NameCensus.

UK surname

Louden

Scottish and northern Irish: habitational name from Loudoun near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, named in Gaelic as loch duin 'lake fort'.

In the 1881 census there were 520 people recorded with the Louden surname, ranking it #6,564 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 889, ranked #6,358, up from #6,564 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ceres, New Monkland and Cupar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craigend and Ruchazie, Parkhead West and Barrowfield and Parkhead East and Braidfauld North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Louden is 913 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.0%.

1881 census count

520

Ranked #6,564

Modern count

889

2016, ranked #6,358

Peak year

2014

913 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Louden had 520 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,564 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 889 in 2016, ranked #6,358.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 558 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Louden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Louden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Louden 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 434 #5,651
1861 historical 394 #6,504
1881 historical 520 #6,564
1891 historical 504 #7,377
1901 historical 558 #7,458
1911 historical 120 #20,447
1997 modern 849 #6,247
1998 modern 894 #6,196
1999 modern 852 #6,471
2000 modern 856 #6,419
2001 modern 828 #6,480
2002 modern 870 #6,353
2003 modern 835 #6,426
2004 modern 846 #6,376
2005 modern 847 #6,325
2006 modern 835 #6,394
2007 modern 840 #6,436
2008 modern 855 #6,393
2009 modern 867 #6,473
2010 modern 893 #6,431
2011 modern 879 #6,445
2012 modern 861 #6,459
2013 modern 899 #6,351
2014 modern 913 #6,305
2015 modern 890 #6,372
2016 modern 889 #6,358

Geography

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Where Loudens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ceres, New Monkland, Cupar, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craigend and Ruchazie, Parkhead West and Barrowfield, Parkhead East and Braidfauld North, West Pilton and Perth Road. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Ceres Fife
2 New Monkland Lanark
3 Cupar Fife
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craigend and Ruchazie Glasgow City
2 Parkhead West and Barrowfield Glasgow City
3 Parkhead East and Braidfauld North Glasgow City
4 West Pilton City of Edinburgh
5 Perth Road Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Louden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Louden

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Louden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Louden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Louden 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

Louden is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Louden falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Louden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Louden

The surname Louden is of Scottish origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the lands of Loudoun in Ayrshire, Scotland. The name is thought to come from the Gaelic words 'luth' meaning 'burnt' and 'dun' meaning 'hill' or 'fort', referring to a burnt or scorched hill.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the 'Ragman Rolls' of 1296, which list the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One entry reads 'Constantyn de Louedone'. Other early spellings include Lowedane, Lowdane, and Lowden.

The Loudens were a prominent family in Ayrshire and held the lands of Loudoun for several centuries. In 1662, Sir John Louden was created Earl of Loudoun by King Charles II. His descendant, John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun (1705-1782), was a British army officer who served in the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War.

Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Louden (1720-1786), a Scottish-born merchant and landowner who settled in Virginia in the mid-18th century. His grandson, Samuel Louden (1786-1866), was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a United States Representative from Virginia.

In the 17th century, the name also spread to Ireland, where it is sometimes spelled Lowden or Lowtin. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Robert Louden, who was born in County Down, Ireland, around 1620.

Other notable individuals with the surname include:

1. James Louden (1786-1861), a Scottish-American educator and author, born in Ayrshire. 2. William Louden (1801-1879), a Scottish-American landscape architect and horticulturist, author of works on gardening and rural architecture. 3. Mary Louden (1827-1904), an American educator and activist, founder of the Louden Institute in Tennessee. 4. John Louden (1876-1957), a Scottish-born American engineer and inventor, known for his contributions to the design of cranes and hoisting equipment.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Louden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Louden 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. Fife leads with 126 Loudens recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.12x.

