NameCensus.

UK surname

Lumb

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a small valley or grove.

In the 1881 census there were 2,831 people recorded with the Lumb surname, ranking it #1,576 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,490, ranked #2,653, down from #1,576 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Batley and Wakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lumb is 3,656 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.0%.

1881 census count

2,831

Ranked #1,576

Modern count

2,490

2016, ranked #2,653

Peak year

1911

3,656 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lumb had 2,831 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,576 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,490 in 2016, ranked #2,653.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,656 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Lumb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lumb surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Lumb 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 1,816 #1,585
1861 historical 1,832 #1,576
1881 historical 2,831 #1,576
1891 historical 3,082 #1,527
1901 historical 3,157 #1,775
1911 historical 3,656 #1,428
1997 modern 2,757 #2,326
1998 modern 2,820 #2,369
1999 modern 2,810 #2,387
2000 modern 2,804 #2,375
2001 modern 2,716 #2,397
2002 modern 2,751 #2,417
2003 modern 2,663 #2,433
2004 modern 2,644 #2,451
2005 modern 2,574 #2,477
2006 modern 2,542 #2,511
2007 modern 2,573 #2,500
2008 modern 2,560 #2,533
2009 modern 2,613 #2,547
2010 modern 2,662 #2,557
2011 modern 2,650 #2,540
2012 modern 2,545 #2,582
2013 modern 2,574 #2,600
2014 modern 2,554 #2,633
2015 modern 2,528 #2,630
2016 modern 2,490 #2,653

Geography

Back to top

Where Lumbs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Batley, Wakefield, Bradford and Huddersfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale and Wakefield. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 026 Calderdale
2 Calderdale 027 Calderdale
3 Calderdale 017 Calderdale
4 Wakefield 043 Wakefield
5 Calderdale 020 Calderdale

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Lumb

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Lumb

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lumb is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Lumb 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

Lumb falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lumb

The surname Lumb is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "lumb," meaning a small valley or a deep, wooded ravine. The name is therefore a topographical surname, referring to someone who lived near or in such a location.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086. In this famous survey commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are references to places with names like "Lumb" and "Lombe," which likely contributed to the development of the surname.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John de Lumb, who lived in Yorkshire, England, in the 13th century. Other early instances include Robert de Lumb, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332, and William de Lumb, who was recorded in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379.

The name Lumb is also associated with various place names in England, such as Lumb Foot in Lancashire, Lumb Bank in West Yorkshire, and Lumbs Lane in Cheshire. These locations may have derived their names from the Old English word "lumb," and some of them could have been the original homes of families who adopted the surname.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Lumb. One example is John Lumb (1665-1698), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and published works on celestial mechanics. Another is Richard Lumb (1738-1808), an English poet and playwright who wrote numerous works, including the play "The Airs of Arminius."

Other notable bearers of the name include William Lumb (1805-1870), a British businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry and donated generously to educational causes; Mary Lumb (1870-1944), an English writer and poet known for her children's stories and nature poetry; and James Lumb (1886-1964), a British trade unionist and politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament for several years.

While the surname Lumb is relatively uncommon, it has endured through the centuries, carrying with it the rich history and linguistic roots of the English language and the topographical features of the country's landscapes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Lumb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lumb 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. Yorkshire leads with 2,388 Lumbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.74x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 2,388 8.74x
Lancashire 193 0.59x
Cumberland 26 1.10x
Lincolnshire 25 0.57x
Middlesex 22 0.08x
Surrey 21 0.16x
Norfolk 19 0.45x
Nottinghamshire 17 0.46x
Cheshire 16 0.26x
Leicestershire 16 0.52x
Durham 15 0.18x
Staffordshire 13 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 11 0.63x
Kent 9 0.10x
Hampshire 6 0.11x
Worcestershire 6 0.17x
Gloucestershire 5 0.09x
Devon 4 0.07x
Shropshire 4 0.17x
Angus 2 0.08x
Berkshire 2 0.10x
Warwickshire 2 0.03x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
Derbyshire 1 0.02x
Essex 1 0.02x
Somerset 1 0.02x
Sussex 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sowerby In Halifax in Yorkshire leads with 166 Lumbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 185.77x.

