NameCensus.

UK surname

Luckhurst

A locational surname derived from a place name in England referring to a wooded area or grove.

In the 1881 census there were 675 people recorded with the Luckhurst surname, ranking it #5,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,078, ranked #5,417, down from #5,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean, Westwell and Pluckley with Pevington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swale, Ashford and Thanet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Luckhurst is 1,126 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.7%.

1881 census count

675

Ranked #5,339

Modern count

1,078

2016, ranked #5,417

Peak year

1997

1,126 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Luckhurst had 675 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,078 in 2016, ranked #5,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 907 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Luckhurst surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Luckhurst surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Luckhurst 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 415 #5,850
1861 historical 421 #6,096
1881 historical 675 #5,339
1891 historical 707 #5,553
1901 historical 837 #5,427
1911 historical 907 #4,916
1997 modern 1,126 #4,973
1998 modern 1,125 #5,153
1999 modern 1,120 #5,221
2000 modern 1,100 #5,265
2001 modern 1,069 #5,291
2002 modern 1,087 #5,322
2003 modern 1,031 #5,460
2004 modern 1,011 #5,548
2005 modern 980 #5,636
2006 modern 990 #5,606
2007 modern 999 #5,614
2008 modern 1,002 #5,644
2009 modern 1,051 #5,547
2010 modern 1,056 #5,627
2011 modern 1,043 #5,620
2012 modern 1,049 #5,502
2013 modern 1,074 #5,491
2014 modern 1,084 #5,474
2015 modern 1,075 #5,452
2016 modern 1,078 #5,417

Geography

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Where Luckhursts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean, Westwell, Pluckley with Pevington, London parishes and Ashford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swale, Ashford, Thanet and Shepway. 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 Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean Kent
2 Westwell Kent
3 Pluckley with Pevington Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 Ashford Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swale 002 Swale
2 Ashford 002 Ashford
3 Swale 005 Swale
4 Thanet 013 Thanet
5 Shepway 013 Shepway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Luckhurst

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Luckhurst

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Luckhurst is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Luckhurst is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Luckhurst falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Luckhurst

The surname Luckhurst is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the county of Kent during the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "luc," meaning a small enclosure or a clearing, and "hurst," meaning a wooded hill or a thicket.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Luckhurst can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, dating back to 1296. This document mentions a person named William de Luckhurst, suggesting that the name was already in use in the late 13th century.

The Luckhurst surname is closely associated with the village of Luckhurst, located in the parish of Hoo, near Rochester in Kent. This place name appears in records as early as the 13th century, and it is likely that the surname originated from this location.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Kent from 1523, which lists a Thomas Luckhurst. The Muster Roll of 1588, which documented able-bodied men in preparation for the Spanish Armada, also includes several individuals with the surname Luckhurst, primarily from Kent and Sussex.

One notable figure with the Luckhurst surname was John Luckhurst (c. 1600-1658), a Puritan minister who served as the vicar of Staplehurst, Kent, during the English Civil War. He was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentary cause and was known for his fiery sermons.

Another individual of historical significance was William Luckhurst (1692-1765), a renowned clockmaker from Clerkenwell, London. He was highly regarded for his craftsmanship and contributed to the development of precision timekeeping in the 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Luckhurst name gained prominence with individuals such as George Luckhurst (1812-1876), a British architect who designed several notable buildings, including the St. Pancras Railway Station hotel in London.

A more recent figure was Sir Walter Luckhurst (1872-1930), a British Army officer who served in the Boer War and World War I. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery and leadership during the Battle of Ypres in 1915.

Richard Luckhurst (1941-2020) was a prominent literary scholar and professor of modern literature at the University of Kent. He made significant contributions to the study of science fiction and published several influential works on the subject.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Luckhurst families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Luckhurst 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. Kent leads with 466 Luckhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.71x.

County Total Index
Kent 466 20.71x
Middlesex 68 1.03x
Surrey 54 1.68x
Sussex 40 3.60x
Essex 11 0.85x
Hampshire 11 0.81x
Lancashire 8 0.10x
Warwickshire 6 0.36x
Yorkshire 6 0.09x
Berkshire 2 0.40x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.95x
Royal Navy 1 1.27x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashford in Kent leads with 48 Luckhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 219.08x.

