UK surname
A French female given name derived from the Germanic elements "hlod" meaning famous and "wig" meaning battle.
In the 1881 census there were 8 people recorded with the Louisa surname, ranking it #32,581 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 33, ranked #35,829, down from #32,581 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and St James Westminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Louisa is 220 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 312.5%.
1881 census count
8
Ranked #32,581
Modern count
33
2016, ranked #35,829
Peak year
1861
220 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Louisa surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Louisa surname density by area, 1911 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 | 90 | #18,317 |
| 1861 | historical | 220 | #11,076 |
| 1881 | historical | 8 | #32,581 |
| 1891 | historical | 63 | #28,881 |
| 1901 | historical | 19 | #31,911 |
| 1911 | historical | 136 | #18,962 |
| 1997 | modern | 1 | #38,839 |
| 1998 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1999 | modern | 4 | #38,100 |
| 2000 | modern | 5 | #37,823 |
| 2001 | modern | 5 | #37,652 |
| 2002 | modern | 5 | #37,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 9 | #37,101 |
| 2004 | modern | 8 | #37,346 |
| 2005 | modern | 7 | #37,581 |
| 2006 | modern | 7 | #37,634 |
| 2007 | modern | 10 | #37,335 |
| 2008 | modern | 10 | #37,371 |
| 2009 | modern | 12 | #37,230 |
| 2010 | modern | 12 | #37,307 |
| 2011 | modern | 10 | #37,504 |
| 2012 | modern | 23 | #36,366 |
| 2013 | modern | 25 | #36,276 |
| 2014 | modern | 27 | #36,180 |
| 2015 | modern | 27 | #36,173 |
| 2016 | modern | 33 | #35,829 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, St James Westminster and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. 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 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | St James Westminster | London (West Districts) |
| 4 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 5 | Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard | Nottinghamshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Louisa 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 Louisa, 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 Louisa surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Louisa 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, Louisa 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 Louisa is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Louisa, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname "Louisa" is of French origin, believed to have emerged in the late 16th or early 17th century. It is derived from the French feminine given name "Louise," which itself has roots in the Old German name "Hlodovicus" or "Chlodovechus," meaning "famous warrior." The name was popularized in France during the reign of King Louis IX, also known as Saint Louis, who ruled from 1226 to 1270.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Louisa" can be found in the records of the French city of Bordeaux, where a family by that name is mentioned in the late 17th century. Around the same time, the name also appeared in the records of the Huguenot community in France, indicating that some Huguenot families adopted the surname after fleeing religious persecution.
As the French colonial empire expanded in the 17th and 18th centuries, the surname "Louisa" spread to various parts of the world, including North America and the Caribbean. One notable early bearer of the name was Louise de Kérouaille (1649-1734), a French noblewoman who became the mistress of King Charles II of England and was granted the title Duchess of Portsmouth.
In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "Louisa" was John Louisa, a merchant who lived in Pennsylvania in the late 18th century. Other notable individuals include Mary Louisa Whately (1824-1889), an English novelist and philanthropist, and Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the renowned American author best known for her novel "Little Women."
In the arts, the surname "Louisa" has been associated with several notable figures, such as the British painter Louisa Anne Beresford (1818-1909) and the American actress Louisa Paulin (1888-1972). Additionally, the name has been used in various literary works, including the character of Louisa Musgrove in Jane Austen's novel "Persuasion."
While the surname "Louisa" is not among the most common in the world, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting the diverse cultural influences that have shaped its evolution over time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Louisa 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. Glamorgan leads with 3 Louisas recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.09x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Glamorgan | 3 | 22.09x |
| Warwickshire | 2 | 10.17x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 1.28x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 8.61x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 3.80x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swansea Town in Glamorgan leads with 3 Louisas recorded in 1881 and an index of 270.27x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Swansea Town | 3 | 270.27x |
| Aston | 1 | 18.45x |
| Birmingham | 1 | 15.24x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 23.04x |
| North Shields | 1 | 434.78x |
| Rowley Regis | 1 | 136.99x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Louisa surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 8 people were recorded with the Louisa surname. That placed it at #32,581 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 33 in 2016. That gives Louisa a modern rank of #35,829.
A French female given name derived from the Germanic elements "hlod" meaning famous and "wig" meaning battle.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Louisa 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.