NameCensus.

UK surname

Lunn

A habitational surname derived from places named Lund, referring to a grove or small wood.

In the 1881 census there were 3,893 people recorded with the Lunn surname, ranking it #1,168 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,909, ranked #1,141, up from #1,168 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bourn, London parishes and Wakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lunn is 6,351 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.8%.

1881 census count

3,893

Ranked #1,168

Modern count

5,909

2016, ranked #1,141

Peak year

1998

6,351 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lunn had 3,893 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,168 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,909 in 2016, ranked #1,141.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,612 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lunn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lunn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lunn 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 2,351 #1,267
1861 historical 2,326 #1,268
1881 historical 3,893 #1,168
1891 historical 4,110 #1,169
1901 historical 5,231 #1,074
1911 historical 5,612 #936
1997 modern 6,133 #1,071
1998 modern 6,351 #1,076
1999 modern 6,290 #1,088
2000 modern 6,250 #1,087
2001 modern 6,105 #1,089
2002 modern 6,212 #1,096
2003 modern 6,070 #1,094
2004 modern 6,073 #1,096
2005 modern 5,910 #1,102
2006 modern 5,860 #1,114
2007 modern 5,909 #1,112
2008 modern 5,928 #1,119
2009 modern 6,074 #1,120
2010 modern 6,160 #1,125
2011 modern 6,071 #1,127
2012 modern 5,933 #1,126
2013 modern 6,037 #1,124
2014 modern 6,055 #1,130
2015 modern 5,984 #1,131
2016 modern 5,909 #1,141

Geography

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Where Lunns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bourn, London parishes, Wakefield and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley and Leeds. 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 Bourn Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 021 Barnsley
2 Barnsley 011 Barnsley
3 Leeds 100 Leeds
4 Leeds 105 Leeds
5 Leeds 098 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lunn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lunn

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lunn 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

Lunn is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lunn 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 Lunn 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 Lunn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Lunn

The surname Lunn is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English words "lunr" or "lun", which referred to a grove or small wood. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near a small wooded area.

The surname Lunn can be traced back to the 11th century in England, with records showing variations such as Lun, Lune, and Lun(n)e in the Domesday Book of 1086. This comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England provides some of the earliest documented instances of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Willelmus de Lun, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166. Another early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, which listed a Hugo de Lune.

The Lunn surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Lunn in Norfolk and Lund in Yorkshire. These place names likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and wooded areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Lunn surname. One such person was Sir John Lunn (1598-1677), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Middlesex during the English Civil War. Another was Thomas Lunn (1759-1837), an English writer and naturalist known for his works on botany and natural history.

Other prominent figures with the Lunn surname include: 1. Arnold Lunn (1888-1974), an English skier and writer who helped popularize skiing as a sport in Britain. 2. Katharine Lunn (1903-1988), an American writer and illustrator of children's books. 3. John Lunn (born 1956), an English composer known for his work on television series such as Downton Abbey and The Last Kingdom. 4. Hugh Lunn (1939-2018), an Australian writer and journalist who authored several books about Australian culture and history. 5. George Lunn (1780-1856), an English engineer and inventor who patented improvements to the steam engine and other machines.

Lunn is a surname that has endured for centuries, with its origins rooted in the landscapes and topography of early England. While it has spread across various regions and countries, it remains a testament to the rich linguistic and cultural heritage of the Anglo-Saxon people.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lunn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lunn 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 1,086 Lunns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.90x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,086 2.90x
Staffordshire 350 2.74x
Surrey 319 1.73x
Lancashire 312 0.70x
Lincolnshire 267 4.42x
Middlesex 255 0.67x
Hampshire 204 2.63x
Derbyshire 162 2.74x
Warwickshire 99 1.04x
Durham 75 0.67x
Berkshire 61 2.15x
Worcestershire 61 1.24x
Roxburghshire 58 8.47x
Nottinghamshire 53 1.04x
Midlothian 51 1.01x
Northumberland 48 0.85x
Kent 45 0.35x
Leicestershire 38 0.91x
Berwickshire 30 6.55x
Cheshire 28 0.34x
Sussex 24 0.38x
Essex 23 0.31x
Lanarkshire 21 0.17x
Norfolk 21 0.36x
Selkirkshire 20 5.85x
Cambridgeshire 14 0.58x
Oxfordshire 13 0.56x
Kinross-shire 12 12.56x
Shropshire 11 0.34x
Bedfordshire 10 0.51x
Caithness 10 1.93x
Dumfriesshire 9 1.08x
Gloucestershire 9 0.12x
East Lothian 7 1.40x
Perthshire 7 0.41x
Ross-shire 7 0.67x
Westmorland 7 0.84x
Royal Navy 6 1.33x
Glamorgan 5 0.08x
Hertfordshire 5 0.19x
Peeblesshire 5 2.81x
Cornwall 4 0.09x
Devon 4 0.05x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.13x
Northamptonshire 3 0.08x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.06x
Wiltshire 2 0.06x
Angus 1 0.03x
Ayrshire 1 0.04x
Denbighshire 1 0.07x
Dorset 1 0.04x
Fife 1 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.12x
Radnorshire 1 0.33x
Renfrewshire 1 0.03x
Rutland 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 78 Lunns recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.68x.