Place Total Index
Ashford 48 219.08x
Pluckley 31 1490.38x
Hackney London 25 6.76x
Westwell 24 1066.67x
Faversham 20 93.24x
Boughton Under Blean 19 503.98x
Charing 18 592.11x
Eastling 17 1559.63x
Lambeth 17 2.96x
Whitstable 15 135.87x
Woolwich 14 16.84x
Newington In Milton 13 553.19x
Hothfield 12 1643.84x
Camberwell 11 2.61x
Horsham 11 50.93x
Newington 11 4.52x
Burham 10 321.54x
Biddenden 9 292.21x
Bobbing 9 849.06x
Kingsnorth 9 652.17x
Seasalter 9 316.90x
Upchurch 9 354.33x
Willesborough 9 148.76x
Wingham 9 346.15x
Brighton 8 3.57x
Clerkenwell London 8 5.14x
Harbledown 8 490.80x
Hartlip 8 919.54x
Little Chart 8 1290.32x
Rodmersham 8 824.74x
Steeple 8 672.27x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 4.09x
Uckfield 7 144.33x
Bearsted 6 441.18x
Birmingham 6 1.08x
Little Horsted 6 882.35x
Middlesbrough 6 7.05x
Bermondsey 5 2.55x
Buxted 5 114.94x
Canterbury St Mary N 5 328.95x
Chatham 5 8.08x
Dunkirk 5 299.40x
Eastbridge 5 4166.67x
Great Chart 5 297.62x
Leeds 5 304.88x
Maidstone 5 7.46x
Shoreditch London 5 1.75x
Sittingbourne 5 28.14x
St Mary Extra 5 45.96x
St Pancras London 5 0.94x
Staines 5 47.89x
Sturry 5 187.97x
Battersea 4 1.65x
Clapham 4 4.85x
Iwade 4 754.72x
Lenham 4 89.09x
Southampton St Mary 4 4.71x
Aldington 3 196.08x
Ash Next Sandwich 3 60.24x
Bridge 3 155.44x
Bromley London 3 2.07x
Challock 3 375.00x
Egerton 3 153.06x
Kensington London 3 0.82x
Sevenoaks 3 16.45x
Woodchurch 3 107.14x
Borden 2 70.18x
Canterbury St Peter 2 78.74x
Chilham 2 62.50x
Clewer 2 9.86x
Detling 2 263.16x
Folkestone 2 4.58x
Loose 2 60.61x
Mersham 2 122.70x
Millbrook 2 5.88x
Newport 2 58.82x
Northbourne 2 93.46x
Rainham 2 32.36x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 2 21.44x
Stoke Newington London 2 3.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 27
Alice 15
Jane 15
Sarah 15
Annie 14
Ann 13
Emma 12
Ellen 10
Lucy 10
Frances 9
Martha 9
Charlotte 8
Edith 8
Eliza 8
Emily 7
Harriet 7
Agnes 6
Amy 6
Anne 6
Fanny 6
Maria 6
Rebecca 6
Clara 5
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Rose 5
E. 4
Esther 4
Harriett 4
Ada 3
Helen 3
Lily 3
Amelia 2
Beatrice 2
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Grace 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Lilian 2
Margaret 2
Alfred 1
Anna 1
Christian 1
Christine 1
Diana 1
Dora 1
Hanah 1
Sussanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 53
George 30
John 30
Charles 14
Edward 13
Henry 13
Thomas 11
Richard 10
Albert 9
Alfred 9
James 9
Frederick 8
Arthur 7
Ernest 7
David 6
Edwin 6
Robert 6
Daniel 5
Walter 5
Lewis 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Ch. 2
Fredk. 2
Shadrach 2
Stanley 2
Stephen 2
Alexander 1
Arold 1
Chas.F. 1
Chs. 1
Earnest 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.Edwd. 1
Georg 1
H. 1
Harold 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Joseph 1
Lawrence 1
Louis 1
Mary 1
Maurice 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Wm 1

FAQ

Luckhurst surname: questions and answers

How common was the Luckhurst surname in 1881?

In 1881, 675 people were recorded with the Luckhurst surname. That placed it at #5,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Luckhurst surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,078 in 2016. That gives Luckhurst a modern rank of #5,417.

What does the Luckhurst surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England referring to a wooded area or grove.

What does the Luckhurst map show?

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