NameCensus.

UK surname

Lone

A surname derived from the Old English term meaning "alone" or "solitary."

In the 1881 census there were 110 people recorded with the Lone surname, ranking it #18,695 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 471, ranked #10,456, up from #18,695 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, Gorleston and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Slough and Wokingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lone is 512 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 328.2%.

1881 census count

110

Ranked #18,695

Modern count

471

2016, ranked #10,456

Peak year

2010

512 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lone had 110 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,695 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 471 in 2016, ranked #10,456.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 439 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Lone surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lone surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lone 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 252 #8,733
1861 historical 439 #5,872
1881 historical 110 #18,695
1891 historical 374 #9,343
1901 historical 218 #14,332
1911 historical 125 #19,932
1997 modern 284 #14,006
1998 modern 317 #13,392
1999 modern 334 #13,022
2000 modern 345 #12,693
2001 modern 337 #12,702
2002 modern 355 #12,471
2003 modern 388 #11,508
2004 modern 386 #11,579
2005 modern 409 #10,999
2006 modern 424 #10,748
2007 modern 444 #10,445
2008 modern 450 #10,416
2009 modern 497 #9,911
2010 modern 512 #9,870
2011 modern 505 #9,884
2012 modern 453 #10,598
2013 modern 477 #10,376
2014 modern 474 #10,486
2015 modern 471 #10,467
2016 modern 471 #10,456

Geography

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Where Lones are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, Gorleston, Preston, Glasgow and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Slough, Wokingham and Birmingham. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
2 Gorleston Suffolk
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 056 Leeds
2 Slough 007 Slough
3 Wokingham 006 Wokingham
4 Birmingham 048 Birmingham
5 Birmingham 051 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lone

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lone

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Lone surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Lone household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Lone is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lone is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lone falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lone is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Lone

The surname LONE is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'lan' or 'lone', meaning a lane or path. It likely originated as a locational name, given to someone who lived near a distinctive lane or path.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landholder named Godric de la Lone in Warwickshire. Other early records include Robert de la Lone in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire in 1195, and Walter de la Lone in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.

Over time, the name evolved from its earlier forms, such as 'de la Lone' and 'de Lone', to the modern spelling of LONE. Variations like 'Loane' and 'Lown' also existed, derived from the same root.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Ralph Lone (c. 1460-1532), a prominent English lawyer and Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of Henry VIII. Another was John Lone (1573-1632), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Malmesbury in the early 17th century.

In Scotland, the surname LONE can be traced back to the 16th century, with records of a James Lone who was a burgess of Aberdeen in 1568. A few centuries later, Alexander Lone (1692-1770) was a respected Scottish minister and author.

Moving across the Atlantic, one of the earliest instances of the LONE surname in America was Thomas Lone, who settled in Virginia in 1635. Later, John Lone (1767-1836) was a prominent American lawyer and political figure, serving as a U.S. Representative from Maryland.

Other notable bearers of the LONE surname include Sir Daniel Lone (1825-1903), a British civil engineer and architect who designed many iconic structures in London, and Frank Belknap Lone (1901-1994), an American author of horror fiction and one of the early contributors to the Cthulhu Mythos of H.P. Lovecraft.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lone families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lone 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 17 Lones recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.43x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 17 1.43x
Kent 12 3.50x
Middlesex 10 1.00x
Durham 8 2.68x
Essex 8 4.03x
Angus 6 6.45x
Lanarkshire 6 1.85x
Norfolk 5 3.24x
Hampshire 4 1.94x
Suffolk 4 3.27x
Ayrshire 3 3.99x
Cheshire 3 1.35x
Wigtownshire 3 22.49x
Brecknockshire 2 9.96x
Northumberland 2 1.34x
Royal Navy 2 16.71x
Staffordshire 2 0.59x
Devon 1 0.48x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 6.88x
Lincolnshire 1 0.62x
Northamptonshire 1 1.06x
Surrey 1 0.20x
Sussex 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heaton Norris in Lancashire leads with 8 Lones recorded in 1881 and an index of 117.82x.

Place Total Index
Heaton Norris 8 117.82x
Bishopwearmouth 7 27.28x
Dundee 6 17.27x
Westleigh 5 184.50x
Deptford St Paul 4 15.13x
Gorleston 4 128.62x
Govan 4 4.98x
Great Yarmouth 4 31.25x
Islington London 4 4.11x
Lewisham 4 21.88x
Barking 3 51.72x
Cheadle 3 70.75x
Hornsey 3 23.62x
Kirkinner 3 545.45x
Maybole 3 131.00x
Ventnor 3 153.06x
Birkdale 2 66.23x
Bradwell 2 588.24x
Hockley 2 952.38x
Llywel 2 465.12x
Rochester St Margaret 2 55.40x
Royal Navy 2 19.55x
Westgate 2 21.60x
Battersea 1 2.70x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 10.56x
Bothwell 1 11.35x
Burslem 1 10.30x
Chatham 1 10.60x
Folkestone 1 15.04x
Glasgow 1 1.73x
Hammersmith London 1 4.04x
Kensington London 1 1.79x
Kilmington 1 588.24x
Northampton St Giles 1 27.78x
Portslade 1 96.15x
Portsmouth 1 21.10x
Redenhall 1 166.67x
Rerrick 1 161.29x
Spalding 1 31.35x
St George Hanover Square 1 5.65x
Stockton On Tees 1 6.94x
West Ham 1 2.28x
Wigan 1 6.00x
Wolstanton Chatterly 1 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 5
Samuel 4
Arthur 2
Charles 2
James 2
John 2
Joseph 2
Percy 2
C. 1
Frederick 1
Fredy 1
Gyles 1
Henry 1
Richard 1
Roger 1
Thos.Evan 1

FAQ

Lone surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lone surname in 1881?

In 1881, 110 people were recorded with the Lone surname. That placed it at #18,695 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lone surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 471 in 2016. That gives Lone a modern rank of #10,456.

What does the Lone surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English term meaning "alone" or "solitary."

What does the Lone map show?

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