NameCensus.

UK surname

Lucas

An English surname derived from the Greek name Loukas, meaning "man from Lucania," a region in southern Italy.

In the 1881 census there were 13,629 people recorded with the Lucas surname, ranking it #297 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 18,984, ranked #316, down from #297 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, Tendring and Guildford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lucas is 19,634 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.3%.

1881 census count

13,629

Ranked #297

Modern count

18,984

2016, ranked #316

Peak year

1999

19,634 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lucas had 13,629 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #297 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 18,984 in 2016, ranked #316.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 18,685 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lucas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lucas surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lucas 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 8,990 #296
1861 historical 9,335 #287
1881 historical 13,629 #297
1891 historical 14,941 #285
1901 historical 17,077 #295
1911 historical 18,685 #250
1997 modern 18,820 #306
1998 modern 19,548 #305
1999 modern 19,634 #306
2000 modern 19,404 #308
2001 modern 18,992 #307
2002 modern 19,257 #308
2003 modern 18,773 #309
2004 modern 18,852 #308
2005 modern 18,354 #314
2006 modern 18,350 #316
2007 modern 18,489 #315
2008 modern 18,468 #317
2009 modern 18,895 #319
2010 modern 19,232 #319
2011 modern 19,012 #317
2012 modern 18,724 #316
2013 modern 19,155 #316
2014 modern 19,358 #313
2015 modern 19,147 #314
2016 modern 18,984 #316

Geography

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Where Lucas' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, Tendring, Guildford, Wigan and Wiltshire. 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 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 007 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 Tendring 003 Tendring
3 Guildford 007 Guildford
4 Wigan 010 Wigan
5 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lucas

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lucas

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lucas is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Lucas 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

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

Meaning and origin of Lucas

The surname LUCAS is of Spanish and Italian origin, derived from the Latin personal name Lucas, which itself is derived from the Greek name Loukas, meaning "from Lucania" - an ancient region in southern Italy. The name LUCAS first emerged in the 9th century and was initially concentrated in Spain and Italy.

During the Middle Ages, the name LUCAS appeared in various records across Europe, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, which listed several individuals with the surname in England. One notable early bearer was Lucas de Penne, a Norman nobleman who fought alongside William the Conqueror in the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

In the 13th century, the surname LUCAS was found in various forms, including Luca, Lucca, and Lucaz, reflecting regional spelling variations. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Giovanni di Luca, an Italian painter and architect from Siena, who lived from around 1238 to 1348.

Over the centuries, the name LUCAS has been associated with several notable figures. In the 16th century, there was Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), a German Renaissance painter known for his portraits of Martin Luther and other Reformation leaders. Another prominent bearer was Sir Samuel Lucas (1585-1670), an English military officer and politician who fought in the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Robert Lucas (1781-1853) was a prominent American politician and territorial governor of Ohio and Iowa. In the 19th century, George Lucas (1824-1909) was an English novelist and playwright, best known for his novel "The Flitters, Tatters, and the Counsellor."

One of the most famous bearers of the name LUCAS in modern times is George Lucas (born 1944), the American filmmaker and creator of the Star Wars franchise. Other notable individuals include Elijah Lucas (1590-1675), a British colonist and governor of the British West Indies, and Juan Lucas (1888-1953), a Spanish painter known for his landscapes and portraits.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Lucas surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lucas surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13,629 people were recorded with the Lucas surname. That placed it at #297 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lucas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 18,984 in 2016. That gives Lucas a modern rank of #316.

What does the Lucas surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Greek name Loukas, meaning "man from Lucania," a region in southern Italy.

What does the Lucas map show?

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