NameCensus.

UK surname

Lovejoy

A surname derived from a nickname for a person with a joyous or amorous disposition.

In the 1881 census there were 650 people recorded with the Lovejoy surname, ranking it #5,494 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 807, ranked #6,859, down from #5,494 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Sonning and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester, Bracknell Forest and Ashfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lovejoy is 882 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.2%.

1881 census count

650

Ranked #5,494

Modern count

807

2016, ranked #6,859

Peak year

1911

882 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lovejoy had 650 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,494 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 807 in 2016, ranked #6,859.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 882 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lovejoy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lovejoy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lovejoy 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 441 #5,582
1861 historical 409 #6,283
1881 historical 650 #5,494
1891 historical 659 #5,897
1901 historical 795 #5,681
1911 historical 882 #5,048
1997 modern 813 #6,449
1998 modern 855 #6,405
1999 modern 844 #6,523
2000 modern 834 #6,559
2001 modern 806 #6,615
2002 modern 827 #6,602
2003 modern 776 #6,825
2004 modern 781 #6,803
2005 modern 785 #6,704
2006 modern 782 #6,752
2007 modern 773 #6,887
2008 modern 778 #6,912
2009 modern 789 #6,971
2010 modern 795 #7,065
2011 modern 787 #7,051
2012 modern 782 #6,984
2013 modern 827 #6,765
2014 modern 833 #6,764
2015 modern 825 #6,756
2016 modern 807 #6,859

Geography

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Where Lovejoys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Sonning, Lambeth and Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chichester, Bracknell Forest, Ashfield, Isle of Wight and Chelmsford. 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 Sonning Oxfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chichester 004 Chichester
2 Bracknell Forest 007 Bracknell Forest
3 Ashfield 005 Ashfield
4 Isle of Wight 013 Isle of Wight
5 Chelmsford 017 Chelmsford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lovejoy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lovejoy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lovejoy, 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 Lovejoy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lovejoy 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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Lovejoy is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Lovejoy 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

Lovejoy falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lovejoy

The surname Lovejoy is an English name that originated in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French words "l'ovejoi," which translate to "the joy of the wolf." This name was likely given to someone who lived near a den of wolves or was associated with wolves in some way.

The earliest recorded use of the name Lovejoy dates back to 1189 in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire. These rolls were financial records kept by the English Exchequer during the reign of King Richard I. The name appears as "Lovejoy de Barnsley," suggesting that the individual was from the town of Barnsley.

In the 13th century, the name Lovejoy appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls, which were records of landowners in England. These rolls mention a "William Lovejoy" who owned land in the county of Berkshire.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Lovejoy was Sir John Lovejoy (c. 1320-1395). He was a knight and landowner from the village of Lovejoy in Oxfordshire. This village likely took its name from the surname and was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Loveioie."

During the 16th century, the name Lovejoy underwent various spelling changes, including "Lovejoye," "Lovejoie," and "Loveioye." One notable bearer of the name from this period was Thomas Lovejoy (c. 1550-1625), a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

In the 17th century, the name Lovejoy spread to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname in the New World was John Lovejoy (c. 1635-1677), who settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635.

Another notable figure with the surname Lovejoy was Elijah Parish Lovejoy (1802-1837), an American Presbyterian minister and abolitionist. He was killed by a pro-slavery mob while defending his printing press in Alton, Illinois, becoming a martyr in the anti-slavery movement.

Other individuals with the surname Lovejoy who have left their mark throughout history include:

