NameCensus.

UK surname

Lovell

A locational surname referring to someone from Lovell, Normandy, likely derived from the Old French lou, meaning wolf.

In the 1881 census there were 6,240 people recorded with the Lovell surname, ranking it #694 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,451, ranked #780, down from #694 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, South Gloucestershire and Gwynedd.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lovell is 9,078 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.4%.

1881 census count

6,240

Ranked #694

Modern count

8,451

2016, ranked #780

Peak year

1998

9,078 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lovell had 6,240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #694 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,451 in 2016, ranked #780.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,646 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lovell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lovell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lovell 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 3,630 #781
1861 historical 3,495 #811
1881 historical 6,240 #694
1891 historical 6,361 #732
1901 historical 7,861 #681
1911 historical 8,646 #570
1997 modern 8,658 #727
1998 modern 9,078 #721
1999 modern 9,048 #731
2000 modern 8,901 #738
2001 modern 8,711 #740
2002 modern 8,881 #740
2003 modern 8,674 #741
2004 modern 8,684 #746
2005 modern 8,439 #751
2006 modern 8,396 #759
2007 modern 8,488 #755
2008 modern 8,475 #763
2009 modern 8,712 #759
2010 modern 8,869 #765
2011 modern 8,741 #760
2012 modern 8,551 #764
2013 modern 8,625 #771
2014 modern 8,653 #775
2015 modern 8,546 #774
2016 modern 8,451 #780

Geography

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Where Lovells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, South Gloucestershire and Gwynedd. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 016 Neath Port Talbot
2 Neath Port Talbot 017 Neath Port Talbot
3 South Gloucestershire 028 South Gloucestershire
4 South Gloucestershire 029 South Gloucestershire
5 Gwynedd 006 Gwynedd

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lovell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lovell

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

Lovell is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lovell 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 Lovell 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 Lovell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lovell

The surname Lovell is of Norman origin, derived from the Old French word "lovel" or "louvel," meaning a young wolf or a wolf cub. It was likely introduced to England after the Norman Conquest in 1066 by settlers from northern France and Normandy.

The name can be traced back to the 11th century, with early recordings in the Domesday Book of 1086. This ancient record listed individuals with the name Lovell as landowners in various counties across England, including Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Ralph Lovell, who lived in the 12th century and held lands in Oxfordshire. Another notable figure was John Lovell, a 13th-century nobleman from Wiltshire, who served as a justice of the King's Bench during the reign of King Henry III.

During the Middle Ages, the name Lovell was also associated with several prominent families and landowners, including the Lovells of Titchmarsh in Northamptonshire and the Lovells of Minehead in Somerset. The latter family's ancestral home, Nunney Castle in Somerset, dates back to the 14th century and was once owned by Sir John Lovell, a knight who fought in the Wars of the Roses.

In the 15th century, Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell, was a prominent figure in the court of King Richard III. He was a loyal supporter of the Yorkist cause during the Wars of the Roses and played a significant role in the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

Another notable bearer of the name was Robert Lovell, a 17th-century English composer and musician who served as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal during the reign of King Charles I.

