NameCensus.

UK surname

Loftus

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "loft house," referring to a dwelling with an upper story.

In the 1881 census there were 1,631 people recorded with the Loftus surname, ranking it #2,623 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,371, ranked #2,012, up from #2,623 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham, Fylde and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Loftus is 3,491 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 106.7%.

1881 census count

1,631

Ranked #2,623

Modern count

3,371

2016, ranked #2,012

Peak year

2010

3,491 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Loftus had 1,631 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,623 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,371 in 2016, ranked #2,012.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,878 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Loftus surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Loftus surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Loftus 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 609 #4,230
1861 historical 650 #4,130
1881 historical 1,631 #2,623
1891 historical 1,427 #3,059
1901 historical 1,878 #2,804
1911 historical 1,831 #2,692
1997 modern 3,246 #1,979
1998 modern 3,424 #1,952
1999 modern 3,434 #1,975
2000 modern 3,395 #1,986
2001 modern 3,324 #1,983
2002 modern 3,395 #1,997
2003 modern 3,315 #1,992
2004 modern 3,268 #2,019
2005 modern 3,263 #1,995
2006 modern 3,291 #1,991
2007 modern 3,292 #2,015
2008 modern 3,312 #2,019
2009 modern 3,406 #2,010
2010 modern 3,491 #1,997
2011 modern 3,435 #2,005
2012 modern 3,360 #2,010
2013 modern 3,424 #2,001
2014 modern 3,454 #2,002
2015 modern 3,403 #2,010
2016 modern 3,371 #2,012

Geography

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Where Loftus' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oldham, Fylde, East Riding of Yorkshire and Liverpool. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oldham 028 Oldham
2 Fylde 001 Fylde
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 018 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Liverpool 028 Liverpool
5 Liverpool 045 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Loftus

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Loftus

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Loftus surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Loftus household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Loftus 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

Loftus 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

Loftus 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 Loftus is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Loftus

The surname Loftus is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English words "loft" meaning an upper room or floor, and "hus" meaning a house or dwelling. It is believed to have originated in England sometime during the 11th or 12th century, possibly as a descriptive name for someone who lived in an upper chamber or loft of a building.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Loftus name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Lofthus" in the records for Yorkshire.

The Loftus family later established a stronghold in the village of Loftus, located in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England. This village likely took its name from the family, and its earliest mention dates back to the 13th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Loftus family played a prominent role in the history of Yorkshire. Adam de Loftus, born around 1200, was a notable figure who served as the Sheriff of Yorkshire in the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, Sir Adam Loftus (1533-1605) was an influential figure who served as the Lord Chancellor of Ireland and the Archbishop of Dublin. He played a crucial role in the establishment of Trinity College, Dublin, and was a key figure in the English Reformation in Ireland.

Another notable bearer of the Loftus name was Dudley Loftus (1619-1695), an English jurist and politician who served as a judge and member of the House of Commons in the 17th century.

During the 18th century, the Loftus family continued to hold significant positions in Ireland. Nicholas Loftus (1737-1805) was a prominent Irish politician and member of the Irish House of Commons, while Arthur Loftus (1745-1806) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War.

