NameCensus.

UK surname

Lucking

A surname likely derived from a place name or location with an uncertain origin.

In the 1881 census there were 499 people recorded with the Lucking surname, ranking it #6,784 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 535, ranked #9,499, down from #6,784 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Boreham, Waltham, Great and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester, Chelmsford and Suffolk Coastal.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lucking is 662 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.2%.

1881 census count

499

Ranked #6,784

Modern count

535

2016, ranked #9,499

Peak year

1999

662 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lucking had 499 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,784 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 535 in 2016, ranked #9,499.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 616 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Lucking surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lucking surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lucking 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 337 #6,953
1861 historical 389 #6,580
1881 historical 499 #6,784
1891 historical 597 #6,413
1901 historical 601 #7,068
1911 historical 616 #6,702
1997 modern 615 #8,008
1998 modern 650 #7,904
1999 modern 662 #7,834
2000 modern 632 #8,111
2001 modern 624 #8,038
2002 modern 619 #8,262
2003 modern 596 #8,376
2004 modern 596 #8,389
2005 modern 565 #8,633
2006 modern 559 #8,714
2007 modern 576 #8,619
2008 modern 570 #8,734
2009 modern 582 #8,784
2010 modern 604 #8,749
2011 modern 576 #8,955
2012 modern 548 #9,194
2013 modern 550 #9,339
2014 modern 548 #9,418
2015 modern 543 #9,419
2016 modern 535 #9,499

Geography

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Where Luckings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Boreham, Waltham, Great, London parishes, Hatfield Peverell and Little Baddow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chichester, Chelmsford and Suffolk Coastal. 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 Boreham Essex
2 Waltham, Great Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hatfield Peverell Essex
5 Little Baddow Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chichester 005 Chichester
2 Chelmsford 008 Chelmsford
3 Chelmsford 017 Chelmsford
4 Chelmsford 014 Chelmsford
5 Suffolk Coastal 012 Suffolk Coastal

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lucking

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lucking

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Lucking surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Lucking household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Lucking 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

Lucking 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

Lucking falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lucking is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lucking

The surname Lucking has its origins in northwestern Germany, particularly in the region of Lower Saxony. It is believed to have emerged around the 13th century, derived from the Old German word "luck" or "luk," meaning a small enclosed area, grove, or thicket. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who resided near or in a small wooded enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Lucking surname can be found in the Bremisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical documents from the archbishopric of Bremen dating back to the 13th century. Here, the name is spelled as "Luckinge," indicating its ancient roots and evolution over time.

During the medieval period, the Lucking name appears to have been concentrated primarily in the areas around the cities of Verden and Rotenburg an der Wümme, both located in modern-day Lower Saxony. Some historical records also suggest that the name may have had variations such as "Luckingk" or "Luckynck" in its early days.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Lucking surname was Johann Lucking, a merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Bremervörde from around 1520 to 1585. His descendants continued to play a role in the local community for several generations.

Another historical figure of note was Gerhard Lucking, a Lutheran pastor and theologian who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Born in 1565 in the town of Oldendorf, he served as a minister in various parishes throughout Lower Saxony and wrote several theological treatises.

During the 17th century, the Lucking name appears to have spread beyond its initial concentrated areas, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in other parts of northern Germany, such as the region of Westphalia.

In the 18th century, a prominent individual named Heinrich Lucking (1705-1786) gained recognition as a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Verden. His family's wealth and influence in the area continued into the 19th century.

As the centuries progressed, the Lucking surname continued to be found across northern Germany, with some individuals migrating to other parts of Europe and eventually to other continents, carrying the name with them. However, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in the region of Lower Saxony, where it originated as a descriptive name for those living in small wooded areas or groves.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lucking families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lucking 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. Essex leads with 291 Luckings recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.16x.

County Total Index
Essex 291 30.16x
Surrey 70 2.94x
Middlesex 64 1.31x
Kent 33 1.98x
Norfolk 7 0.93x
Berkshire 6 1.64x
Yorkshire 6 0.12x
Cornwall 5 0.90x
Shropshire 5 1.18x
Staffordshire 4 0.24x
Hampshire 3 0.30x
Royal Navy 2 3.43x
Sussex 2 0.24x
Durham 1 0.07x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chelmsford in Essex leads with 22 Luckings recorded in 1881 and an index of 132.93x.