Throughout history, the surname Lovell has also been associated with various place names, such as Lovell's Holm in Yorkshire, Lovell's Hall in Nottinghamshire, and Lovell's Park in Oxfordshire, further reflecting its long-standing presence in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lovell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lovell 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 1,000 Lovells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.64x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,000 1.64x
Somerset 559 5.68x
Gloucestershire 550 4.59x
Northamptonshire 447 7.78x
Surrey 414 1.39x
Devon 260 2.04x
Yorkshire 256 0.42x
Dorset 239 5.96x
Hampshire 225 1.80x
Buckinghamshire 224 6.06x
Kent 199 0.95x
Bedfordshire 179 5.66x
Lancashire 161 0.22x
Warwickshire 140 0.91x
Worcestershire 102 1.28x
Staffordshire 93 0.45x
Berkshire 89 1.94x
Sussex 89 0.86x
Essex 88 0.73x
Hertfordshire 87 2.06x
Oxfordshire 87 2.30x
Leicestershire 80 1.18x
Glamorgan 75 0.70x
Lincolnshire 59 0.60x
Cambridgeshire 50 1.29x
Monmouthshire 47 1.06x
Northumberland 46 0.51x
Nottinghamshire 44 0.53x
Wiltshire 41 0.76x
Lanarkshire 36 0.18x
Cheshire 35 0.26x
Cornwall 35 0.51x
Norfolk 25 0.27x
Derbyshire 22 0.23x
Suffolk 20 0.27x
Durham 19 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 18 1.48x
Renfrewshire 18 0.38x
Caernarfonshire 16 0.65x
Channel Islands 16 0.88x
Royal Navy 14 1.92x
Midlothian 11 0.13x
Ayrshire 7 0.15x
Cumberland 7 0.13x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.23x
Denbighshire 5 0.22x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.30x
Herefordshire 5 0.20x
West Lothian 5 0.54x
Shropshire 3 0.06x
Cardiganshire 2 0.13x
Angus 1 0.02x
Berwickshire 1 0.14x
Flintshire 1 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.07x
Perthshire 1 0.04x
Rutland 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St George in Gloucestershire leads with 103 Lovells recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.58x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St George 103 18.58x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 94 8.33x
Camberwell 93 2.38x
Islington London 76 1.28x
Mangotsfield 74 61.93x
Dudley 71 7.32x
St Pancras London 65 1.32x
Bedminster 63 6.81x
Hackney London 62 1.81x
Bethnal Green London 58 2.18x
Bitton Oldland 52 42.43x
Kensington London 51 1.50x
Lambeth 49 0.92x
Stapleton 47 20.67x
Luton 46 8.40x
St Marylebone London 46 1.41x
Shoreditch London 45 1.70x
Tottenham 43 4.42x
Weston Super Mare 42 16.91x
Hammersmith London 39 2.59x
Wellingborough 37 12.80x
Birmingham 36 0.70x
Silverstone 34 140.21x
West Ham 33 1.24x
Bitton 32 30.67x
Croydon 32 1.94x
Portsea 32 1.30x
Raunds 32 54.66x
Clifton 31 5.12x
Old Cleeve 31 88.24x
Aston 30 0.71x
Bromley London 28 2.08x
St George Hanover Square 28 2.60x
Chelsea London 27 1.47x
Emberton 26 192.59x
Greenwich 26 2.67x
Newington 26 1.15x
Bermondsey 25 1.37x
Clewer 25 13.30x
Eastbourne 25 5.27x
Everton 25 1.08x
Hemel Hempstead 25 13.17x
Chiswick 24 7.19x
Hampstead London 24 2.52x
Leamington Priors 24 6.33x
Mile End Old Town London 24 1.84x
Batley 23 4.00x
Bedford St Paul 23 10.60x
Chipping Warden 23 277.44x
Shadwell London 23 13.45x
Wootton 23 84.16x
Wells St Cuthbert 22 32.77x
Bow London 21 2.70x
Elsworth 21 149.15x
Ratcliffe London 21 6.22x
Brixham 20 13.57x
Wilden 20 215.75x
Clerkenwell London 19 1.32x
Leicester St Margaret 19 1.15x
Askerswell 18 411.90x
Gt Haseley 18 125.96x
Wyke Regis 18 31.27x
Blackburn 17 0.88x
Canford Magna 17 73.40x
Dawlish 17 17.91x
Exeter St Sidwell 17 5.83x
St Andrew Holborn London 17 6.42x
Wing 17 49.64x
Woodford 17 53.17x
Wycombe 17 6.17x
Compton Martin 16 184.33x
Deptford St Paul 16 0.99x
Stickney 16 110.50x
Walcot 16 3.05x
Willesden 16 2.78x
Wimborne Minster 16 24.66x
Woolwich 16 2.08x
Barnstaple 15 7.51x
Bristol St James St Paul 15 3.75x
Ottery St Mary 15 17.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 374
Elizabeth 249
Sarah 213
Ann 127
Emma 112
Jane 112
Ellen 109
Alice 105
Annie 104
Eliza 89
Emily 83
Louisa 69
Florence 49
Hannah 45
Martha 41
Charlotte 38
Edith 38
Ada 36
Fanny 36
Kate 35
Maria 35
Caroline 34
Lucy 34
Clara 30
Harriet 30
Susan 30
Catherine 29
Rose 26
Harriett 25
Matilda 24
Esther 22
Amy 21
Margaret 21
Agnes 20
Anne 19
Amelia 18
Ethel 18
Frances 17
Laura 15
Jessie 14
Julia 14
Elizth. 13
Selina 13
Minnie 12
Rebecca 12
Ruth 12
Sophia 12
Susannah 12
Anna 11
Lydia 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 397
John 312
George 271
Thomas 167
Charles 155
James 154
Henry 138
Samuel 80
Joseph 79
Alfred 74
Edward 69
Arthur 67
Robert 67
Albert 62
Frederick 61
Harry 49
Walter 45
Ernest 34
Richard 34
Isaac 26
Edwin 25
Frank 23
Herbert 21
Francis 20
Benjamin 18
David 14
Tom 14
Fred 13
Sidney 12
Thos. 12
Wm. 12
Geo. 10
Edgar 9
Michael 9
Daniel 8
Edmund 8
Fredk. 8
Jacob 8
Mark 8
Patrick 7
Percy 7
Chas. 6
Gilbert 6
Reginald 6
Sydney 6
Allen 5
Fredrick 5
Harold 5
Louis 5
Robt. 5

FAQ

Lovell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lovell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,240 people were recorded with the Lovell surname. That placed it at #694 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lovell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,451 in 2016. That gives Lovell a modern rank of #780.

What does the Lovell surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Lovell, Normandy, likely derived from the Old French lou, meaning wolf.

What does the Lovell map show?

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