NameCensus.

UK surname

Louis

A French toponymic surname derived from the name of a place called Louis or a variant of Lewis.

In the 1881 census there were 384 people recorded with the Louis surname, ranking it #8,195 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,198, ranked #4,968, up from #8,195 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Paddington and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrow, Enfield and Westminster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Louis is 1,198 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 212.0%.

1881 census count

384

Ranked #8,195

Modern count

1,198

2016, ranked #4,968

Peak year

2016

1,198 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Louis had 384 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,195 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,198 in 2016, ranked #4,968.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 971 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Louis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Louis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Louis 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 250 #8,788
1861 historical 971 #2,866
1881 historical 384 #8,195
1891 historical 624 #6,199
1901 historical 521 #7,811
1911 historical 407 #9,176
1997 modern 819 #6,417
1998 modern 870 #6,321
1999 modern 872 #6,364
2000 modern 873 #6,322
2001 modern 855 #6,307
2002 modern 934 #6,017
2003 modern 931 #5,929
2004 modern 959 #5,803
2005 modern 967 #5,685
2006 modern 978 #5,651
2007 modern 995 #5,630
2008 modern 1,027 #5,527
2009 modern 1,076 #5,422
2010 modern 1,152 #5,235
2011 modern 1,091 #5,416
2012 modern 1,104 #5,278
2013 modern 1,131 #5,254
2014 modern 1,141 #5,234
2015 modern 1,167 #5,088
2016 modern 1,198 #4,968

Geography

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Where Louis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Paddington, St Pancras and St James Clerkenwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrow, Enfield, Westminster and Leeds. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Paddington London (West Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrow 007 Harrow
2 Enfield 020 Enfield
3 Westminster 005 Westminster
4 Leeds 042 Leeds
5 Westminster 007 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Louis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Louis

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Louis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Louis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Louis is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Louis 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

Louis 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 Louis is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Louis

The surname LOUIS finds its origin in France, tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "Hlodovicus," which means "famous warrior." This name was popularized by the Frankish rulers of the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties, who bore the name Louis.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LOUIS can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions a landowner named Louis, indicating the presence of French nobility in England following the Norman Conquest.

During the High Middle Ages, the name LOUIS gained prominence in France with the reign of Louis IX (1214-1270), also known as Saint Louis. He was a pious and influential monarch who led the Seventh and Eighth Crusades and is renowned for his efforts to establish justice and promote the welfare of his subjects.

Another notable figure bearing the surname LOUIS was Louis XIV (1638-1715), the Sun King of France. His reign, which lasted over 72 years, was marked by the centralization of power, the construction of the Palace of Versailles, and the expansion of French territories through military campaigns.

In the realm of literature, Louis Hémon (1880-1913), a French-Canadian author, is best known for his novel "Maria Chapdelaine," which portrays the lives of settlers in rural Quebec. His work is celebrated for its authentic depiction of the French-Canadian experience.

The name LOUIS also made its mark in the world of science with Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), a French biologist and chemist. He is renowned for his groundbreaking discoveries in the field of microbiology, including the pasteurization process and the development of vaccines against rabies and anthrax.

