NameCensus.

UK surname

Lukes

An English surname derived from the given name Luke, of Greek origin meaning "from Lucania".

In the 1881 census there were 240 people recorded with the Lukes surname, ranking it #11,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, down from #11,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Truro St Mary and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gravesham, Camden and Chiltern.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lukes is 683 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 45.8%.

1881 census count

240

Ranked #11,410

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

1861

683 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lukes had 240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 683 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Lukes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lukes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lukes 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 225 #9,509
1861 historical 683 #3,941
1881 historical 240 #11,410
1891 historical 418 #8,561
1901 historical 185 #15,892
1911 historical 296 #11,569
1997 modern 168 #19,642
1998 modern 172 #19,883
1999 modern 175 #19,798
2000 modern 174 #19,829
2001 modern 169 #19,912
2002 modern 172 #20,108
2003 modern 159 #20,881
2004 modern 158 #21,077
2005 modern 151 #21,667
2006 modern 146 #22,320
2007 modern 146 #22,596
2008 modern 150 #22,429
2009 modern 155 #22,438
2010 modern 158 #22,692
2011 modern 156 #22,690
2012 modern 144 #23,902
2013 modern 141 #24,670
2014 modern 137 #25,345
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 130 #26,152

Geography

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Where Lukes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Truro St Mary, Lambeth, St Austell and Luxulion. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gravesham, Camden, Chiltern and Greenwich. 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 3
2 Truro St Mary Cornwall
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 St Austell Cornwall
5 Luxulion Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gravesham 009 Gravesham
2 Camden 002 Camden
3 Chiltern 008 Chiltern
4 Gravesham 001 Gravesham
5 Greenwich 025 Greenwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lukes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lukes

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Lukes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Lukes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Lukes 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

Lukes is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lukes falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lukes is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lukes

The surname Lukes has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from the Old English word "luc," meaning a small hill or mound. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a small hill or a specific place with that geographic feature.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as Luc, Luca, and Lucas. These early spellings highlight the evolution of the surname over time.

One notable early bearer of the name was John Lukes, born in 1452 in Cheshire, England. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of the local council. Another historical figure was Sir Robert Lukes, born in 1524 in Gloucestershire, who was a renowned military commander during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Lukes was often associated with certain place names, such as Lukeham in Shropshire and Lukesfield in Warwickshire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in different regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the spelling "Lukes" can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, where a marriage between William Lukes and Elizabeth Smith was recorded in 1612.

As the name spread across England, it also made its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. In the late 18th century, James Lukes (1760-1834), a merchant from London, settled in Virginia and established a successful trading business.

Other notable individuals with the surname Lukes include:

1. Edward Lukes (1842-1918), an English painter and illustrator known for his intricate depictions of rural life. 2. Mary Lukes (1876-1952), a pioneering American educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded the Lukes Academy in Philadelphia. 3. Sir Henry Lukes (1885-1967), a British diplomat and ambassador to several countries, including France and the United States. 4. Katherine Lukes (1910-1998), an American author and historian, best known for her seminal work on the history of the Appalachian region. 5. Michael Lukes (born 1952), a renowned British architect and urban planner, who designed several iconic buildings in London and other major cities.

The surname Lukes has a rich history, with its roots firmly planted in the English landscape and evolving over centuries as it spread across the globe. Its enduring presence serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of the name and its bearers throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lukes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lukes 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 65 Lukes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.10x.

County Total Index
Kent 65 8.10x
Middlesex 57 2.42x
Cornwall 50 18.79x
Lancashire 13 0.47x
Durham 12 1.72x
Warwickshire 10 1.69x
Devon 8 1.63x
Staffordshire 6 0.76x
Hertfordshire 4 2.47x
Surrey 4 0.35x
Hampshire 3 0.62x
Cheshire 2 0.39x
Somerset 2 0.53x
Essex 1 0.22x
Royal Navy 1 3.57x
Sussex 1 0.25x
Westmorland 1 1.94x
Yorkshire 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. Milton In Gravesend in Kent leads with 37 Lukes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 307.56x.

Place Total Index
Milton In Gravesend 37 307.56x
St Austell 15 164.84x
Gravesend 11 162.00x
St George In East London 11 49.75x
Tywardreath 9 526.32x
Bromley London 8 15.47x
Poplar London 8 18.03x
Sutton At Hone 8 481.93x
Truro St Mary 8 357.14x
Tunstall 8 229.89x
Mile End Old Town London 7 13.99x
Birmingham 6 3.04x
St Blazey 6 256.41x
Hammerwich 5 442.48x
Hulme 5 8.59x
Manchester 5 3.99x
St Luke London 5 13.26x
Aston 4 2.45x
Liskeard 4 89.89x
Mile End New Town London 4 86.21x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 10.61x
St Columb Minor 4 179.37x
Stevenage 4 159.36x
Bow London 3 10.02x
Millbrook 3 24.71x
Birkenhead 2 4.83x
Hackney London 2 1.52x
Heston 2 25.61x
Lambeth 2 0.98x
Lee 2 17.17x
Marston Bigott 2 689.66x
Plumstead 2 7.48x
South Pool 2 625.00x
St Clement 2 71.94x
Stoke Damerel 2 5.84x
Westoe 2 5.04x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.64x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 4.76x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.98x
Blackburn 1 1.35x
Bodmin 1 22.73x
Chertsey 1 13.51x
Darlington 1 3.70x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.62x
Epping 1 52.91x
Great Wyrley 1 116.28x
Greenwich 1 2.67x
Isleworth 1 9.57x
Islington London 1 0.44x
Kirkby Stephen 1 74.63x
Lansallos 1 172.41x
Lewisham 1 2.34x
Linton 1 142.86x
Little Stanmore 1 142.86x
Normanby In 1 16.05x
Northfleet 1 14.14x
Paddington London 1 1.16x
Richmond 1 6.23x
Royal Navy 1 4.18x
Rudgwick 1 111.11x
Shoreditch London 1 0.98x
St Pancras London 1 0.53x
Winlaton 1 14.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 10
Alice 7
Emma 6
Jane 6
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Maria 4
Sarah 4
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Fanny 3
Sophia 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Florence 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Olive 2
Rebecca 2
Rosina 2
Unity 2
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dinah 1
Elisabeth 1
George 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Josephine 1
Julie 1
Kate 1
Keturah 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Lucrtia 1
Mabel 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Rebbecca 1
Roseland 1
Saniza 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
Charles 14
William 12
Thomas 11
James 6
Joseph 6
Henry 5
Luke 4
Edward 3
Jesse 3
Robert 3
Stephen 3
Jacob 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Ernest 1
Fredk.Chas.Henry 1
Fredrick 1
Harris 1
Harry 1
Israel 1
J.F. 1
Lucas 1
Nichlos 1
Patrick 1
Richd. 1
Stanley 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Lukes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lukes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 240 people were recorded with the Lukes surname. That placed it at #11,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lukes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Lukes a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Lukes surname mean?

An English surname derived from the given name Luke, of Greek origin meaning "from Lucania".

What does the Lukes map show?

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