1. Frank Lovejoy (1912-1962), an American actor known for his roles in film noir and television. 2. Esther Lovejoy (1869-1967), an American physician and one of the first female medical school professors in the United States. 3. Owen Lovejoy (1811-1864), an American lawyer and influential abolitionist who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives. 4. Richard Lovejoy (c. 1590-1673), an English clergyman and one of the founding settlers of the town of Andover, Massachusetts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lovejoy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lovejoy 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 174 Lovejoys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.71x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 174 2.71x
Surrey 125 4.00x
Berkshire 118 24.53x
Oxfordshire 83 20.97x
Kent 37 1.69x
Hampshire 23 1.75x
Buckinghamshire 16 4.13x
Hertfordshire 15 3.40x
Sussex 14 1.30x
Warwickshire 9 0.56x
Essex 8 0.63x
Lancashire 7 0.09x
Channel Islands 6 3.16x
Staffordshire 5 0.23x
Cumberland 3 0.54x
Monmouthshire 3 0.65x
Suffolk 3 0.38x
Lincolnshire 2 0.20x
Northumberland 2 0.21x
Royal Navy 2 2.62x
Wiltshire 1 0.18x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 37 Lovejoys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.96x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 37 5.96x
Plumstead 27 37.04x
Reading St Giles 26 55.08x
Camberwell 19 4.64x
Caversham 19 239.90x
Clerkenwell London 17 11.24x
Kingston On Thames 17 22.66x
Henley On Thames 15 184.96x
Eye Dunsden 14 732.98x
St Pancras London 14 2.71x
Battersea 12 5.09x
Clapham 12 14.98x
Lambeth 12 2.15x
Warfield 12 274.60x
Watford 12 35.04x
Bromley London 11 7.80x
Cookham 11 73.33x
Rotherfield Greys 11 262.53x
Earley 10 124.84x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 7.75x
St Marylebone London 10 2.92x
Westminster St John 10 12.81x
Winkfield 10 125.31x
Egham 9 46.95x
Goring 9 398.23x
Reading St Mary 9 23.36x
Upton Cum Chalvey 8 51.81x
Chobham 7 127.04x
Fulham London 7 7.53x
Hillingdon 7 34.26x
Richmond 7 16.00x
Sunninghill 7 104.95x
Twickenham 7 25.47x
West Ham 7 2.51x
Bethnal Green London 6 2.16x
Holy Rood 6 225.56x
Newington 6 2.53x
Portsea 6 2.33x
Preston 6 2.95x
Sonning 6 112.99x
St Helier 6 9.70x
Wargrave 6 145.28x
Greenwich 5 4.90x
Paddington London 5 2.12x
Thame 5 69.44x
Ardingly 4 116.28x
Brighton 4 1.83x
Croydon 4 2.31x
Eastbourne 4 8.05x
Harlington 4 118.34x
Iver 4 80.16x
Mile End Old Town London 4 2.93x
Reigate Foreign 4 11.83x
Rugby 4 18.29x
Shiplake 4 296.30x
Southampton Holy Rood 4 303.03x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 1.74x
Clewer 3 15.22x
Hammersmith London 3 1.90x
Hatfield 3 33.48x
Hendon 3 13.01x
Melton 3 97.72x
Norwood 3 20.48x
Remenham 3 220.59x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.66x
St Luke London 3 2.92x
Upper Llanvrechva 3 41.67x
Aston 2 0.45x
Bray 2 14.15x
East Swallowfield 2 294.12x
Easthampstead 2 77.52x
Enfield 2 4.76x
Kensington London 2 0.56x
Knaresdale 2 173.91x
Lee 2 6.30x
Limehouse London 2 2.84x
Milton In Gravesend 2 6.10x
New Windsor 2 12.37x
Royal Navy 2 3.06x
Streatham 2 4.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 42
George 35
Charles 26
Henry 26
James 26
John 18
Thomas 17
Arthur 13
Edward 13
Alfred 9
Richard 9
Frederick 7
Albert 6
Joseph 6
Robert 6
Walter 6
Ernest 4
Samuel 4
Fredrick 3
Harry 3
Isaac 3
Stephen 3
Francis 2
Horace 2
Luke 2
Saml. 2
Solomon 2
Thos. 2
Benjamin 1
Chas.W. 1
Daniel 1
Edwd.Hen. 1
Edwin 1
F. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk.E. 1
Herbert 1
Jonathan 1
Lewis 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Saml.Thos. 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lovejoy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lovejoy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 650 people were recorded with the Lovejoy surname. That placed it at #5,494 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lovejoy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 807 in 2016. That gives Lovejoy a modern rank of #6,859.

What does the Lovejoy surname mean?

A surname derived from a nickname for a person with a joyous or amorous disposition.

What does the Lovejoy map show?

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