NameCensus.

UK surname

Loughlin

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Lochlainn, meaning "descendant of Lochlann," a Gaelic name derived from "fjord land," referring to Scandinavia.

In the 1881 census there were 488 people recorded with the Loughlin surname, ranking it #6,898 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,897, ranked #3,351, up from #6,898 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Edinburgh and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Sefton and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Loughlin is 2,007 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 288.7%.

1881 census count

488

Ranked #6,898

Modern count

1,897

2016, ranked #3,351

Peak year

2010

2,007 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Loughlin had 488 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,898 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,897 in 2016, ranked #3,351.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 694 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Loughlin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Loughlin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Loughlin 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 166 #11,986
1861 historical 251 #9,830
1881 historical 488 #6,898
1891 historical 589 #6,485
1901 historical 660 #6,565
1911 historical 694 #6,121
1997 modern 1,776 #3,370
1998 modern 1,840 #3,390
1999 modern 1,870 #3,369
2000 modern 1,861 #3,358
2001 modern 1,791 #3,405
2002 modern 1,833 #3,406
2003 modern 1,808 #3,383
2004 modern 1,834 #3,340
2005 modern 1,809 #3,357
2006 modern 1,825 #3,331
2007 modern 1,827 #3,357
2008 modern 1,830 #3,386
2009 modern 1,900 #3,341
2010 modern 2,007 #3,267
2011 modern 1,962 #3,286
2012 modern 1,857 #3,393
2013 modern 1,898 #3,385
2014 modern 1,925 #3,358
2015 modern 1,910 #3,349
2016 modern 1,897 #3,351

Geography

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Where Loughlins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, Sefton, Sunderland and Wick South. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 019 Bolton
2 Sefton 037 Sefton
3 Sunderland 016 Sunderland
4 Sunderland 005 Sunderland
5 Wick South Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Loughlin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Loughlin

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Loughlin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Loughlin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Loughlin 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

Loughlin is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Loughlin falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Loughlin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Loughlin

The surname Loughlin has its origins in Ireland, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Lochlainn, which means "descendant of Lochlainn." Lochlainn was a personal name derived from the Old Norse word "lochlan," meaning "fjord" or "lake land."

The name is closely associated with the Irish province of Ulster, particularly the counties of Antrim and Down, where it was most prevalent. In early records, the name appeared in various spellings, including Loughlin, Loughlinn, Lochlin, and Loughran.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a Gilla Críst Ó Lochlainn who died in 1127. Another notable figure was Muircheartach Ó Lochlainn, King of Cenél nEógain and High King of Ireland, who ruled from 1156 to 1166.

In the 16th century, the Loughlin family played a significant role in the Nine Years' War (1593-1603), a rebellion against English rule in Ulster. Sir Phelim O'Neill, a prominent leader in the rebellion, was married to a woman named Mary Loughlin.

During the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century, many Loughlins were dispossessed of their lands and dispersed throughout Ireland and beyond. This event likely contributed to the spread of the name outside its traditional stronghold in Ulster.

One notable figure from this period was Redmond Loughlin (1627-1692), an Irish Catholic priest who served as Vicar Apostolic of Kilmore and later as Bishop of Raphoe. He played a significant role in preserving the Catholic faith in Ireland during the Penal Laws.

In the 19th century, Michael Loughlin (1836-1923) was a prominent Irish politician and member of the Irish Parliamentary Party, representing the constituency of Mayo North from 1892 to 1900.

Another individual of note was John Loughlin (1816-1891), an Irish-born Catholic priest who became the first Bishop of Brooklyn, New York, serving from 1853 to 1891. He played a crucial role in the development of the Catholic Church in the United States during a period of significant Irish immigration.

