NameCensus.

UK surname

Luby

A surname of Czech origin, derived from the word "lubý," meaning "beloved" or "dear."

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Luby surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 331, ranked #13,735, up from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ11, Bolton and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Luby is 344 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 145.2%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

331

2016, ranked #13,735

Peak year

1999

344 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Luby had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 331 in 2016, ranked #13,735.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 171 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Luby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Luby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Luby 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 34 #27,194
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 135 #19,692
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 171 #16,461
1997 modern 308 #13,297
1998 modern 338 #12,829
1999 modern 344 #12,776
2000 modern 334 #12,980
2001 modern 327 #12,970
2002 modern 333 #13,062
2003 modern 337 #12,759
2004 modern 320 #13,311
2005 modern 315 #13,375
2006 modern 306 #13,724
2007 modern 316 #13,566
2008 modern 319 #13,581
2009 modern 324 #13,689
2010 modern 323 #14,005
2011 modern 314 #14,165
2012 modern 316 #13,994
2013 modern 330 #13,777
2014 modern 333 #13,770
2015 modern 327 #13,871
2016 modern 331 #13,735

Geography

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Where Lubys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to IZ11, Bolton, Knowsley and Bradford. 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 3
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Dean Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ11 East Lothian
2 Bolton 034 Bolton
3 Bolton 033 Bolton
4 Knowsley 015 Knowsley
5 Bradford 008 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Luby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Luby

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Luby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Luby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Luby 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

Luby 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

Luby falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Luby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Luby

The surname Luby is believed to have originated in Ireland, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Gaelic word "lobaigh," meaning "a maker of loops or nooses." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in rope-making or related trades.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Luby can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a Conchobhar Luby, who lived in the 15th century and was a member of the O'Conor family, a prominent clan in Connacht, Ireland.

In the 16th century, the Luby name appeared in various records and manuscripts, including the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, which documented legal proceedings and land grants during the Tudor period in Ireland. These records mention individuals with the surname Luby, particularly in counties such as Mayo and Sligo.

The earliest known bearer of the Luby surname was Tadhg Luby, born around 1520 in County Mayo, Ireland. He was a notable figure in his community and held land in the Barony of Carra.

Another notable figure was Edmond Luby, born in 1634 in County Mayo, Ireland. He was a landowner and served as a member of the Irish Parliament during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Luby name gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Luby (1751-1835), a prominent Irish politician and lawyer. He served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Maryborough and was a staunch advocate for Catholic Emancipation in Ireland.

Moving into the 19th century, one of the most famous individuals with the Luby surname was Thomas Clarke Luby (1821-1907). He was an Irish writer, journalist, and political activist who played a significant role in the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a revolutionary organization dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish republic.

Another notable figure from the 19th century was John Luby (1829-1899), a prominent Irish Fenian and journalist. He was a co-founder of the Irish People newspaper and played an active role in the Irish Republican Brotherhood's activities in the late 1800s.

It is worth noting that the Luby surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, particularly in counties such as Mayo and Sligo, where the name has had a strong historical presence. Some examples include Lubybaun and Lubydool, which are townlands in County Mayo.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Luby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Luby 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. Lancashire leads with 42 Lubys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.79x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 42 2.79x
Yorkshire 22 1.75x
Renfrewshire 13 13.23x
Durham 10 2.65x
Surrey 10 1.62x
Staffordshire 8 1.87x
Lanarkshire 6 1.46x
Middlesex 6 0.47x
Gloucestershire 5 2.01x
Angus 2 1.70x
Roxburghshire 2 8.71x
Worcestershire 2 1.21x
Cheshire 1 0.36x
Lincolnshire 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tyldesley Cum Shakerley in Lancashire leads with 25 Lubys recorded in 1881 and an index of 577.37x.

Place Total Index
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 25 577.37x
Bishopwearmouth 8 24.71x
Paisley Middle Church 8 139.86x
Salford 8 18.08x
Tamworth 8 349.35x
Bradford 7 23.01x
Horton In Bradford 7 35.68x
Abbey 5 33.36x
Bristol St George 5 43.48x
Holbeck 5 60.10x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 19.60x
Wimbledon 5 72.05x
Old Monkland 4 24.59x
Chelsea London 3 7.85x
North Meols 3 20.37x
Barony 2 1.93x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 8.37x
Dundee 2 4.56x
Hawick 2 38.91x
Stansfield 2 43.29x
Stourbridge 2 46.95x
Sunderland 2 30.03x
Ardwick 1 7.37x
Clerkenwell London 1 3.34x
Goxhill 1 200.00x
Hulme 1 3.18x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 1 31.06x
St Pancras London 1 0.98x
Thurnham 1 434.78x
West Derby 1 2.27x
Whitechapel London 1 8.00x
York St Mary 1 19.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Ellen 9
Catherine 5
Bridget 4
Ann 3
Margaret 3
Elizabeth 2
Margt. 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Kitty 1
Linni 1
Louisa 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
Patrick 5
Thomas 5
James 4
William 4
Edward 3
Michael 3
Francis 2
Richard 2
Denis 1
Edmund 1
Fredrick 1
Martin 1
Mathew 1
Matthau 1
Matthew 1
Micheal 1
Patk. 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Luby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Luby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Luby surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Luby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 331 in 2016. That gives Luby a modern rank of #13,735.

What does the Luby surname mean?

A surname of Czech origin, derived from the word "lubý," meaning "beloved" or "dear."

What does the Luby map show?

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