UK surname
A topographic French surname referring to someone living near a meadow or pasture.
In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Loue surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 16, ranked #36,998, down from #33,498 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Paignton, Wolverhampton and Swindon, Lyddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Loue is 100 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 433.3%.
1881 census count
3
Ranked #33,498
Modern count
16
2016, ranked #36,998
Peak year
1891
100 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Loue surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Loue 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 | 21 | #29,550 |
| 1861 | historical | 67 | #25,342 |
| 1881 | historical | 3 | #33,498 |
| 1891 | historical | 100 | #24,045 |
| 1901 | historical | 4 | #33,876 |
| 1911 | historical | 36 | #29,370 |
| 1997 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1998 | modern | 8 | #37,334 |
| 1999 | modern | 11 | #36,917 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2002 | modern | 2 | #38,400 |
| 2003 | modern | 3 | #38,198 |
| 2004 | modern | 4 | #38,013 |
| 2005 | modern | 6 | #37,724 |
| 2006 | modern | 9 | #37,345 |
| 2007 | modern | 14 | #36,886 |
| 2008 | modern | 17 | #36,699 |
| 2009 | modern | 18 | #36,682 |
| 2010 | modern | 17 | #36,862 |
| 2011 | modern | 15 | #37,030 |
| 2012 | modern | 14 | #37,078 |
| 2013 | modern | 14 | #37,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2015 | modern | 16 | #36,978 |
| 2016 | modern | 16 | #36,998 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Paignton, Wolverhampton, Swindon, Lyddington, Belgrave and St Leonard Shoreditch. 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 | Paignton | Devon |
| 2 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 3 | Swindon, Lyddington | Wiltshire |
| 4 | Belgrave | Leicestershire |
| 5 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Loue 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 Loue, 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 Loue surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Loue 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, Loue 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 Loue is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Loue, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Loue originated in France during the medieval period, deriving from the Old French word "loue," which meant "wolf." This name likely referred to someone who possessed wolf-like characteristics or lived in an area associated with wolves.
Historically, the Loue surname can be traced back to various regions of France, including Normandy, Brittany, and the Île-de-France region around Paris. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name appear in medieval documents and records from the 12th and 13th centuries.
One notable historical reference to the Loue name can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions individuals with similar surnames, such as "de Loup" and "de Louvres," which may have been variations or precursors to the modern Loue surname.
Among the earliest recorded individuals with the Loue surname was Jehan Loue, a French nobleman born in the late 13th century who served as a knight under King Philip IV of France. Another notable figure was Guillaume Loue (1420-1487), a prominent merchant and landowner from Normandy.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Loue surname spread throughout France and into other regions of Europe. One prominent individual from this era was Pierre Loue (1564-1625), a French philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on religious topics.
In the 18th century, Jean-Baptiste Loue (1720-1793) was a French military officer who served in the Seven Years' War and later became a member of the National Convention during the French Revolution.
As the Loue surname continued to spread, it also took on various spellings and variations based on local dialects and regional influences. Some examples include Louet, Louvet, and Loup, all of which share a common root with the original Loue name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Loue 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. Lancashire leads with 2 Loues recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.77x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 2 | 5.77x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 10.58x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bury in Lancashire leads with 2 Loues recorded in 1881 and an index of 500.00x.
FAQ
In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Loue surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 16 in 2016. That gives Loue a modern rank of #36,998.
A topographic French surname referring to someone living near a meadow or pasture.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Loue 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.