As Irish immigrants settled in various parts of the world, the name Loughlin spread to countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, where it continues to be found today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Loughlin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Loughlin 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. Lancashire leads with 209 Loughlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.70x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 209 3.70x
Middlesex 34 0.71x
Cheshire 32 3.05x
Midlothian 27 4.23x
Yorkshire 22 0.47x
Durham 20 1.41x
Warwickshire 19 1.58x
Surrey 17 0.73x
Kent 12 0.74x
Derbyshire 11 1.48x
Staffordshire 11 0.68x
Lanarkshire 9 0.58x
Sussex 9 1.12x
Cumberland 8 1.95x
Renfrewshire 7 1.90x
Glamorgan 6 0.72x
Northumberland 6 0.85x
Hampshire 5 0.51x
Angus 4 0.91x
Devon 3 0.30x
Royal Navy 3 5.29x
Essex 2 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.31x
Westmorland 2 1.91x
Ayrshire 1 0.28x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.06x
Lincolnshire 1 0.13x
Monmouthshire 1 0.29x
Oxfordshire 1 0.34x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.66x
Shropshire 1 0.24x
Somerset 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. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 38 Loughlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.08x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 38 11.08x
Toxteth Park 25 13.07x
Birkenhead 19 22.68x
Edinburgh Tron Church 14 468.23x
Birmingham 13 3.25x
Manchester 13 5.12x
Chorley 12 37.85x
Preston 11 7.28x
West Derby 11 6.66x
Lambeth 10 2.41x
Edinburgh Trinity 9 439.02x
Widnes 9 22.09x
Brighton 8 4.94x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 8.91x
Easington 8 390.24x
Tankersley 8 227.27x
Blackburn 7 4.66x
Derby St Werburgh 7 16.27x
Tottington Lower End 7 26.08x
Windle 7 22.03x
Burslem 6 13.04x
Clerkenwell London 6 5.34x
Croydon 6 4.66x
Failsworth 6 46.44x
Garston 6 35.99x
Sheffield 6 4.00x
St Marylebone London 6 2.36x
St Pancras London 6 1.57x
Wardleworth 6 18.59x
Westgate 6 13.68x
Wetheral 6 110.50x
Bury 5 7.75x
Glasgow 5 1.83x
Kilbarchan 5 44.60x
Litherland 5 42.34x
St Luke London 5 6.55x
Woolwich 5 8.33x
Aldershot 4 12.24x
Checkley 4 95.92x
Chilvers Coton 4 80.97x
Dundee 4 2.43x
Edinburgh Old 4 103.36x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 6.52x
Lower Bebington 4 64.10x
Newton 4 9.19x
Oswaldtwistle 4 20.04x
Runcorn 4 16.51x
Govan 3 0.79x
Latchford 3 42.98x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 3.77x
Royal Navy 3 6.19x
Spitalfields London 3 8.38x
Tormoham 3 7.15x
Tudhoe 3 24.21x
Warrington 3 4.48x
Aberavon 2 26.21x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.60x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 4.46x
Bradford 2 1.75x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 11.81x
Everton 2 1.11x
Fulwood 2 32.79x
Newbottle 2 25.87x
North Bierley 2 7.85x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.21x
Over Darwen 2 4.43x
Paisley High Church 2 6.81x
Poplar London 2 2.23x
Shoreditch London 2 0.97x
Walmer 2 28.33x
Walton On Hill 2 6.54x
Accrington 1 1.95x
Bath St James 1 12.52x
Bermondsey 1 0.71x
Brandon Byshottles 1 5.64x
Crumpsall 1 7.51x
Great Bolton 1 1.34x
Kirkdale 1 1.05x
Sorn 1 14.29x
Staveley 1 7.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 56
Margaret 24
Ann 13
Catherine 13
Elizabeth 13
Eliza 11
Sarah 9
Ellen 8
Bridget 6
Alice 5
Annie 5
Jane 5
Kate 5
Emma 3
Rose 3
Agnes 2
Catharine 2
Hannah 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Bedelor 1
Cecelia 1
Charlotte 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellinor 1
Fany 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Louisa 1
Margret 1
Maryann 1
Minnie 1
Morgan 1
Norah 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Teresa 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
James 32
Thomas 20
William 19
Michael 15
Patrick 13
George 6
Peter 5
Edward 4
Francis 4
Henry 4
Joseph 4
Martin 4
Daniel 3
Felix 3
Hugh 3
Stephen 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Charles 2
Christopher 2
Denis 2
Dennis 2
Lawrence 2
Richd. 2
Austin 1
Bruce 1
Bryan 1
David 1
Dominic 1
Donnell 1
Feliz 1
Frederick 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Laurence 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Maurice 1
Owen 1
Pat.M. 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Sam 1
Simon 1
Thos.Bernard 1
Timothy 1
Willm. 1
Willy 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Loughlin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Loughlin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 488 people were recorded with the Loughlin surname. That placed it at #6,898 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Loughlin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,897 in 2016. That gives Loughlin a modern rank of #3,351.

What does the Loughlin surname mean?

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Lochlainn, meaning "descendant of Lochlann," a Gaelic name derived from "fjord land," referring to Scandinavia.

What does the Loughlin map show?

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