NameCensus.

UK surname

Loudon

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "loud hill" or "noisy hill".

In the 1881 census there were 882 people recorded with the Loudon surname, ranking it #4,304 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,283, ranked #4,670, down from #4,304 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ14, Deans Village and Northern and Irvine Valley Rural.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Loudon is 1,296 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.5%.

1881 census count

882

Ranked #4,304

Modern count

1,283

2016, ranked #4,670

Peak year

2010

1,296 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Loudon had 882 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,304 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,283 in 2016, ranked #4,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 882 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Loudon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Loudon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Loudon 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 451 #5,469
1861 historical 556 #4,739
1881 historical 882 #4,304
1891 historical 606 #6,339
1901 historical 818 #5,518
1911 historical 74 #25,423
1997 modern 1,177 #4,792
1998 modern 1,235 #4,763
1999 modern 1,220 #4,851
2000 modern 1,201 #4,903
2001 modern 1,164 #4,946
2002 modern 1,197 #4,912
2003 modern 1,201 #4,804
2004 modern 1,213 #4,770
2005 modern 1,186 #4,814
2006 modern 1,236 #4,659
2007 modern 1,246 #4,665
2008 modern 1,247 #4,693
2009 modern 1,263 #4,737
2010 modern 1,296 #4,715
2011 modern 1,257 #4,795
2012 modern 1,219 #4,850
2013 modern 1,256 #4,800
2014 modern 1,276 #4,759
2015 modern 1,271 #4,731
2016 modern 1,283 #4,670

Geography

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Where Loudons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Kilmarnock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ14, Deans Village, Northern and Irvine Valley Rural, Drumry East and Saltcoats North East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 New Monkland Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Kilmarnock Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ14 East Lothian
2 Deans Village City of Edinburgh
3 Northern and Irvine Valley Rural East Ayrshire
4 Drumry East Glasgow City
5 Saltcoats North East North Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Loudon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Loudon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Loudon, 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 Loudon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Loudon 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Loudon is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Loudon is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Loudon falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Loudon 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 Loudon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Loudon

The surname Loudon is of Scottish origin, derived from the lands of Loudoun in Ayrshire, Scotland. The name is believed to have emerged in the 12th century, with the earliest recorded spelling being "Laudon" in 1189.

The name is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words "loth" meaning "half" and "dun" meaning "hill" or "fort." This suggests that the name may have referred to a particular geographical feature or settlement located on a half-hill or fortified area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls from Scottish nobles and landowners swearing fealty to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Lauedun" in this document.

In the 15th century, the Loudoun family gained prominence in Scotland. Sir Reginald Loudon (c. 1405-1465) was a Scottish nobleman and the first Lord Loudon. He was granted the lands of Loudoun by King James II of Scotland in 1438.

Sir Hugh Loudon (c. 1460-1524) was a Scottish diplomat and the second Lord Loudon. He served as the Lord High Chancellor of Scotland and was involved in negotiating the Treaty of Rouen in 1517.

During the Scottish Reformation in the 16th century, John Loudon (c. 1520-1595) was a prominent Protestant reformer and supporter of John Knox. He played a role in the establishment of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland.

In the 17teenth century, John Loudon (1605-1663) was a Scottish mathematician and scientist. He made significant contributions to the field of optics and is known for his work on the theory of vision and the construction of microscopes.

James Loudon (1783-1856) was a Scottish horticulturist and botanist. He is best known for his work on the cultivation of fruit trees and his publications on gardening and landscape design.

Throughout its history, the surname Loudon has been associated with various noble families, scholars, and individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, particularly in Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Loudon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Loudon 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. Lanarkshire leads with 430 Loudons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.02x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 430 16.02x
Ayrshire 165 26.56x
Renfrewshire 59 9.17x
Midlothian 45 4.05x
Stirlingshire 34 11.10x
Durham 19 0.77x
Surrey 18 0.45x
Dunbartonshire 14 6.28x
Angus 12 1.56x
Fife 11 2.24x
West Lothian 8 6.40x
Peeblesshire 7 17.93x
Middlesex 6 0.07x
Berkshire 5 0.80x
Gloucestershire 5 0.31x
Lancashire 2 0.02x
Wigtownshire 2 1.81x
Argyllshire 1 0.43x
Hampshire 1 0.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.83x
Morayshire 1 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Selkirkshire 1 1.33x
Somerset 1 0.07x
Suffolk 1 0.10x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cambusnethan in Lanarkshire leads with 72 Loudons recorded in 1881 and an index of 120.74x.

Place Total Index
Cambusnethan 72 120.74x
Shotts 50 155.62x
Barony 45 6.62x
Glasgow 37 7.76x
Kilmarnock 29 39.22x
Bothwell 26 35.71x
Govan 26 3.92x
New Monkland 25 31.50x
Avondale 22 140.13x
Loudoun 21 140.56x
Dalziel 20 69.25x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 20 4.47x
Kilmaurs 19 179.75x
Kilsyth 19 97.34x
Stonehouse 19 208.56x
Cadder 17 85.73x
Hamilton 16 21.37x
Renfrew 14 65.91x
Ayr 13 44.34x
Dundonald 13 56.74x
Cathcart 12 34.47x
Heworth 11 22.60x
Dalserf 10 37.33x
Girvan 10 64.14x
Coylton 9 102.16x
Denny 9 55.25x
Duddingston 9 40.32x
Lesmahagow 9 31.70x
Paisley High Church 9 17.57x
East Kilbride 8 69.57x
Glamis 8 172.41x
Inverkip 8 52.77x
Leslie 8 64.31x
Old Monkland 8 7.51x
Port Glasgow 8 25.72x
Symington 8 402.01x
Cardross 7 26.14x
Fenwick 7 212.77x
Lambeth 7 0.97x
Newington 7 2.28x
Newlands 7 300.43x
Whitburn 7 38.76x
Dalry 6 20.53x
Gateshead 6 3.24x
Old Kilpatrick 6 22.76x
Riccarton Hurlford 6 55.05x
Rutherglen 6 15.23x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 9.21x
Muirkirk 5 34.27x
Paisley Low Church 5 24.55x
St Ninians 5 16.47x
West Calder 5 22.81x
Ardrossan 4 18.60x
Battersea 4 1.31x
Largs 4 27.32x
Lasswade 4 15.73x
St Quivox 4 19.04x
Waltham St Lawrence 4 163.93x
Gorbals 3 18.82x
Hampstead London 3 2.32x
Maryhill 3 5.71x
Wiston Robertson 3 186.34x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 0.93x
Blantyre 2 7.16x
Hackney London 2 0.43x
Inveresk 2 6.64x
Kirriemuir 2 10.54x
Newton On Ayr 2 10.75x
Old Luce 2 28.74x
Urpeth 2 41.58x
Abbey 1 1.02x
Beath 1 6.44x
Campbeltown 1 3.59x
Colvend 1 27.40x
Dreghorn 1 8.89x
Monkton Prestwick 1 16.53x
Neilston 1 3.10x
Sandhurst 1 8.29x
Scarborough 1 1.34x
Stowmarket 1 8.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 2
Jane 2
Jessie 2
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Susan 2
(Mrs) 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Clarissa 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Leah 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Ruth 1
Sophie 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Loudon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Loudon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 882 people were recorded with the Loudon surname. That placed it at #4,304 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Loudon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,283 in 2016. That gives Loudon a modern rank of #4,670.

What does the Loudon surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "loud hill" or "noisy hill".

What does the Loudon map show?

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