NameCensus.

UK surname

Luff

A locational surname referring to someone living on or near a small hill or ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 1,912 people recorded with the Luff surname, ranking it #2,279 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,835, ranked #3,458, down from #2,279 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lurgasall and Chiddingfold, Haslemere. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester, Huntingdonshire and Tonbridge and Malling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Luff is 2,504 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.0%.

1881 census count

1,912

Ranked #2,279

Modern count

1,835

2016, ranked #3,458

Peak year

1911

2,504 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Luff had 1,912 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,279 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,835 in 2016, ranked #3,458.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,504 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Luff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Luff surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Luff 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 1,330 #2,160
1861 historical 1,145 #2,455
1881 historical 1,912 #2,279
1891 historical 1,940 #2,374
1901 historical 2,299 #2,365
1911 historical 2,504 #2,053
1997 modern 1,915 #3,154
1998 modern 1,964 #3,203
1999 modern 1,994 #3,184
2000 modern 1,977 #3,197
2001 modern 1,912 #3,223
2002 modern 1,952 #3,233
2003 modern 1,893 #3,249
2004 modern 1,883 #3,266
2005 modern 1,808 #3,359
2006 modern 1,783 #3,401
2007 modern 1,800 #3,406
2008 modern 1,808 #3,423
2009 modern 1,841 #3,449
2010 modern 1,855 #3,489
2011 modern 1,832 #3,478
2012 modern 1,815 #3,452
2013 modern 1,871 #3,418
2014 modern 1,872 #3,443
2015 modern 1,849 #3,448
2016 modern 1,835 #3,458

Geography

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Where Luffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lurgasall, Chiddingfold, Haslemere and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chichester, Huntingdonshire, Tonbridge and Malling and Stroud. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Lurgasall Sussex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Chiddingfold, Haslemere Surrey
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chichester 004 Chichester
2 Huntingdonshire 021 Huntingdonshire
3 Tonbridge and Malling 012 Tonbridge and Malling
4 Chichester 012 Chichester
5 Stroud 005 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Luff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Luff

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Luff is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Luff is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Luff falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Luff

The surname Luff originated in England, deriving from the Old English word 'lof' or 'lofe', which meant the palm of the hand. It referred to a person with large or strong hands, potentially a characteristic associated with someone skilled in a particular craft or trade.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, the name appears as 'Loua' and 'Lof'. This early spelling variation highlights the surname's ancient roots.

One of the earliest documented instances of the Luff surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a man named William Luf is recorded. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, listing a John Luff.

The Luff surname is closely connected to the village of Luffenham in Rutland, England. It's believed that some Luffs may have derived their name from this place, which itself derives from the Old English words 'lufu' meaning 'love' and 'ham' meaning 'home' or 'settlement'.

Notable historical figures bearing the Luff surname include William Luff (1612-1688), an English Puritan clergyman and author. Another prominent Luff was John Luff (1789-1858), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Vice Admiral.

In the 16th century, Thomas Luff (1505-1556) was a Member of Parliament for Reigate in Surrey, England. During the English Civil War, Captain John Luff (1601-1676) fought for the Parliamentarian cause and was present at the Siege of Colchester in 1648.

Edward Luff (1860-1919) was a renowned English cricket player who represented Middlesex and played first-class cricket from 1881 to 1904. He was also a respected cricket administrator and served as the Secretary of Middlesex County Cricket Club.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Luff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Luff 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. Surrey leads with 417 Luffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.55x.

County Total Index
Surrey 417 4.55x
Middlesex 328 1.74x
Sussex 305 9.61x
Hampshire 190 4.93x
Kent 90 1.40x
Somerset 82 2.71x
Lincolnshire 50 1.66x
Yorkshire 49 0.26x
Monmouthshire 46 3.38x
Dorset 39 3.16x
Gloucestershire 34 0.92x
Huntingdonshire 30 8.03x
Cambridgeshire 22 1.85x
Buckinghamshire 21 1.85x
Glamorgan 19 0.58x
Suffolk 19 0.83x
Hertfordshire 17 1.31x
Berkshire 16 1.13x
Channel Islands 16 2.87x
Wiltshire 16 0.96x
Lancashire 14 0.06x
Rutland 12 8.69x
Bedfordshire 10 1.03x
Buteshire 9 7.89x
Essex 8 0.22x
Oxfordshire 8 0.69x
Royal Navy 8 3.57x
Staffordshire 8 0.13x
Warwickshire 7 0.15x
Northamptonshire 6 0.34x
Shropshire 6 0.37x
Devon 5 0.13x
Durham 5 0.09x
Leicestershire 4 0.19x
Herefordshire 3 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.12x
Norfolk 2 0.07x
Cheshire 1 0.02x
Derbyshire 1 0.03x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Renfrewshire 1 0.07x
Westmorland 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lurgashall in Sussex leads with 57 Luffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1210.19x.

