UK surname
A surname derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "people, man" or "famous person".
In the 1881 census there were 56 people recorded with the Ludman surname, ranking it #25,733 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 75, ranked #33,377, down from #25,733 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wandsworth, Haddenham and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ludman is 102 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.9%.
1881 census count
56
Ranked #25,733
Modern count
75
2016, ranked #33,377
Peak year
1901
102 bearers
Map years
2
1901 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Ludman surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Ludman surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 33 | #27,390 |
| 1861 | historical | 67 | #25,342 |
| 1881 | historical | 56 | #25,733 |
| 1891 | historical | 97 | #24,447 |
| 1901 | historical | 102 | #22,596 |
| 1911 | historical | 102 | #22,465 |
| 1997 | modern | 83 | #29,216 |
| 1998 | modern | 86 | #29,343 |
| 1999 | modern | 90 | #29,056 |
| 2000 | modern | 81 | #30,036 |
| 2001 | modern | 80 | #29,945 |
| 2002 | modern | 78 | #30,601 |
| 2003 | modern | 77 | #30,762 |
| 2004 | modern | 79 | #30,799 |
| 2005 | modern | 69 | #32,007 |
| 2006 | modern | 75 | #31,733 |
| 2007 | modern | 74 | #32,190 |
| 2008 | modern | 75 | #32,373 |
| 2009 | modern | 76 | #32,635 |
| 2010 | modern | 79 | #32,759 |
| 2011 | modern | 79 | #32,743 |
| 2012 | modern | 74 | #33,348 |
| 2013 | modern | 78 | #33,215 |
| 2014 | modern | 81 | #33,061 |
| 2015 | modern | 76 | #33,351 |
| 2016 | modern | 75 | #33,377 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wandsworth, Haddenham, Portsmouth, Portsea, Southwick, Farlington, Wymering, Widley, Boarhunt and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wandsworth | London (South Districts) |
| 2 | Haddenham | Cambridgeshire |
| 3 | Portsmouth, Portsea | Hampshire |
| 4 | Southwick, Farlington, Wymering, Widley, Boarhunt | Hampshire |
| 5 | Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict | Cambridgeshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Ludman surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ludman, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Ludman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Ludman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Ludman is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ludman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Ludman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Ludman has its origins in Germany, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "lud," which means "people" or "nation," and the suffix "-man," indicating a person or individual. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who was part of a particular community or group.
One of the earliest known records of the Ludman name appears in the town records of Nuremberg, Germany, in the year 1579. The name is also mentioned in various church registers and legal documents from the regions of Bavaria and Saxony during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, the Ludman surname can be found in the records of the city of Hamburg, where Johann Ludman, a merchant, was born in 1712 and lived until 1786. Another notable individual was Friedrich Ludman, a philosopher and writer, who was born in Leipzig in 1745 and died in 1809.
As the Ludman family spread across different regions of Germany, variations in the spelling of the name emerged, such as Ludemann, Ludmann, and Lüdeman. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the names.
In the 19th century, some Ludmans immigrated to the United States and other parts of the world, carrying their surname with them. One such individual was Wilhelm Ludman, born in 1825 in Dresden, Germany, who settled in New York City in the 1850s and became a successful businessman.
Other notable individuals with the Ludman surname include:
1. Katharina Ludman (1600-1678), a German herbalist and midwife from the town of Heidelberg. 2. Ernst Ludman (1809-1892), a German-American painter and illustrator, known for his landscapes and portraits. 3. Otto Ludman (1857-1924), a German botanist and professor at the University of Berlin. 4. Helene Ludman (1870-1945), a German-American writer and activist for women's rights. 5. Karl Ludman (1898-1976), a German politician and member of the Reichstag during the Weimar Republic.
The Ludman surname has a rich history that can be traced back to its Germanic roots, with connections to various regions, occupations, and notable individuals throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ludman surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cambridgeshire leads with 40 Ludmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 115.67x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrewthe Less in Cambridgeshire leads with 16 Ludmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 405.06x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| St Andrewthe Less | 16 | 405.06x |
| St Marythe Less | 16 | 7619.05x |
| St Botolph Cambridge | 7 | 7777.78x |
| Farlington | 6 | 2608.70x |
| Wandsworth | 5 | 95.06x |
| Bedminster | 1 | 12.11x |
| Deptford St Paul | 1 | 6.96x |
| Haddenham | 1 | 303.03x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 3.29x |
| Portsea | 1 | 4.56x |
| Preshute | 1 | 333.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ludman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ludman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 56 people were recorded with the Ludman surname. That placed it at #25,733 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 75 in 2016. That gives Ludman a modern rank of #33,377.
A surname derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "people, man" or "famous person".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ludman bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.