Place Total Index
Sowerby In Halifax 166 185.77x
Elland Cum Greetland 135 109.67x
Bradford 79 11.94x
Barkisland 73 367.94x
Halifax 66 16.45x
Soyland 65 198.29x
Skircoat 62 57.54x
Stainland Cum Old 61 130.45x
Soothill 57 57.74x
Ovenden 53 43.58x
Norland 49 261.19x
Leeds 48 3.11x
Dewsbury 47 16.77x
West Ardsley 47 142.90x
Longwood 45 102.16x
Horton In Bradford 44 10.31x
Huddersfield 43 10.80x
Warley 42 53.18x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 37 29.14x
Batley 36 13.86x
Golcar 35 48.44x
North Bierley 34 23.04x
Bowling 33 12.19x
Scammonden 31 541.01x
Almondbury 28 21.19x
Rishworth 28 266.92x
Sandal Magna 28 69.29x
Spotland 28 7.70x
Wakefield 27 12.87x
Marsden In Almondbury 25 100.56x
Northowram 24 12.52x
Clayton 23 34.39x
Hipperholme Cum 23 19.16x
Crigglestone 22 83.59x
Linthwaite 21 36.57x
Shitlington 21 74.28x
Southowram 21 25.18x
Castleford 20 20.10x
Manningham 20 5.94x
Morley 19 13.37x
Rastrick 19 25.03x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 17 17.13x
Stansfield 17 16.91x
Beeston 16 57.89x
Cleckheaton 16 15.89x
Lockwood 16 16.27x
Barugh 14 60.66x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 14 14.34x
Seacroft 14 108.19x
Spalding 14 16.00x
Thornhill 14 17.56x
Butterworth 13 16.31x
Holbeck 13 7.18x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 13 18.86x
Pocklington 13 50.39x
West Derby 13 1.36x
Yeadon 13 21.07x
Hunslet 12 2.82x
Langfield 12 25.10x
Middlesbrough 12 3.37x
Preston 12 79.52x
Altofts 11 36.47x
Barrow In Furness 11 2.47x
Flockton 11 98.65x
Leicester St Margaret 11 1.48x
Rothwell 11 19.93x
Blackburn 10 1.15x
Burnley 10 3.63x
Farnworth 10 5.10x
Gomersal 10 7.84x
Liverpool 10 0.50x
Liversedge 10 8.22x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 10 46.97x
Oldham 10 0.95x
Headingley Cum Burley 9 5.12x
Kildwick 9 36.17x
Poulton Barre 9 24.17x
Rawmarsh 9 9.32x
Swine 9 486.49x
Worsbrough 9 11.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 196
Sarah 159
Elizabeth 128
Hannah 65
Ann 55
Martha 55
Alice 50
Jane 49
Emma 45
Annie 44
Eliza 40
Emily 34
Ellen 30
Harriet 25
Ada 23
Clara 22
Edith 18
Lucy 17
Grace 16
Ruth 15
Fanny 14
Louisa 13
Frances 11
Margaret 11
Nancy 10
Charlotte 9
Betty 8
Isabella 8
Rebecca 8
Agnes 7
Anne 7
Selina 7
Florence 6
Julia 6
Lily 6
Maria 6
Susan 6
Susannah 6
Bertha 5
Eleanor 5
Harriett 5
Caroline 4
Henrietta 4
Kate 4
Lizzie 4
Matilda 4
Minnie 4
Sophia 4
Amelia 3
May 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 165
William 122
George 91
Thomas 76
James 74
Joseph 50
Henry 38
Fred 36
Samuel 27
Arthur 26
Harry 26
Albert 25
Charles 23
Levi 22
David 20
Edward 20
Benjamin 19
Walter 19
Alfred 17
Joe 17
Robert 16
Abraham 14
Edwin 14
Eli 13
Tom 13
Herbert 12
Wm. 12
Jesse 10
Luke 9
Richard 9
Lewis 8
Sam 8
Ernest 7
Frank 7
Ben 6
Matthew 6
Oliver 6
Walker 6
Cornelius 5
Jno. 5
Joshua 5
Amos 4
Frederick 4
Willie 4
Edgar 3
Horatio 3
Jabez 3
Robinson 3
Rowland 3
Saml. 3

FAQ

Lumb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lumb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,831 people were recorded with the Lumb surname. That placed it at #1,576 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lumb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,490 in 2016. That gives Lumb a modern rank of #2,653.

What does the Lumb surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a small valley or grove.

What does the Lumb map show?

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