NameCensus.

UK surname

Lort

A variant surname derived from the French surname 'Lhoir', meaning heir or lord.

In the 1881 census there were 51 people recorded with the Lort surname, ranking it #26,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, down from #26,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, Herefordshire and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lort is 119 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 129.4%.

1881 census count

51

Ranked #26,428

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2010

119 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lort had 51 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 87 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Lort surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lort surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lort 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 19 #29,904
1861 historical 60 #26,313
1881 historical 51 #26,428
1891 historical 86 #25,951
1901 historical 87 #24,386
1911 historical 76 #25,221
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 108 #26,417
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 102 #27,425
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 106 #26,985
2003 modern 100 #27,722
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 110 #26,430
2006 modern 110 #26,717
2007 modern 116 #26,209
2008 modern 117 #26,351
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 113 #27,967
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 117 #28,109
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Lorts 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 Swindon, Herefordshire, Chichester and Pembrokeshire. 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 Swindon 001 Swindon
2 Herefordshire 001 Herefordshire, County of
3 Chichester 014 Chichester
4 Herefordshire 004 Herefordshire, County of
5 Pembrokeshire 016 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lort

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lort

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Lort surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lort household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Lort is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Lort 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

Lort falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lort 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lort

The surname LORT originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "l'ort," meaning "the garden." The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a garden or orchard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LORT surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is spelled "Lort." This suggests the name was already well-established in England by the 13th century.

The LORT name has been traced back to various locations in England, including Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Shropshire. In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are references to places such as "Lorte" and "Lortis," which may have been early sources of the surname.

Among notable historical figures bearing the LORT surname was Sir John Lort, a 16th-century English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bridgnorth from 1563 to 1567. Another prominent individual was Michael Lort (1725-1790), an English clergyman and antiquary who was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and the Royal Society.

In the 17th century, the LORT family established themselves in Stackpole Court, Pembrokeshire, Wales. One notable member of this branch was Roger Lort (1616-1691), who served as a Member of Parliament for Pembrokeshire in the 1660s. His grandson, Roger Lort (1677-1751), was also a Member of Parliament and held the position of Vice-Admiral of South Wales.

Another significant figure was John Lort Browne (1805-1879), a British diplomat and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Horsham and Liskeard. He was also the founder of the Browne-Lort Trust, a charitable organization that still operates today.

The LORT name has also been associated with various places in England, such as Lort's Meadow in Shropshire and Lort's Hill in Somerset. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its agricultural origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lort families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lort 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. Staffordshire leads with 33 Lorts recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.66x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 33 19.66x
Herefordshire 4 19.62x
Northamptonshire 4 8.55x
Glamorgan 2 2.31x
Lincolnshire 2 2.52x
Montgomeryshire 2 17.56x
Leicestershire 1 1.81x
Middlesex 1 0.20x
Shropshire 1 2.33x
Warwickshire 1 0.80x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walsall Foreign in Staffordshire leads with 17 Lorts recorded in 1881 and an index of 196.08x.

Place Total Index
Walsall Foreign 17 196.08x
Wednesbury 16 381.86x
Geddington 4 2666.67x
Leysters 4 10000.00x
Swansea St Thomas 2 229.89x
Birmingham 1 2.39x
Great Grimsby 1 19.80x
Leicester St Mary 1 22.47x
Llanllugan 1 2000.00x
Pool 1 116.28x
Shifnal 1 85.47x
St Marylebone London 1 3.77x
Torksey 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 4
Elizabeth 3
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Caroline 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Eugine 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Leila 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Mary 1
Prudence 1
Sar. 1
Sar.E. 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
William 3
Edward 2
Henry 2
James 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Alma 1
Edwd. 1
Frank 1
Henery 1
Robert 1
Simeon 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Lort surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lort surname in 1881?

In 1881, 51 people were recorded with the Lort surname. That placed it at #26,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lort surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Lort a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Lort surname mean?

A variant surname derived from the French surname 'Lhoir', meaning heir or lord.

What does the Lort map show?

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