NameCensus.

UK surname

Loch

A Scottish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a lake, pond, or partially landlocked body of water.

In the 1881 census there were 232 people recorded with the Loch surname, ranking it #11,677 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 289, ranked #15,137, down from #11,677 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Bute and Rothesay, Inveresk and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stranraer West, Salford and Rushcliffe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Loch is 329 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.6%.

1881 census count

232

Ranked #11,677

Modern count

289

2016, ranked #15,137

Peak year

1891

329 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Loch had 232 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,677 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016, ranked #15,137.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 329 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Loch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Loch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Loch 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 177 #11,441
1861 historical 294 #8,571
1881 historical 232 #11,677
1891 historical 329 #10,320
1901 historical 322 #11,090
1911 historical 67 #26,152
1997 modern 249 #15,319
1998 modern 249 #15,720
1999 modern 250 #15,802
2000 modern 273 #14,828
2001 modern 253 #15,403
2002 modern 263 #15,277
2003 modern 271 #14,787
2004 modern 257 #15,419
2005 modern 265 #15,048
2006 modern 260 #15,329
2007 modern 269 #15,123
2008 modern 256 #15,817
2009 modern 283 #15,020
2010 modern 277 #15,595
2011 modern 279 #15,353
2012 modern 280 #15,248
2013 modern 286 #15,259
2014 modern 289 #15,251
2015 modern 289 #15,153
2016 modern 289 #15,137

Geography

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Where Lochs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Bute and Rothesay, Inveresk, London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stranraer West, Salford, Rushcliffe, Carrick South and South Tyneside. 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 North Bute and Rothesay Bute
2 Inveresk Edinburgh
3 London parishes London 3
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stranraer West Dumfries and Galloway
2 Salford 021 Salford
3 Rushcliffe 010 Rushcliffe
4 Carrick South South Ayrshire
5 South Tyneside 009 South Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Loch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Loch

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Loch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Loch household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Loch is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Loch is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Loch falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Loch

The surname Loch has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "loch," which means lake or body of water. This suggests that the name initially belonged to someone who lived near a loch or body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Loch can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of official records that documented the submission of Scottish nobles to King Edward I of England. In these rolls, the name appears as "de Loch," indicating that the bearer lived near a loch.

During the Middle Ages, the name Loch was particularly prevalent in the Highlands of Scotland, where lochs and bodies of water were abundant. It was often associated with specific place names, such as Lochleven or Lochgelly, where the families bearing the name lived or held land.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the surname Loch was James Loch (1505-1568), a Scottish Protestant reformer and minister. He played a significant role in the spread of Protestantism in Scotland during the Reformation era.

Another prominent figure with the surname Loch was Sir Henry Brougham Loch (1827-1900), a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of Victoria, Australia, and High Commissioner of the Cape Colony in South Africa.

In the literary world, the name Loch is associated with Mary Loch (1879-1928), a Scottish writer and novelist known for her works set in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Her novels, such as "The Piper's Tune" and "The House by the Loch," captured the essence of rural Scottish life.

The surname Loch also has connections to the world of academia and science. One notable figure is David Loch (1770-1838), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits.

Another bearer of the name Loch was Sir Charles William Loch (1849-1923), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Cape Colony and High Commissioner for Southern Africa. He played a crucial role in the governance of British territories in Africa during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the surname Loch has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Scottish emigration and the expansion of the British Empire. However, its origins can be traced back to the picturesque lochs and bodies of water that dot the Scottish landscape, reflecting the connection between this name and the geography of its homeland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Loch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Loch 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. Midlothian leads with 58 Lochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.97x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 58 18.97x
Middlesex 27 1.18x
Lanarkshire 25 3.39x
Surrey 22 1.98x
Kent 17 2.18x
West Lothian 17 49.46x
Wigtownshire 16 52.79x
Buteshire 11 79.54x
Ayrshire 7 4.10x
East Lothian 6 19.85x
Roxburghshire 6 14.51x
Isle of Man 5 11.80x
Stirlingshire 3 3.56x
Angus 2 0.95x
Lancashire 2 0.07x
Berkshire 1 0.58x
Devon 1 0.21x
Fife 1 0.74x
Hertfordshire 1 0.64x
Kincardineshire 1 3.60x
Norfolk 1 0.28x
Renfrewshire 1 0.57x
Somerset 1 0.27x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x
Warwickshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 26 Lochs recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.13x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 26 21.13x
South Leith 22 63.93x
Whitburn 17 342.05x
Bute North 11 1170.21x
Dartford 9 113.07x
Barony 8 4.28x
Govan 8 4.38x
New Monkland 8 36.66x
Stoneykirk 8 368.66x
Deptford St Paul 7 11.65x
Inveresk 7 84.54x
Limehouse London 6 23.94x
Newington 6 7.12x
Pencaitland 6 697.67x
St Pancras London 6 3.27x
Kensington London 5 3.94x
Kirkmaiden 5 260.42x
Onchan 5 40.95x
Ballantrae 4 353.98x
Islington London 4 1.81x
Lambeth 4 2.01x
Reigate Foreign 4 33.22x
Chelsea London 3 4.36x
Clapham 3 10.52x
Hammersmith London 3 5.34x
Kilmarnock 3 14.76x
Melrose 3 84.03x
Putney 3 28.85x
Arbroath 2 28.53x
Bedrule 2 952.38x
Egham 2 29.28x
Falkirk 2 10.15x
Old Luce 2 104.71x
Penicuik 2 48.19x
Abbey 1 3.71x
Auchterderran 1 29.41x
Balfron 1 96.15x
Benholm 1 84.03x
Brewood 1 45.05x
Cookham 1 18.73x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 13.26x
East Barnet 1 32.05x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 12.85x
Glasgow 1 0.76x
Hawick 1 10.81x
Northam 1 28.90x
Old Stratford 1 30.67x
Roydon In Freebridge Lynn 1 666.67x
Warrington 1 3.11x
Weston Super Mare 1 10.78x
Whithorn 1 43.29x
Wigan 1 2.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Frederick 4
Edward 3
Henry 3
Charles 2
Geo. 2
James 2
William 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
August 1
Bertie 1
Carl 1
E. 1
Ephrian 1
Geoffrey 1
George 1
John 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
R. 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Loch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Loch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 232 people were recorded with the Loch surname. That placed it at #11,677 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Loch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 289 in 2016. That gives Loch a modern rank of #15,137.

What does the Loch surname mean?

A Scottish topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a lake, pond, or partially landlocked body of water.

What does the Loch map show?

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