NameCensus.

UK surname

Lovelace

An English occupational surname referring to a person who made or sold lace.

In the 1881 census there were 366 people recorded with the Lovelace surname, ranking it #8,490 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 426, ranked #11,279, down from #8,490 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Willesden and Poole St James. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, Boston and Maidstone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lovelace is 467 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.4%.

1881 census count

366

Ranked #8,490

Modern count

426

2016, ranked #11,279

Peak year

1901

467 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lovelace had 366 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,490 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016, ranked #11,279.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 467 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lovelace surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lovelace surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lovelace 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 236 #9,174
1861 historical 240 #10,226
1881 historical 366 #8,490
1891 historical 352 #9,781
1901 historical 467 #8,471
1911 historical 459 #8,364
1997 modern 392 #11,178
1998 modern 420 #10,973
1999 modern 435 #10,754
2000 modern 424 #10,919
2001 modern 415 #10,925
2002 modern 416 #11,120
2003 modern 428 #10,709
2004 modern 423 #10,816
2005 modern 401 #11,165
2006 modern 404 #11,159
2007 modern 418 #10,976
2008 modern 417 #11,100
2009 modern 432 #11,048
2010 modern 447 #10,966
2011 modern 433 #11,116
2012 modern 413 #11,451
2013 modern 427 #11,325
2014 modern 442 #11,057
2015 modern 436 #11,099
2016 modern 426 #11,279

Geography

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Where Lovelaces are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, Boston and Maidstone. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Poole St James Dorset
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 014 Mendip
2 Boston 009 Boston
3 Maidstone 015 Maidstone
4 Mendip 012 Mendip
5 Boston 001 Boston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lovelace

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lovelace

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Lovelace is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Lovelace 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

Lovelace falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lovelace

The surname Lovelace originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "luf" meaning love and "leac" meaning plant or garden, referring to someone who lived near or maintained a lovage garden. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was as "de Lovelache" in the Pipe Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1186.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Richard de Lovelace, who was recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. The Lovelace family held estates in several counties including Kent, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire. The name was also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as "Loveraz" in the county of Wiltshire.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the name evolved to its modern form of Lovelace. Notable individuals with this surname include Richard Lovelace (1617-1657), an English poet and cavalier. He is best known for his poems "To Lucasta, Going to the Wars" and "To Althea, from Prison". Another notable figure was John Lovelace, 4th Baron Lovelace (1672-1709), who served as a member of parliament and was involved in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

In the 18th century, the Lovelace family continued to hold significant land and properties in Kent. Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (1815-1852), was an English mathematician and writer, best known for her work on the Analytical Engine and her collaboration with Charles Babbage. She is considered a pioneer of computer programming and is sometimes referred to as the first computer programmer.

Another notable Lovelace was Ralph Lovelace, 2nd Earl of Lovelace (1839-1906), who was a British peer and served as Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire. William Lovelace Gilbert (1866-1953) was an American composer and musician, known for his compositions for bands and orchestras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lovelace families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lovelace 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 94 Lovelaces recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.63x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 94 2.63x
Dorset 89 37.98x
Somerset 34 5.92x
Surrey 30 1.72x
Gloucestershire 27 3.86x
Suffolk 24 5.52x
Essex 14 1.99x
Lancashire 14 0.33x
Kent 9 0.74x
Hampshire 7 0.96x
Norfolk 6 1.09x
Yorkshire 5 0.14x
Sussex 3 0.50x
Worcestershire 3 0.64x
Derbyshire 2 0.36x
Wiltshire 2 0.63x
Cheshire 1 0.13x
Devon 1 0.13x
Shropshire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 16 Lovelaces recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.39x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 16 8.39x
Fakenham Magna 15 6521.74x
Battersea 11 8.37x
Chelsea London 10 9.30x
Alton Pancras 9 2903.23x
Kensington London 9 4.53x
St Anne Soho London 9 44.14x
St Pancras London 9 3.13x
Bristol St George 8 24.71x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 12.13x
Hampreston 8 470.59x
Paddington London 8 6.09x
Blackburn 7 6.21x
Hackney London 7 3.50x
Bitton Oldland 6 83.80x
Canford Magna 6 444.44x
Closworth 6 4000.00x
Lambeth 6 1.93x
Nether Cerne 6 5454.55x
Newington 6 4.55x
Winsford 6 1016.95x
Wootton Courtney 6 1500.00x
Bradpole 5 260.42x
Colchester St Runwald 5 1315.79x
Melcombe Regis 5 51.49x
Puddle Hinton 5 1020.41x
St George Hanover Square 5 7.95x
Winfrith Newburgh 5 427.35x
Cromer 4 205.13x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 4 210.53x
Fulham London 4 7.73x
Halifax 4 7.70x
Sherborne 4 57.97x
Stanton 4 388.35x
West Ham 4 2.57x
Woodsford 4 1739.13x
Braintree 3 47.39x
Bridport 3 62.24x
Broughton In Salford 3 7.74x
Fornham St Martin 3 789.47x
Kinson 3 65.50x
Minterne Magna 3 750.00x
Portishead 3 70.26x
St Botolph Aldgate London 3 40.82x
St Dunstan In West London 3 270.27x
St George In East London 3 8.93x
Wimborne Minster 3 79.16x
Yeovil 3 25.68x
Allington 2 95.69x
Brighton 2 1.65x
Camberwell 2 0.88x
Clifton 2 5.65x
Derby St Peter 2 11.24x
Devizes St Mary 2 62.70x
East Horsley 2 555.56x
Erith 2 16.67x
Fordington 2 39.60x
Henstridge 2 125.79x
Islington London 2 0.58x
Mile End Old Town London 2 2.63x
Paulton 2 76.05x
Pershore Holy Cross 2 66.89x
Poole St James 2 22.73x
Road 2 285.71x
Stapleton 2 15.06x
Symondsbury 2 134.23x
Wells St Cuthbert In 2 227.27x
West Tofts 2 869.57x
Wyke Regis 2 59.52x
Alverstoke 1 3.78x
Burnham 1 22.83x
Fyfield 1 175.44x
Hamworthy 1 121.95x
Holdenhurst 1 5.21x
Lee 1 5.65x
Munslow 1 135.14x
Portsmouth 1 5.93x
Rattlesden 1 78.74x
Streatham 1 3.78x
West Grinstead 1 55.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Elizabeth 15
Sarah 8
Alice 7
Eliza 7
Jane 7
Ann 6
Ellen 6
Caroline 5
Emily 5
Agnes 4
Annie 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Elizth. 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Jessie 3
Susan 3
A. 2
Anna 2
Bertha 2
Bessie 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Gertrude 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Anie 1
Catharine 1
Clarice 1
Dorcas 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellenor 1
G. 1
Harnet 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Hephzibah 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
L. 1
Trixie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
John 18
Henry 13
George 12
James 11
Charles 10
Robert 6
Thomas 6
Arthur 5
Edwin 4
Frederick 3
Samuel 3
Sydney 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Joseph 2
Sidney 2
Amos 1
B. 1
B.J. 1
E. 1
Earl 1
Earnest 1
Elkunah 1
F. 1
Frank 1
Frdk. 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
H. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hy. 1
Jonathon 1
Lewis 1
Marcus 1
Matthias 1
N.E. 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Saml. 1
Stephen 1
W.S. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lovelace surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lovelace surname in 1881?

In 1881, 366 people were recorded with the Lovelace surname. That placed it at #8,490 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lovelace surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016. That gives Lovelace a modern rank of #11,279.

What does the Lovelace surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a person who made or sold lace.

What does the Lovelace map show?

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