Llantrisant 397 11.78x
Wolverhampton 365 1.83x
Everton 360 1.24x
Mynyddyslwyn 347 15.84x
Kensington London 330 0.77x
St Marylebone London 314 0.77x
Eglwysilan 310 13.36x
West Ham 310 0.93x
Roath 309 5.09x
Hackney London 302 0.70x
St Woollos 298 4.81x
Shoreditch London 291 0.87x
Bethnal Green London 281 0.84x
Cardiff St Mary 270 3.67x
Mile End Old Town London 264 1.62x
Cardiff St John 259 5.93x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 256 1.81x
Llandilo Fawr 249 17.25x
Newington 246 0.87x
Manchester 241 0.59x
Bedminster 240 2.07x
Stoke Upon Trent 239 0.87x
Paddington London 230 0.81x
Neath 225 8.27x
Llanelly 221 12.03x
Portsea 214 0.69x
Battersea 209 0.74x
Pembroke St Mary 209 6.65x
Birkenhead 207 1.53x
West Derby 203 0.76x
Cilybebill 194 38.02x
Llandaff 191 4.29x
Clifton 189 2.48x
Michaelstone Super Avon 187 12.92x
Abergavenny 186 8.95x
St George Hanover Square 186 1.37x
Llanover 185 9.76x
Bangor 181 6.04x
Cheltenham 181 1.56x
Chelsea London 176 0.76x
Holyhead 173 6.82x
Cwmdu 171 10.50x
Pembrey 170 11.42x
Swansea Higher 170 12.20x
Aberystwith 167 10.36x
Stockton On Tees 166 1.51x
Vaynor 166 22.11x
Festiniog 162 5.46x
Llanfabon 161 23.02x
Rhyndwyclydach 159 17.14x
Briton Ferry 158 9.90x
St John Near Swansea 157 9.49x
Bermondsey 150 0.66x
Barrow In Furness 149 1.20x
Salford 149 0.56x
Towyn 148 16.74x
Llantwit Vairdre 141 9.38x
Southwark St George Martyr 140 0.91x
Lower Ystradgynlais 139 14.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6,202
Elizabeth 3,604
Sarah 2,743
Ann 1,884
Margaret 1,875
Jane 1,759
Eliza 972
Ellen 872
Annie 864
Anne 855
Hannah 822
Catherine 809
Emma 803
Martha 772
Alice 696
Emily 670
Maria 399
Edith 387
Harriet 377
Rachel 366
Louisa 360
Charlotte 317
Fanny 314
Florence 308
Caroline 303
Ada 279
Esther 258
Frances 224
Susan 222
Clara 217
Kate 207
Eleanor 201
Agnes 193
Amelia 190
Margret 164
Lucy 157
Elizth. 155
Sophia 155
Amy 141
Rebecca 139
Laura 132
Harriett 129
Susannah 127
Anna 125
Rose 123
Matilda 121
Isabella 107
Gertrude 102
Ruth 102
Minnie 97

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5,337
William 5,134
Thomas 3,534
David 2,173
George 1,885
James 1,702
Henry 1,283
Edward 1,089
Charles 1,068
Richard 996
Joseph 789
Lewis 676
Robert 645
Alfred 573
Evan 533
Arthur 499
Samuel 492
Frederick 439
Daniel 378
Walter 354
Benjamin 349
Albert 344
Edwin 301
Harry 234
Wm. 226
Herbert 223
Frank 211
Hugh 183
Francis 178
Ernest 172
Rees 170
Isaac 167
Thos. 160
Morgan 154
Owen 153
Griffith 105
Edmund 89
Stephen 89
Tom 77
Peter 72
Fred 67
Sidney 66
Geo. 63
Percy 62
Phillip 59
Abraham 56
Fredrick 55
Philip 53
Fredk. 50
Jenkin 50

FAQ

Lewis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lewis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 78,614 people were recorded with the Lewis surname. That placed it at #25 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lewis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114,738 in 2016. That gives Lewis a modern rank of #22.

What does the Lewis surname mean?

A surname of English, Scottish, or Welsh origin, derived from various personal names meaning "renowned warrior."

What does the Lewis map show?

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