Place Total Index
West Bromwich 78 10.68x
Rothwell 75 99.13x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 72 157.72x
Bourn 64 131.09x
Harborne 51 12.47x
Lambeth 46 1.40x
South Crosland 45 114.10x
Huddersfield 43 7.88x
St Pancras London 41 1.35x
Wednesbury 37 11.60x
Lockwood 36 26.71x
Crondall 33 79.31x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 33 1.62x
Islington London 31 0.85x
Linthwaite 31 39.38x
Newington 31 2.22x
Rotherhithe 31 6.64x
Jedburgh 30 44.71x
Kensington London 29 1.38x
Walsall Foreign 28 4.25x
Farnham 27 18.85x
Golcar 26 26.25x
Brightside Bierlow 25 3.40x
Ecclesfield 25 9.10x
Oldham 25 1.73x
Castleford 24 17.59x
Meltham 24 41.20x
Eckington 23 16.00x
Sheffield 23 1.93x
Battersea 22 1.58x
Honley 22 33.56x
Stapenhill 22 24.97x
Barton Upon Irwell 21 6.22x
Marsden In Almondbury 21 61.62x
Aston 20 0.76x
Bermondsey 20 1.78x
Measham 20 91.95x
Chadderton 19 8.66x
Dudley 19 3.17x
Hawick 19 12.40x
Manchester 19 0.94x
Hunslet 18 3.08x
Slaithwaite 18 46.15x
St Marylebone London 18 0.89x
Whitwell 18 76.47x
Edrom 17 86.73x
Hammersmith London 17 1.83x
Hipperholme Cum 17 10.33x
Leeds 17 0.80x
Paddington London 17 1.22x
Portsea 17 1.12x
Putney 17 9.87x
Barrow In Furness 16 2.62x
Galashiels 16 12.66x
Newcastle On Tyne St 16 5.49x
Wokingham 16 24.71x
Worksop 16 10.59x
Great Little Hampton 15 182.48x
Knaith Lea Gate Burton 15 312.50x
Normanton 15 13.33x
Rotherham 15 7.10x
Uttoxeter 15 22.96x
Mexborough 14 18.83x
Nether Hallam 14 2.76x
Newark Upon Trent 14 7.64x
Oakthorpe Donsthorpe 14 124.78x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 14 10.46x
Stoke 14 16.11x
Ardsley 13 30.11x
Burntwood Edial 13 15.95x
Bury 13 2.54x
Hampstead London 13 2.21x
Holbeck 13 5.24x
Holy Trinity 13 1.44x
Worsley 13 4.70x
Astley 12 34.68x
Chelsea London 12 1.05x
Dogmersfield 12 316.62x
Frimley 12 22.87x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 12 9.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 258
Sarah 150
Elizabeth 133
Ann 84
Jane 79
Ellen 61
Annie 55
Emma 53
Eliza 52
Alice 44
Emily 42
Hannah 41
Martha 38
Margaret 29
Charlotte 25
Harriet 22
Ada 21
Clara 21
Edith 20
Frances 20
Caroline 19
Florence 19
Anne 18
Lucy 17
Maria 17
Susan 17
Agnes 15
Harriett 14
Fanny 13
Catherine 12
Louisa 12
Amy 11
Amelia 10
Isabella 9
Kate 9
Matilda 9
Rebecca 9
Rose 9
Selina 9
Sophia 9
Beatrice 8
Ruth 8
Susannah 8
Laura 7
Susanna 7
Jessie 6
Lizzie 6
Grace 5
Janet 5
Minnie 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 223
John 206
James 138
Thomas 124
George 112
Joseph 92
Henry 64
Charles 63
Edward 40
Alfred 35
Walter 34
Richard 30
Arthur 29
Robert 28
Albert 27
Frederick 27
Harry 26
Samuel 24
David 19
Benjamin 18
Herbert 18
Fred 16
Edwin 15
Abraham 14
Tom 14
Frank 13
Isaac 13
Ernest 12
Daniel 9
Levi 9
Wm. 9
Matthew 8
Percy 8
Francis 7
Joe 7
Joshua 7
Thos. 7
Chas. 6
Enoch 6
Peter 6
Allen 5
Ben 5
Geo. 5
Mathew 5
Willie 5
Willm. 5
Andrew 4
Jonathan 4
Paul 4
Saml. 4

FAQ

Lunn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lunn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,893 people were recorded with the Lunn surname. That placed it at #1,168 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lunn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,909 in 2016. That gives Lunn a modern rank of #1,141.

What does the Lunn surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from places named Lund, referring to a grove or small wood.

What does the Lunn map show?

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