NameCensus.

UK surname

Loveday

A surname derived from an Old English nickname for an affectionate or amiable person.

In the 1881 census there were 1,827 people recorded with the Loveday surname, ranking it #2,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,104, ranked #3,069, down from #2,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes and Islip. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Boston, Uttlesford and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Loveday is 2,461 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.2%.

1881 census count

1,827

Ranked #2,380

Modern count

2,104

2016, ranked #3,069

Peak year

1911

2,461 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Loveday had 1,827 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,104 in 2016, ranked #3,069.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,461 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Loveday surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Loveday surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Loveday 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 1,146 #2,461
1861 historical 1,147 #2,449
1881 historical 1,827 #2,380
1891 historical 2,036 #2,268
1901 historical 2,311 #2,353
1911 historical 2,461 #2,086
1997 modern 2,211 #2,806
1998 modern 2,313 #2,790
1999 modern 2,356 #2,769
2000 modern 2,312 #2,791
2001 modern 2,252 #2,806
2002 modern 2,300 #2,806
2003 modern 2,227 #2,832
2004 modern 2,193 #2,875
2005 modern 2,147 #2,889
2006 modern 2,118 #2,929
2007 modern 2,139 #2,927
2008 modern 2,167 #2,921
2009 modern 2,234 #2,912
2010 modern 2,210 #3,000
2011 modern 2,162 #3,023
2012 modern 2,129 #3,007
2013 modern 2,145 #3,041
2014 modern 2,155 #3,050
2015 modern 2,138 #3,036
2016 modern 2,104 #3,069

Geography

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Where Lovedays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes, Islip and Stratton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Boston, Uttlesford, South Norfolk, Swindon and Stroud. 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 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Islip Northamptonshire
5 Stratton Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Boston 007 Boston
2 Uttlesford 002 Uttlesford
3 South Norfolk 013 South Norfolk
4 Swindon 026 Swindon
5 Stroud 005 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Loveday

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Loveday

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Loveday surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Loveday 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Loveday is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Loveday is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Loveday falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Loveday 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Loveday

The surname LOVEDAY is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "lufu" meaning love and "daeg" meaning day, potentially referring to a place where lovers or their families gathered or met.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the LOVEDAY surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Louedaye". This suggests the name was already established by the 13th century in that region.

The LOVEDAY name has also been traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as a place name "Louededay" in Wiltshire. This reinforces the locational origin theory and indicates the surname's deep roots in English history.

Notable historical figures who bore the LOVEDAY surname include Sir John Loveday (c. 1610-1655), an English landowner and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. Another was Richard Loveday (1605-1677), an English churchman who served as Archdeacon of Oxford.

In the 17th century, Benjamin Loveday (1619-1677) was a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Recorder of London. His son, Roger Loveday (1655-1718), followed in his footsteps and became a respected barrister.

Moving into the 18th century, John Loveday (1711-1789) was a well-known English antiquary and topographer who published several works on the history and antiquities of Oxfordshire and surrounding areas.

Over the centuries, variations in spelling have included Loveday, Lovyday, Lovedaye, and Luveday, reflecting the evolution of the English language and regional dialects. The name has also been associated with various place names such as Loveday Hill in Wiltshire and Loveday Farm in Oxfordshire, further cementing its geographical roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Loveday families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Loveday 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 296 Lovedays recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.66x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 296 1.66x
Norfolk 229 8.35x
Northamptonshire 154 9.18x
Surrey 149 1.71x
Yorkshire 149 0.84x
Wiltshire 139 8.81x
Essex 86 2.44x
Cambridgeshire 69 6.11x
Gloucestershire 61 1.74x
Kent 61 1.00x
Oxfordshire 54 4.90x
Suffolk 52 2.39x
Buckinghamshire 38 3.52x
Warwickshire 36 0.80x
Leicestershire 31 1.57x
Hertfordshire 26 2.11x
Glamorgan 24 0.77x
Lincolnshire 24 0.84x
Hampshire 21 0.57x
Staffordshire 20 0.33x
Berkshire 18 1.34x
Durham 15 0.28x
Somerset 15 0.52x
Derbyshire 13 0.47x
Sussex 9 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.33x
Worcestershire 6 0.26x
Devon 4 0.11x
Huntingdonshire 4 1.13x
Lancashire 4 0.02x
Westmorland 4 1.02x
Cardiganshire 3 0.69x
Royal Navy 2 0.94x
Rutland 2 1.53x
Bedfordshire 1 0.11x
Cheshire 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stratton St Margaret in Wiltshire leads with 47 Lovedays recorded in 1881 and an index of 194.21x.