Place Total Index
Lurgashall 57 1210.19x
Portsea 52 6.88x
St Marylebone London 42 4.18x
Islington London 30 1.64x
Linchmere 28 1255.61x
Kensington London 27 2.58x
Camberwell 25 2.08x
Godalming 25 43.31x
East Meon 22 218.47x
Alfold 19 545.98x
Battersea 19 2.74x
Ewhurst 18 313.59x
Farnham 18 25.25x
Iping 17 502.96x
Chelsea London 16 2.82x
Dorking 16 25.99x
Eynesbury 16 184.76x
Lambeth 16 0.98x
Sutton St Mary 16 56.24x
Tottenham 16 5.34x
Brighton 15 2.34x
Enfield 15 12.15x
Frensham 15 111.44x
Richmond 15 11.68x
Rogate 15 235.85x
South Hayling 15 218.34x
Witley 15 232.56x
Bepton 14 809.25x
Chiddingfold 14 162.98x
Newington 14 2.01x
Thursley 14 212.77x
Alverstoke 13 9.31x
Elstead 13 294.78x
Haslemere 13 179.81x
St George Hanover Square 13 3.92x
St Pancras London 13 0.86x
Betchworth 12 106.10x
Clipsham 12 833.33x
Edmonton 12 7.92x
St Peter Port 12 11.63x
Wisborough Green 12 112.57x
Abinger 11 144.55x
Blandford Forum 11 45.14x
Willesden 11 6.20x
Aylesbury 10 19.84x
Kingston On Thames 10 4.54x
Lewisham 10 2.92x
Mark 10 141.44x
Shoreditch London 10 1.23x
Twickenham 10 12.39x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 10 41.00x
Bramshott 9 94.64x
Bristol St George 9 5.27x
Chepstow 9 38.86x
Cranleigh 9 67.06x
Harrow On The Hill 9 23.94x
Isleworth 9 10.76x
Keymer 9 40.18x
Lodsworth 9 205.01x
Rothesay 9 16.30x
Ware 9 24.21x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 8 4.61x
Deptford St Paul 8 1.62x
Evercreech 8 109.59x
Fareham 8 17.26x
Farnborough 8 19.75x
Frilsham 8 597.01x
Moss Side 8 6.81x
Nether Hallam 8 3.17x
Royal Navy 8 4.17x
Shepton Mallet 8 23.54x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 2.11x
St Neots 8 39.39x
Upper Beeding 8 203.05x
Upton Cum Chalvey 8 17.65x
Wonersh 8 69.93x
Fernhurst 7 99.72x
Hove 7 5.03x
Llanwenarth Ultra 7 70.49x
Willingdon 7 86.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 110
Elizabeth 66
Sarah 57
Eliza 39
Ellen 36
Jane 34
Alice 33
Annie 33
Ann 32
Emily 28
Emma 24
Caroline 22
Charlotte 18
Hannah 16
Lucy 16
Amelia 15
Fanny 15
Harriett 15
Louisa 14
Florence 13
Harriet 13
Maria 13
Ada 12
Edith 11
Kate 11
Anne 10
Margaret 9
Martha 9
Frances 8
Rose 8
Susan 8
Esther 7
Amy 6
Catherine 6
Matilda 6
Agnes 5
Rhoda 5
Rosina 5
Gertrude 4
Helen 4
Laura 4
Lydia 4
Minnie 4
Rosa 4
Susannah 4
Grace 3
Jemima 3
Maud 3
Phoebe 3
Rosetta 3

Top male names

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

FAQ

Luff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Luff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,912 people were recorded with the Luff surname. That placed it at #2,279 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Luff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,835 in 2016. That gives Luff a modern rank of #3,458.

What does the Luff surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone living on or near a small hill or ridge.

What does the Luff map show?

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