County Total Index
Fife 126 42.12x
Lanarkshire 110 6.73x
Midlothian 63 9.31x
Lancashire 29 0.48x
Angus 26 5.55x
East Lothian 21 31.38x
Middlesex 19 0.38x
Perthshire 18 7.94x
West Lothian 15 19.71x
Stirlingshire 14 7.51x
Renfrewshire 13 3.32x
Argyllshire 9 6.40x
Ayrshire 9 2.38x
Durham 8 0.53x
Cumberland 7 1.61x
Aberdeenshire 5 1.07x
Kinross-shire 5 39.15x
Clackmannanshire 4 9.59x
Yorkshire 4 0.08x
Channel Islands 2 1.34x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.79x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 2.73x
Surrey 2 0.08x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.31x
Derbyshire 1 0.13x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.74x
Herefordshire 1 0.48x
Northumberland 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 33 Loudens recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.98x.

Place Total Index
Barony 33 7.98x
Govan 20 4.95x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 6.98x
Dundee 18 10.30x
Cupar 17 130.67x
New Monkland 16 33.13x
St Andrews 14 102.87x
Dairsie 13 1074.38x
Dunfermline 13 28.27x
Leuchars 12 317.46x
South Leith 12 15.75x
Ceres 11 305.56x
Kinnoull 11 184.56x
Bothwell 10 22.56x
St Leonards 10 746.27x
Poplar London 9 9.44x
Bathgate 8 48.43x
Dalziel 8 45.51x
Edinburgh Canongate 8 46.43x
Manchester 8 2.97x
Polmont 8 116.28x
Campbeltown 7 41.25x
Dunbar 7 74.63x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 10.75x
Inverkeithing 7 155.21x
Rutherglen 7 29.20x
Berwick North 6 127.93x
Cambusnethan 6 16.53x
Edinburgh St Marys 6 45.59x
Kirkcaldy 6 40.46x
Dunbog 5 1315.79x
Kinross 5 114.16x
Mile End Old Town London 5 4.65x
Morham 5 1388.89x
Moss Side 5 15.85x
Renfrew 5 38.67x
Abbey 4 6.69x
Ardrossan 4 30.56x
Ardwick 4 7.40x
Auchterarder 4 63.19x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.82x
Boness 4 38.13x
Clackmannan 4 50.70x
Kemback 4 270.27x
Kemnay 4 140.85x
Scoonie 4 61.73x
Workington 4 16.06x
Caldewgate 3 12.58x
Cameron 3 172.41x
Cramond 3 58.48x
East Greenock 3 8.11x
Glasgow 3 1.03x
Haddington 3 30.36x
Kirkdale 3 2.97x
Liverpool 3 0.82x
Newbattle 3 51.81x
Old Monkland 3 4.63x
Pittenweem 3 81.30x
Sheffield 3 1.88x
Strathmartine 3 144.23x
Clitheroe 2 11.33x
Drymen 2 80.00x
Dunoon 2 69.20x
Edinburgh St Georges 2 14.23x
Falkirk 2 4.59x
Forgan 2 34.90x
Lanark 2 15.21x
Leith North 2 153.85x
Linlithgow 2 20.49x
Montrose 2 7.05x
Penicuik 2 21.74x
St Helier 2 4.10x
Stevenston 2 20.28x
Temple 2 74.35x
Urr 2 21.03x
Warrington 2 2.81x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 1.14x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 7.51x
Lesmahagow 1 5.79x
Wallsend 1 4.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Annie 5
Elizabeth 4
Emily 3
Jane 2
Marie 2
Ann 1
Bessie 1
Christobel 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz.A. 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Euphemia 1
Francis 1
Isabella 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
Minnie 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
James 5
William 5
Alexander 3
Daniel 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Charles 1
Edward 1
George 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Joshua 1
Levi 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Louden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Louden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 520 people were recorded with the Louden surname. That placed it at #6,564 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Louden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 889 in 2016. That gives Louden a modern rank of #6,358.

What does the Louden surname mean?

Scottish and northern Irish: habitational name from Loudoun near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, named in Gaelic as loch duin 'lake fort'.

What does the Louden map show?

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