NameCensus.

UK surname

Looby

A surname possibly derived from the Irish surname Ó Lughaidh, meaning "descendant of Lughaidh".

In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Looby surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, up from #26,869 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Birmingham and Halton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Looby is 152 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 191.7%.

1881 census count

48

Ranked #26,869

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

2011

152 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Looby had 48 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,869 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 69 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Looby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Looby surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Looby 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 62 #22,232
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 48 #26,869
1891 historical 45 #30,747
1901 historical 41 #29,602
1911 historical 55 #27,313
1997 modern 143 #21,761
1998 modern 145 #22,139
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 136 #23,155
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 128 #24,150
2003 modern 127 #24,019
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 130 #23,848
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 129 #24,503
2008 modern 134 #24,249
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 141 #24,460
2011 modern 152 #23,101
2012 modern 144 #23,902
2013 modern 148 #23,884
2014 modern 152 #23,631
2015 modern 147 #24,036
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Loobys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Birmingham, Halton, Cornwall and Chelmsford. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 002 Rotherham
2 Birmingham 124 Birmingham
3 Halton 010 Halton
4 Cornwall 021 Cornwall
5 Chelmsford 020 Chelmsford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Looby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Looby

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Looby is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Looby 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

Looby 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 Looby 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
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Looby

The surname Looby has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to derive from the Old Irish word "lúb" meaning "loop" or "bend," suggesting that the original bearers of the name may have lived near a bend in a river or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Looby surname can be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns in Ireland, which contain records of land grants and other official documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Loby," "Loobie," and "Lubby."

During the 17th century, the Looby name was concentrated in counties Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Waterford in southern Ireland. Some notable individuals from this period include John Looby, who was born in Waterford in 1625 and served as a soldier in the Irish Confederate Wars.

In the 18th century, the Looby name began to spread to other parts of Ireland, with records showing families in counties Dublin, Cork, and Limerick. One prominent figure was Patrick Looby, born in 1743 in Kilkenny, who was a renowned scholar and author of several works on Irish history and culture.

The 19th century saw the Looby surname become more widespread, with families settling in various parts of the United States, Canada, and Australia. One notable individual from this period was Michael Looby, born in 1822 in Tipperary, who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament for the district of Huron West from 1867 to 1872.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Looby, born in 1851 in Waterford, who was a noted journalist and editor of the San Francisco Chronicle in the late 19th century. Additionally, James Looby, born in 1867 in Kilkenny, was a successful businessman and philanthropist in New York City, known for his support of Irish cultural organizations.

While the Looby surname may not be as common as some other Irish names, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and has produced notable individuals in various fields, from politics and journalism to business and academia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Looby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Looby 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. Middlesex leads with 12 Loobys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 12 2.56x
Lancashire 11 1.98x
Cheshire 9 8.71x
Surrey 7 3.07x
Kent 4 2.51x
Hampshire 2 2.08x
Yorkshire 2 0.43x
Glamorgan 1 1.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 12 Loobys recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.86x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 12 31.86x
Birkenhead 9 109.22x
Manchester 8 32.04x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 74.31x
Chatham 4 91.12x
Bradford 2 17.81x
Liverpool 2 5.93x
Barrow In Furness 1 13.25x
Farnborough 1 99.01x
Roath 1 27.03x
St Maurice Winchester 1 250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Mary 3
Ann 2
Ellen 2
Ada 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Eliza 1
Johannah 1
Julia 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
John 3
Maurice 2
Patrick 2
Bernd. 1
Charles 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
James 1
Michael 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Looby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Looby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 48 people were recorded with the Looby surname. That placed it at #26,869 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Looby surname today?

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

What does the Looby surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the Irish surname Ó Lughaidh, meaning "descendant of Lughaidh".

What does the Looby map show?

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