NameCensus.

UK surname

Loughrey

An Irish surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Loughry.

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Loughrey surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 471, ranked #10,456, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lancaster, Calderdale and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Loughrey is 498 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3264.3%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

471

2016, ranked #10,456

Peak year

2014

498 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Loughrey had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 471 in 2016, ranked #10,456.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 51 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Loughrey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Loughrey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Loughrey 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 7 #32,070
1861 historical 22 #31,140
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 33 #31,681
1901 historical 51 #28,492
1911 historical 27 #30,437
1997 modern 406 #10,889
1998 modern 431 #10,754
1999 modern 454 #10,380
2000 modern 437 #10,684
2001 modern 420 #10,811
2002 modern 443 #10,577
2003 modern 435 #10,571
2004 modern 445 #10,418
2005 modern 440 #10,382
2006 modern 449 #10,255
2007 modern 439 #10,553
2008 modern 450 #10,416
2009 modern 478 #10,189
2010 modern 491 #10,192
2011 modern 477 #10,319
2012 modern 466 #10,403
2013 modern 483 #10,287
2014 modern 498 #10,102
2015 modern 478 #10,343
2016 modern 471 #10,456

Geography

Back to top

Where Loughreys 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 Lancaster, Calderdale, Newark and Sherwood, Salford and Bradford. 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 Lancaster 016 Lancaster
2 Calderdale 006 Calderdale
3 Newark and Sherwood 001 Newark and Sherwood
4 Salford 021 Salford
5 Bradford 023 Bradford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Loughrey

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Loughrey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Loughrey, 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 Loughrey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Loughrey 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, Loughrey 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

Loughrey 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

Loughrey falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Loughrey

The surname Loughrey originated in Ireland and is derived from the Gaelic name Ó Lochraí, meaning "descendant of Lochradh." Lochradh was a personal name derived from the Gaelic word "loch," meaning lake or body of water. This suggests that the original bearer of the name may have lived near a lake or other body of water.

The surname Loughrey is most commonly found in County Down, particularly in the areas around Banbridge and Rathfriland. It first appears in historical records in the 16th century, and variations of the spelling include Loughry, Loughrey, Lowry, and Lowrey.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Fiants of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, which mentions a Thomas Lowry in 1601. The Hearth Money Rolls of 1663-1665 also list several individuals with the Loughrey surname in County Down.

The Loughrey name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Edmond Loughry, a 17th-century Catholic priest who was executed for his religious beliefs during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland.

In the 18th century, James Loughry was a prominent merchant and landowner in County Down. His grandson, also named James Loughry, was a member of the Irish Parliament in the late 18th century.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Loughrey (1811-1888), an Irish-born artist and engraver who emigrated to the United States and became known for his landscape paintings of the American West.

In the 19th century, James Loughrey (1822-1900) was a prominent Catholic priest and educator who served as the first president of St. Patrick's College in Armagh.

More recently, John Loughrey (1926-2006) was a prominent Irish historian and academic who specialized in the study of Ulster and Northern Irish history.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals with the surname Loughrey who have left their mark on history over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Loughrey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Loughrey 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 9 Loughreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.40x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 9 20.40x
Surrey 4 6.02x
Lancashire 1 0.62x

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 4 Loughreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.81x.

Place Total Index
Barony 4 35.81x
Wimbledon 4 533.33x
Glasgow 2 25.54x
Bury 1 54.05x
Govan 1 9.17x
New Monkland 1 76.92x
Shotts 1 188.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Alice 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
David 1
William 1

FAQ

Loughrey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Loughrey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Loughrey surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Loughrey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 471 in 2016. That gives Loughrey a modern rank of #10,456.

What does the Loughrey surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Loughry.

What does the Loughrey map show?

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