NameCensus.

UK surname

Lodwig

A variant spelling of the German surname Lödwig or Loedwig, derived from a Germanic name meaning "famous warrior".

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Lodwig surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, down from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Moylgrove and Merthyr Tydfil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea and Carmarthenshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lodwig is 149 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.6%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

2014

149 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lodwig had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 146 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Lodwig surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lodwig surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lodwig 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 109 #22,701
1901 historical 146 #18,335
1911 historical 141 #18,571
1997 modern 142 #21,856
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 138 #22,960
2001 modern 134 #23,037
2002 modern 135 #23,398
2003 modern 133 #23,359
2004 modern 132 #23,625
2005 modern 139 #22,887
2006 modern 138 #23,156
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 137 #23,883
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 134 #25,263
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 138 #24,614
2013 modern 144 #24,323
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 146 #24,148
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Lodwigs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Moylgrove, Merthyr Tydfil, Pembrey and Llanelly. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea and Carmarthenshire. 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 Moylgrove Cardiganshire
3 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
4 Pembrey Carmarthenshire
5 Llanelly Carmarthenshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 019 Swansea
2 Carmarthenshire 019 Carmarthenshire
3 Swansea 025 Swansea
4 Swansea 026 Swansea
5 Carmarthenshire 027 Carmarthenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lodwig

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lodwig

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Lodwig surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Lodwig 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Lodwig 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

Lodwig is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lodwig falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lodwig

The surname "LODWIG" is believed to have originated in Germany, possibly during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old High German words "lod" (meaning "people" or "nation") and "wig" (meaning "war" or "battle"), suggesting it may have initially referred to someone associated with military or warrior activities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the former Duchy of Saxony, where a person named Lodwicus is mentioned in a charter dated 1145. This suggests the name was already in use by the 12th century.

In the 13th century, a nobleman named Heinricus Lodwig was documented as having owned lands in the region of Franconia, which is now part of modern-day Bavaria. This indicates that the name had spread to different parts of Germany by that time.

The name appears to have undergone various spelling variations throughout its history, including Lodwyk, Lodewig, and Lodewijk, reflecting regional linguistic differences and the evolution of the German language over time.

One notable bearer of the surname was Johannes Lodwig (1492-1567), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and helped establish the Lutheran Church in the city of Wittenberg.

Another prominent figure was Georg Philipp Lodwig (1597-1672), a German composer and organist who served as the court Kapellmeister (music director) in Nuremberg. He was renowned for his compositions for organ and sacred vocal works.

In the 18th century, Johann Christian Lodwig (1732-1799) was a German mathematician and physicist who made important contributions to the field of algebra and the study of electricity. He served as a professor at the University of Leipzig.

The surname also appears in historical records from other parts of Europe, suggesting possible migration or connections with German communities. For example, in the Netherlands, a merchant named Pieter Lodwig is documented as having traded in Amsterdam in the 17th century.

Overall, the surname "LODWIG" has a rich history rooted in medieval Germany, with potential ties to military or warrior backgrounds. While its origins are somewhat uncertain, it has been carried by notable figures across various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lodwig families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lodwig 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. Carmarthenshire leads with 55 Lodwigs recorded in 1881 and an index of 127.40x.

County Total Index
Carmarthenshire 55 127.40x
Glamorgan 38 21.31x
Cardiganshire 5 20.02x
Pembrokeshire 5 15.36x
Denbighshire 1 2.58x
Essex 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanelly in Carmarthenshire leads with 21 Lodwigs recorded in 1881 and an index of 216.05x.

Place Total Index
Llanelly 21 216.05x
Llanstephan 14 3255.81x
Swansea Town 9 61.56x
Swansea Higher 7 376.34x
Cardiff St Mary 6 61.10x
Llandingat 5 510.20x
Llangain 5 4166.67x
Merthyr Tydfil 5 29.17x
Ystradyfodwg 5 31.97x
Neath 4 110.19x
Pembrey 4 201.01x
Laugharne 3 526.32x
Llanarth 3 428.57x
St Dogmells 3 348.84x
Moelgrove 2 1333.33x
Chirk 1 131.58x
Clase 1 15.08x
Llanddewi Aberarth 1 200.00x
Llandebie 1 80.00x
Llandowror 1 1000.00x
Llandygwydd 1 303.03x
Llanrhidian Higher 1 88.50x
Mydrim 1 312.50x
Woodford 1 43.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Ann 6
Sarah 5
Catherine 4
Elizabeth 4
Anne 3
Hannah 2
M. 2
Margaret 2
Rachel 2
Alice 1
Anna 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Leah 1
Margaretta 1
Margret 1
Mariah 1
Rachael 1
T. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
Thomas 9
David 7
William 6
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
George 2
Hopkin 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
A. 1
Evan 1
Ferdinand 1
Griffith 1
Llewelyn 1
O. 1
Rees 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Lodwig surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lodwig surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Lodwig surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lodwig surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Lodwig a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Lodwig surname mean?

A variant spelling of the German surname Lödwig or Loedwig, derived from a Germanic name meaning "famous warrior".

What does the Lodwig map show?

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