UK surname
An English occupational surname referring to someone who recited poems or stories.
In the 1881 census there were 40 people recorded with the Lore surname, ranking it #28,011 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 42, ranked #35,336, down from #28,011 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Mochrum, St Pancras and Margate. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lore is 210 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 5.0%.
1881 census count
40
Ranked #28,011
Modern count
42
2016, ranked #35,336
Peak year
1891
210 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Lore surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Lore surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 35 | #27,037 |
| 1861 | historical | 130 | #17,164 |
| 1881 | historical | 40 | #28,011 |
| 1891 | historical | 210 | #14,412 |
| 1901 | historical | 64 | #27,010 |
| 1911 | historical | 74 | #25,423 |
| 1997 | modern | 22 | #35,584 |
| 1998 | modern | 26 | #35,254 |
| 1999 | modern | 22 | #35,725 |
| 2000 | modern | 22 | #35,684 |
| 2001 | modern | 19 | #35,866 |
| 2002 | modern | 20 | #35,894 |
| 2003 | modern | 23 | #35,650 |
| 2004 | modern | 23 | #35,786 |
| 2005 | modern | 21 | #36,083 |
| 2006 | modern | 23 | #36,054 |
| 2007 | modern | 22 | #36,213 |
| 2008 | modern | 25 | #36,072 |
| 2009 | modern | 26 | #36,111 |
| 2010 | modern | 35 | #35,676 |
| 2011 | modern | 35 | #35,659 |
| 2012 | modern | 33 | #35,767 |
| 2013 | modern | 36 | #35,643 |
| 2014 | modern | 41 | #35,396 |
| 2015 | modern | 41 | #35,383 |
| 2016 | modern | 42 | #35,336 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Mochrum, St Pancras, Margate, Lambeth and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mochrum | Wigtown |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | Margate | Kent |
| 4 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Lore surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lore, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Lore surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Lore household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Lore is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lore is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Lore, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Lore has its roots in Germany and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the German word "lor", which means "laurel" or "crown of leaves". This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with people who were involved in the cultivation or trade of laurel plants, or it could have been a descriptive name given to someone who wore a laurel crown or wreath.
The earliest known record of the surname Lore can be found in the medieval German documents from the 13th century, where it was spelled as "Lore" or "Lör". At that time, the name was primarily concentrated in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, where many families with this surname lived and worked.
In the 14th century, the surname Lore appeared in the Würzburg Codex, an important document containing legal records and land transactions from the city of Würzburg in Germany. This indicates that the name was already well-established in the region during that period.
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Lore was Johann Lore, a German merchant and trader who lived in the city of Nuremberg in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in several historical records from that time, suggesting that the family had achieved a certain level of prominence in the local community.
Another notable figure with the surname Lore was Heinrich Lore, a German painter and engraver who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his religious paintings and worked primarily in the cities of Augsburg and Munich. Some of his works can still be found in various churches and museums across Germany.
In the 17th century, the surname Lore was also found in the records of the town of Mühlhausen, which was then part of the Holy Roman Empire. One of the earliest recorded inhabitants with this name was Hans Lore, a miller who owned a flour mill in the town.
As the centuries passed, the surname Lore spread to other parts of Europe, including Austria, Switzerland, and even France, where it was sometimes spelled as "Loré" or "Lorée". However, the name remained most prevalent in Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria, Saxony, and Thuringia.
Other notable individuals with the surname Lore include Johann Georg Lore (1715-1789), a German theologian and philosopher from Saxony, and Carl Lore (1860-1928), a German-born American artist and illustrator who lived in New York City.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lore surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Renfrewshire leads with 8 Lores recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.47x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Renfrewshire | 8 | 26.47x |
| Surrey | 8 | 4.21x |
| Middlesex | 5 | 1.28x |
| Lanarkshire | 4 | 3.17x |
| Suffolk | 4 | 8.42x |
| Lancashire | 3 | 0.65x |
| Devon | 2 | 2.46x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.52x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 3.42x |
| Cornwall | 1 | 2.27x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 3.72x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 1.02x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eastwood in Renfrewshire leads with 8 Lores recorded in 1881 and an index of 430.11x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Eastwood | 8 | 430.11x |
| Lambeth | 8 | 23.52x |
| Hackney London | 5 | 22.86x |
| Barony | 4 | 12.53x |
| Accrington | 3 | 71.26x |
| Long Melford | 3 | 681.82x |
| Birmingham | 1 | 3.05x |
| Bures St Mary | 1 | 833.33x |
| Cookham | 1 | 109.89x |
| Doncaster | 1 | 35.46x |
| Exeter St Olave | 1 | 1000.00x |
| Hatfield | 1 | 185.19x |
| Hedon | 1 | 769.23x |
| Honiton | 1 | 222.22x |
| St Columb Major | 1 | 270.27x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Lore surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 40 people were recorded with the Lore surname. That placed it at #28,011 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 42 in 2016. That gives Lore a modern rank of #35,336.
An English occupational surname referring to someone who recited poems or stories.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lore bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.