Place Total Index
Stratton St Margaret 47 194.21x
Camberwell 39 3.42x
Islip 35 1002.87x
Shoreditch London 33 4.27x
Kensington London 30 3.02x
Hackney London 29 2.90x
Swindon 29 23.69x
Islington London 26 1.50x
Northampton Priory St 24 23.83x
Aston 20 1.61x
Battersea 19 2.89x
Bethnal Green London 19 2.45x
Clerkenwell London 19 4.51x
Old Buckenham 19 270.27x
St Pancras London 18 1.25x
Thrapston 18 213.52x
Deptford St Paul 17 3.62x
Norwich St James 17 79.00x
Forncett St Peter 16 424.40x
Heigham 16 10.87x
Lambeth 16 1.03x
Bishop Stortford 15 36.51x
Brigstock 15 235.48x
Stroud 15 22.03x
Banham 14 200.29x
Heydon 14 891.72x
Rodbourne Cheney 14 114.94x
St George Hanover Square 14 4.45x
Aston Rowant 13 329.11x
Boreham 13 213.82x
Kempsford 13 255.91x
Leeds 13 1.30x
St Marylebone London 13 1.36x
Welney 13 207.34x
Whaddon 13 613.21x
Lewisham 12 3.70x
Misson 12 287.77x
St Andrewthe Less 12 9.29x
Great Wratting 11 460.25x
Hoyland Nether 11 25.37x
Litlington 11 266.34x
Newmarket All Sts 11 131.89x
Barnes 10 27.20x
Cheltenham 10 3.70x
Cliffe Pypard 10 211.42x
Doncaster 10 7.74x
Little Wratting 10 613.50x
Mulbarton 10 316.46x
Paddington London 10 1.52x
St Brides Minor 10 178.25x
Chelmsford 9 14.89x
Croydon 9 1.87x
Elmdon 9 240.00x
Great Weldon 9 494.51x
Lavenham 9 79.16x
Little Baddow 9 270.27x
Meldreth 9 205.01x
Newington 9 1.37x
Oundle 9 47.97x
Seer Green 9 445.54x
St Luke London 9 3.14x
Walcot 9 5.88x
Bermondsey 8 1.51x
Blofield 8 114.61x
Broad Hinton 8 238.10x
Eston 8 20.77x
Gateshead 8 2.01x
Great Chishall 8 317.46x
Great Thurlow 8 337.55x
Hunslet 8 2.90x
Kibworth Beauchamp 8 116.62x
Litchurch 8 7.12x
Snetterton 8 640.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 2.23x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 1.25x
Wardington 8 211.64x
Leamington Priors 7 6.32x
Mortlake 7 18.07x
Shirburn 7 364.58x
Westminster St John 7 3.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 115
Sarah 83
Elizabeth 63
Emma 40
Eliza 38
Alice 34
Jane 32
Annie 28
Ellen 28
Ann 27
Emily 22
Martha 20
Charlotte 18
Florence 18
Maria 17
Edith 16
Louisa 15
Rebecca 14
Ada 12
Caroline 12
Hannah 12
Harriet 12
Margaret 12
Amelia 11
Susan 11
Harriett 9
Clara 8
Catherine 7
Julia 7
Kate 7
Susannah 7
Anna 6
Lydia 6
Agnes 5
Anne 5
Bertha 5
Lucy 5
Minnie 5
Rose 5
Esther 4
Fanny 4
Laura 4
Matilda 4
Amy 3
Beatrice 3
Gertrude 3
Sophia 3
Lousia 2
Magdalene 2
Margeret 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 132
John 80
George 70
James 61
Charles 55
Thomas 44
Henry 43
Arthur 28
Robert 25
Alfred 23
Walter 21
Joseph 19
Edward 18
Frederick 18
Herbert 15
Richard 14
Samuel 11
David 10
Harry 9
Albert 8
Ernest 8
Frank 6
Joshua 6
Benjamin 5
Fredk. 5
Wm. 5
Chas. 4
Daniel 4
Edwin 4
Foulger 4
Francis 4
Geo. 4
Thos. 4
Fred 3
Fredrick 3
Isaac 3
Nathan 3
Stephen 3
Ambrose 2
Horace 2
Iram 2
Jesse 2
Jonas 2
Jonathan 2
Leonard 2
Lewis 2
Noah 2
Percy 2
Reginald 2
Robt. 2

FAQ

Loveday surname: questions and answers

How common was the Loveday surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,827 people were recorded with the Loveday surname. That placed it at #2,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Loveday surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,104 in 2016. That gives Loveday a modern rank of #3,069.

What does the Loveday surname mean?

A surname derived from an Old English nickname for an affectionate or amiable person.

What does the Loveday map show?

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