NameCensus.

UK surname

Lukey

An English surname derived from the Olde English name "Luca", meaning "man from Lucca" (a city in Italy).

In the 1881 census there were 173 people recorded with the Lukey surname, ranking it #14,112 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 155, ranked #23,197, down from #14,112 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Breage. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Aylesbury Vale and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lukey is 181 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.4%.

1881 census count

173

Ranked #14,112

Modern count

155

2016, ranked #23,197

Peak year

1911

181 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lukey had 173 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,112 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016, ranked #23,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 181 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Lukey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lukey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lukey 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 161 #12,288
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 173 #14,112
1891 historical 168 #16,937
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 181 #15,911
1997 modern 148 #21,295
1998 modern 151 #21,578
1999 modern 152 #21,636
2000 modern 152 #21,603
2001 modern 148 #21,664
2002 modern 147 #22,197
2003 modern 146 #22,069
2004 modern 155 #21,352
2005 modern 146 #22,146
2006 modern 149 #22,013
2007 modern 147 #22,510
2008 modern 141 #23,383
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 148 #23,697
2011 modern 150 #23,309
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 152 #23,507
2016 modern 155 #23,197

Geography

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Where Lukeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Breage, Dover St James, Dover St Mary 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 Barnsley, Aylesbury Vale, Doncaster and Swale. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Breage Cornwall
4 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 001 Barnsley
2 Aylesbury Vale 001 Aylesbury Vale
3 Barnsley 024 Barnsley
4 Doncaster 038 Doncaster
5 Swale 001 Swale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lukey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lukey

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Lukey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lukey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Lukey is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lukey is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lukey falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lukey

The surname Lukey originated in England, likely in the late medieval period around the 13th or 14th centuries. It is believed to be a variant spelling of the Old English name "Luke," derived from the Latin name "Lucas," meaning "from Lucania," a region in southern Italy.

The earliest known record of the Lukey surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where a Richard Lukey is mentioned as a taxpayer. Another early reference is found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1347, which mentions a William Lukey.

The name Lukey is thought to have evolved from the Old English place name "Luca's ey," meaning "Luca's island" or "Luca's meadow." This suggests that the original bearers of the surname may have hailed from a place with a similar name or resided near such a location.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the Lukey surname was John Lukey, born around 1530, who served as a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, England. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Lukey (1578-1644), a member of the English gentry and a landowner in Lincolnshire.

In the 17th century, a family by the name of Lukey settled in the American colonies, with Thomas Lukey (1635-1708) being among the first recorded Lukeys in the New World. He established a homestead in Massachusetts and was a prominent citizen of the town of Newbury.

During the 18th century, the Lukey surname gained recognition through individuals like James Lukey (1725-1791), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, and Samuel Lukey (1751-1823), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from London.

In the 19th century, the Lukey surname was associated with notable figures such as William Lukey (1805-1875), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Worcestershire, and John Lukey (1828-1901), a Scottish artist and painter known for his landscapes and seascapes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lukey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lukey 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. Cornwall leads with 54 Lukeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.43x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 54 28.43x
Kent 24 4.19x
Lancashire 23 1.16x
Devon 18 5.15x
Middlesex 16 0.95x
Surrey 15 1.83x
Glamorgan 11 3.77x
Angus 4 2.57x
Sussex 3 1.06x
Somerset 2 0.74x
Essex 1 0.30x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Breage in Cornwall leads with 16 Lukeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 924.86x.

Place Total Index
Breage 16 924.86x
Plymouth Charles The 12 77.97x
Liskeard 11 345.91x
Dalton In Furness 9 117.19x
Llantrisant 8 108.70x
Folkestone 7 63.06x
Kirkdale 7 20.90x
St Marylebone London 7 7.81x
Falmouth 6 89.29x
Lambeth 6 4.10x
Bromley 5 57.34x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 90.25x
Newton In Makerfield 5 81.97x
St Ive 5 409.84x
Battersea 4 6.48x
Greenwich 4 14.98x
Kensington London 4 4.29x
Lanivet 4 677.97x
Liff Benvie 4 16.95x
Stoke Damerel 4 16.37x
Tywardreath 4 327.87x
Charlton 3 78.95x
Limehouse London 3 16.29x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 10.68x
Southwark St John 3 58.48x
Camborne 2 25.54x
Compton Bishop 2 625.00x
Eastbourne 2 15.36x
Egloshayle 2 224.72x
Barnes 1 28.90x
Brighton 1 1.75x
Caterham 1 27.70x
East Stonehouse 1 14.53x
Great Little Marsden 1 10.96x
Lexden 1 75.19x
Manchester 1 1.12x
Monk Bretton 1 59.52x
Paddington London 1 1.62x
Sithney 1 52.08x
St Breock 1 97.09x
St Columb Minor 1 62.89x
St Teath 1 87.72x
Tavistock 1 25.13x
Westminster St James 1 5.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 13
Mary 10
Sarah 5
Eliza 4
Fanny 4
Jane 4
Annie 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Frances 2
Isabella 2
Maria 2
Marian 2
Martha 2
Sophia 2
Adelaide 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Augusta 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Cicilia 1
E.J. 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Etta 1
F. 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kitty 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
M.A. 1
Mabel 1
Maud 1
Selina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 11
John 10
William 9
Benjamin 6
James 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Charles 2
Frank 2
Joel 2
Joshua 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.J. 1
George 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Mark 1
Montague 1
Phillip 1
R.H. 1
Robt.John 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lukey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lukey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 173 people were recorded with the Lukey surname. That placed it at #14,112 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lukey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016. That gives Lukey a modern rank of #23,197.

What does the Lukey surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Olde English name "Luca", meaning "man from Lucca" (a city in Italy).

What does the Lukey map show?

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