In more recent history, one of the most famous individuals with the Loftus surname was Elizabeth Loftus (1944-), an American cognitive psychologist and expert on human memory. Her pioneering research on the malleability of memory and the creation of false memories has had a significant impact on the field of psychology and legal proceedings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Loftus families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Loftus 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. Lancashire leads with 617 Loftus' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.26x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 617 3.26x
Yorkshire 237 1.50x
Middlesex 101 0.63x
Staffordshire 78 1.45x
Durham 72 1.52x
Cheshire 55 1.56x
Midlothian 55 2.58x
Surrey 55 0.71x
Northumberland 47 1.98x
Warwickshire 35 0.87x
Denbighshire 27 4.49x
Lincolnshire 26 1.02x
Derbyshire 24 0.96x
Worcestershire 19 0.91x
Roxburghshire 17 5.89x
Lanarkshire 16 0.31x
Selkirkshire 16 11.10x
Shropshire 15 1.09x
Kent 14 0.26x
Renfrewshire 14 1.13x
Angus 11 0.75x
Hampshire 10 0.31x
Flintshire 8 1.87x
Monmouthshire 8 0.69x
Ayrshire 7 0.59x
Essex 7 0.22x
Cornwall 6 0.33x
Cumberland 6 0.44x
Bedfordshire 5 0.61x
Berwickshire 4 2.07x
Sussex 4 0.15x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.95x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.20x
Leicestershire 2 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.07x
Berkshire 1 0.08x
Devon 1 0.03x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Isle of Man 1 0.34x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.43x
Northamptonshire 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.53x
Somerset 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 69 Loftus' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.01x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 69 6.01x
Preston 53 10.48x
Manchester 41 4.82x
Stockport 41 22.66x
Great Bolton 38 15.18x
Birmingham 29 2.17x
Lasswade 29 59.44x
Wolverhampton 25 6.05x
Wigan 24 9.09x
Oldham 23 3.77x
Burnley 20 12.56x
Little Bolton 20 8.23x
Wardleworth 18 16.66x
Warrington 18 8.03x
Leeds 17 1.91x
Much Woolton 17 66.28x
Over Darwen 17 11.26x
Stranton 16 10.03x
Widnes 16 11.74x
Cockpen 15 60.14x
Ecclesfield 15 12.96x
Lowick 15 181.82x
Southcoates 15 17.12x
Wrexham Abbot 15 99.14x
Bury 14 6.48x
Keighley 14 8.32x
Newchurch 14 9.05x
Croydon 13 3.02x
Bowling 12 7.68x
Great Grimsby 12 7.42x
Dundee 11 2.00x
Elvet 11 32.15x
Galashiels 11 20.65x
Hulme 11 2.79x
Staveley 11 24.85x
Garston 10 17.92x
Gorton 10 5.63x
Holy Trinity 10 2.63x
Hunslet 10 4.06x
North Meols 10 5.40x
Prescot 10 29.26x
Chilton 9 60.85x
Clapham 9 4.52x
Kidderminster Borough 9 7.39x
Market Weighton Arras 9 87.72x
Mitcham 9 18.34x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 9 6.36x
Newcastle Under Lyme 9 9.46x
Newton In Makerfield 9 15.55x
Toxteth Park 9 1.41x
Willenhall 9 8.94x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 1.94x
Bedrule 8 544.22x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 5.33x
Burslem 8 5.19x
Cottingham 8 23.52x
Failsworth 8 18.50x
Gateshead 8 2.25x
Govan 8 0.63x
Kensington London 8 0.90x
Shoreditch London 8 1.16x
Skelton In Guisbrough 8 18.74x
Southowram 8 16.60x
Willesden 8 5.33x
York St Maurice 8 26.92x
Beverley St Mary 7 30.37x
Bingley 7 6.96x
Blackburn 7 1.39x
Flint 7 28.79x
Kirkdale 7 2.20x
Mile End Old Town London 7 2.06x
Normanton 7 33.24x
Pemberton 7 9.29x
Poplar London 7 2.33x
Shrewsbury St Mary 7 12.89x
Spotland 7 3.33x
St Pancras London 7 0.55x
St Quivox 7 17.37x
Stockton On Tees 7 3.06x
Westminster St James 7 4.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 139
Thomas 97
James 79
Patrick 50
William 46
Michael 44
Martin 22
Peter 19
Edward 14
Charles 12
Joseph 12
Francis 10
George 10
Robert 10
Thos. 10
Henry 9
Alfred 8
Albert 6
Anthony 6
Frank 6
Fred 6
Hugh 6
Andrew 5
Richard 5
Arthur 4
Jas. 4
Micheal 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Matthew 3
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Douglas 2
Edgar 2
Jonathan 2
Luke 2
Owen 2
Stephen 2
Timothy 2
Tom 2
Darby 1
Ernest 1
Eward 1
Frances 1
Johnathon 1
Josep 1
Yoin 1

FAQ

Loftus surname: questions and answers

How common was the Loftus surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,631 people were recorded with the Loftus surname. That placed it at #2,623 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Loftus surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,371 in 2016. That gives Loftus a modern rank of #2,012.

What does the Loftus surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "loft house," referring to a dwelling with an upper story.

What does the Loftus map show?

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