NameCensus.

UK surname

Luna

A surname of Italian and Spanish origin, meaning "moon."

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Luna surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 176, ranked #21,298, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leicester, Brent and Islington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Luna is 176 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2414.3%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

176

2016, ranked #21,298

Peak year

2016

176 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Luna had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 176 in 2016, ranked #21,298.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 46 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Luna surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Luna surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Luna 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 32 #29,944
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 46 #30,657
1901 historical 22 #31,562
1911 historical 16 #31,804
1997 modern 45 #33,168
1998 modern 41 #33,747
1999 modern 48 #33,233
2000 modern 48 #33,288
2001 modern 46 #33,311
2002 modern 50 #33,282
2003 modern 57 #32,704
2004 modern 59 #32,787
2005 modern 66 #32,303
2006 modern 77 #31,510
2007 modern 79 #31,628
2008 modern 87 #30,999
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 125 #26,448
2011 modern 127 #25,926
2012 modern 152 #23,069
2013 modern 164 #22,236
2014 modern 170 #21,914
2015 modern 173 #21,542
2016 modern 176 #21,298

Geography

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Where Lunas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leicester, Brent, Islington, Oldham and Hillingdon. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leicester 021 Leicester
2 Brent 034 Brent
3 Islington 023 Islington
4 Oldham 029 Oldham
5 Hillingdon 025 Hillingdon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Luna

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Luna

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Luna surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Luna 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Luna is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Luna 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

Luna falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Luna 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Luna

The surname Luna is of Spanish origin, derived from the Latin word "luna" meaning "moon." It is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with a pale or moon-like complexion, or perhaps for someone who was born at night under the light of the moon.

The name can be traced back to medieval Spain, where it was first recorded in the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Juan Luna, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who fought in the Reconquista, the centuries-long campaign by Christian kingdoms to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule.

During the Age of Exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish conquistadors and settlers brought the surname Luna to the Americas, where it took root in various regions, particularly in Mexico and the southwestern United States. It is also found in parts of Central and South America, reflecting the spread of Spanish influence and colonization.

A notable historical figure with the surname Luna was Álvaro de Luna, a powerful Spanish nobleman and constable of Castile during the reign of King John II in the 15th century. He was a prominent political figure and military leader, but his ambition and influence eventually led to his downfall and execution in 1453.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Pedro de Luna, an Aragonese cardinal who became the Avignon Antipope Benedict XIII during the Western Schism in the early 15th century. His claims to the papacy were eventually rejected, but he remained a significant figure in the complex ecclesiastical politics of the time.

In the 19th century, Juan Luna y Novicio (1857-1899) was a renowned Filipino painter and sculptor, considered one of the most talented artists of his time in the Philippines. His works, including the famous "Spoliarium," earned him international acclaim and recognition.

In the realm of literature, Ana Luisa Amaral de Almeida Luna (1956-2022) was a prominent Portuguese poet and academic, renowned for her contributions to contemporary Portuguese poetry and her explorations of themes such as feminism, identity, and language.

The surname Luna has also been associated with various places, such as Luna County in New Mexico, United States, and the Luna River in Chile, reflecting the widespread distribution of the name across the Spanish-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Luna families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Luna 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 2 Lunas recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.61x.

County Total Index
Kent 2 8.61x
Cumberland 1 17.06x
Hampshire 1 7.17x
Lanarkshire 1 4.54x
Lincolnshire 1 9.19x
Middlesex 1 1.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ash Next Sandwich in Kent leads with 2 Lunas recorded in 1881 and an index of 4000.00x.

Place Total Index
Ash Next Sandwich 2 4000.00x
Arlecdon 1 625.00x
Broughton 1 3333.33x
Govan 1 18.38x
Islington London 1 15.15x
Portsea 1 36.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 1
Phiffa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Frank 1
George 1
Irving 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Luna surname: questions and answers

How common was the Luna surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Luna surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Luna surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 176 in 2016. That gives Luna a modern rank of #21,298.

What does the Luna surname mean?

A surname of Italian and Spanish origin, meaning "moon."

What does the Luna map show?

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