Place Total Index
Chelmsford 22 132.93x
Hatfield Peverel 19 913.46x
South Weald 16 193.70x
Great Waltham 15 381.68x
West Hanningfield 15 2083.33x
Camberwell 14 4.48x
Lambeth 14 3.29x
Paddington London 13 7.23x
Prittlewell 13 97.23x
West Ham 13 6.10x
Great Dunmow 12 238.57x
Boreham 11 662.65x
Hammersmith London 10 8.31x
Little Baddow 10 1098.90x
Chipping Ongar 9 542.17x
Magdalen Laver 9 3214.29x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 9.15x
Wandsworth 9 19.13x
Bermondsey 8 5.50x
Bethnal Green London 8 3.77x
Maldon All Sts 8 418.85x
Maldon St Peter 8 162.93x
Colchester All Sts 7 933.33x
Kensington London 7 2.58x
Little Waltham 7 721.65x
Willingale Doe 7 985.92x
Brentwood 6 102.04x
Foulness 6 504.20x
Harlow 6 144.23x
Leyton Low 6 30.60x
Romford 6 39.34x
St Marylebone London 6 2.30x
Woolwich 6 9.74x
Dagenham 5 87.11x
Forest Gate 5 373.13x
Ickham Well 5 520.83x
Leeds 5 1.83x
Leigh 5 149.25x
Lewisham 5 5.62x
Selattyn 5 260.42x
Springfield 5 118.20x
St Austell 5 26.44x
Battersea 4 2.22x
Chatham 4 8.72x
Croydon 4 3.03x
Handsworth 4 9.84x
Ingrave 4 454.55x
Leigh 4 183.49x
North Creake 4 388.35x
Roxwell 4 294.12x
Shoreditch London 4 1.89x
Tottenham 4 5.14x
Witham 4 80.48x
Writtle 4 101.52x
Braintree 3 34.64x
Cookham 3 26.22x
East Ham 3 16.76x
Little Laver 3 1666.67x
Reading St Giles 3 8.34x
Birchanger 2 250.00x
Chartham 2 48.08x
Colkirk 2 277.78x
Folkestone 2 6.18x
High Ongar 2 112.36x
Islington London 2 0.42x
Messing 2 166.67x
Milton In Gravesend 2 8.00x
Radwinter 2 141.84x
Royal Navy 2 4.02x
Stoke Newington London 2 5.25x
West Wickham 2 124.22x
Colchester St Runwald 1 192.31x
Esher 1 30.03x
Hackney London 1 0.37x
Lewes St Ann 1 35.59x
Norwood 1 8.95x
Old Stratford 1 14.33x
Thundersley 1 114.94x
Walthamstow 1 2.88x
Withington 1 5.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 20
Mary 20
Eliza 13
Alice 12
Ellen 12
Sarah 11
Emma 10
Ann 9
Harriet 8
Annie 7
Edith 7
Hannah 7
Jane 7
Louisa 7
Florence 6
Martha 6
Emily 5
Maria 5
Amelia 4
Clara 4
Lucy 4
Susan 4
Anna 3
Beatrice 3
Caroline 3
Julia 3
Matilda 3
Ada 2
Bessie 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Evelyn 2
Frances 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lavinia 2
Lydia 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Blanche 1
E. 1
Elisa 1
Elizth. 1
Emm. 1
Hilda 1
Huma 1
Isabella 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
George 21
Charles 14
Alfred 13
James 13
Thomas 13
Arthur 12
John 12
Joseph 11
Henry 9
Herbert 7
Robert 6
Frederick 5
Samuel 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Frank 4
Walter 3
Chas. 2
Christr. 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Mark 2
Percy 2
Richard 2
Thos. 2
Wilson 2
Edwd.John 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.C. 1
Fredric 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Jabal 1
Jno. 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Oford 1
Owen 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Richd. 1
Simon 1
Steven 1

FAQ

Lucking surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lucking surname in 1881?

In 1881, 499 people were recorded with the Lucking surname. That placed it at #6,784 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lucking surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 535 in 2016. That gives Lucking a modern rank of #9,499.

What does the Lucking surname mean?

A surname likely derived from a place name or location with an uncertain origin.

What does the Lucking map show?

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