Throughout history, the surname LOUIS has been associated with various places and regions, such as Louiseville, a town in Quebec, Canada, named after Louis XIV, and the U.S. state of Louisiana, which derives its name from Louis XIV as well.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Louis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Louis 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. Middlesex leads with 161 Louis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.26x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 161 4.26x
Surrey 38 2.07x
Lancashire 35 0.78x
Lanarkshire 31 2.54x
Yorkshire 14 0.37x
Somerset 12 1.97x
Essex 9 1.21x
Hertfordshire 9 3.46x
Durham 8 0.71x
Kent 8 0.62x
Denbighshire 6 4.21x
Lincolnshire 6 0.99x
Devon 5 0.64x
Suffolk 5 1.09x
Derbyshire 4 0.68x
Glamorgan 4 0.61x
Midlothian 4 0.79x
Sussex 4 0.63x
Channel Islands 3 2.68x
Bedfordshire 2 1.02x
Berkshire 2 0.71x
Gloucestershire 2 0.27x
Wiltshire 2 0.60x
Worcestershire 2 0.41x
Cornwall 1 0.23x
Cumberland 1 0.31x
Hampshire 1 0.13x
Monmouthshire 1 0.37x
Norfolk 1 0.17x
Northamptonshire 1 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.20x
Oxfordshire 1 0.43x
Renfrewshire 1 0.34x
Stirlingshire 1 0.72x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 14 Louis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.56x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 14 8.56x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 14 262.17x
Whitechapel London 14 37.62x
Clerkenwell London 11 12.34x
Croydon 10 9.79x
St George Hanover Square 10 15.04x
Cheetham 9 26.94x
Liverpool 9 3.31x
St Albans St Stephen 9 396.48x
St George In East London 9 25.35x
Barony 8 2.59x
Glasgow 8 3.69x
Paddington London 8 5.76x
St Giles In Fields London 8 43.20x
Hampstead London 7 11.91x
Wandsworth 7 19.26x
West Ham 7 4.25x
Govan 6 1.99x
Islington London 6 1.64x
Lambeth 6 1.82x
Barnsley 5 12.96x
Bethnal Green London 5 3.05x
Bromley London 5 6.02x
Ealing 5 14.82x
Hackney London 5 2.36x
Manchester 5 2.48x
Mile End New Town London 5 67.02x
Old Monkland 5 10.32x
St Pancras London 5 1.65x
Burnham 4 86.39x
Fairfield 4 101.27x
Gorbals 4 55.17x
Pawlett 4 579.71x
Penge 4 16.59x
St Anne Soho London 4 18.55x
St Asaph Cil Owen 4 754.72x
St Martin In Fields 4 17.70x
Chelsea London 3 2.64x
Crook Billy Row 3 20.86x
Eccleston In Prescot 3 13.34x
Fulham London 3 5.48x
Ipswich St Margaret 3 19.23x
Kensington London 3 1.43x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 4.96x
Sculcoates 3 5.06x
St Marylebone London 3 1.49x
Walcot 3 9.27x
Brighton 2 1.56x
Broughton In Salford 2 4.88x
Camberwell 2 0.83x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.81x
Clapham 2 4.24x
Deptford St Paul 2 2.01x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 0.98x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 14.73x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 4.11x
Holy Trinity 2 2.22x
Hornsey 2 4.19x
Llanrhydd 2 178.57x
Luton 2 5.91x
Neath 2 14.96x
Newington 2 1.43x
Skipton 2 16.99x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 2.63x
St Botolph Aldgate London 2 25.74x
St Helier 2 5.49x
Wold Newton 2 952.38x
Woolwich 2 4.20x
Ashby Cum Fenby 1 294.12x
Bristol St James In 1 9.18x
Caterham 1 12.30x
Edinburgh Greenside 1 14.97x
Edinburgh New 1 25.45x
Great Yarmouth 1 2.08x
Greenwich 1 1.66x
Holdenhurst 1 4.93x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 33.33x
Newport 1 7.68x
Prittlewell 1 9.68x
Stoke Newington London 1 3.40x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 7
Frederick 6
Charles 5
Henry 5
James 5
Thomas 5
Alfred 4
David 4
Isaac 4
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
George 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Eugene 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Jacob 2
Leon 2
Louis 2
R. 2
Alexander 1
Alfd. 1
Archibald 1
Auguste 1
Augustine 1
Barnet 1
Benjamin 1
Cessier 1
Chas. 1
Davis 1
Dondy 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
Edward 1
Ellen 1
Emil 1
Erinamurl 1
Girodet 1
Gustavus 1
Gwillaune 1
H. 1
Hymius 1
J. 1
Jacot 1
Jean 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Louis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Louis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 384 people were recorded with the Louis surname. That placed it at #8,195 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Louis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,198 in 2016. That gives Louis a modern rank of #4,968.

What does the Louis surname mean?

A French toponymic surname derived from the name of a place called Louis or a variant of Lewis.

What does the Louis map show?

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