NameCensus.

UK surname

Luo

A Chinese surname with various origins, including referring to the Luo River or meaning "net" or "collect."

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tonbridge and Malling, Swansea and Southwark.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Luo is 408 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

408

2016, ranked #11,711

Peak year

2016

408 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 408 in 2016, ranked #11,711.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Luo surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Luo surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Luo 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
1997 modern 28 #34,904
1998 modern 40 #33,856
1999 modern 51 #32,940
2000 modern 64 #31,735
2001 modern 76 #30,366
2002 modern 94 #28,797
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 132 #23,625
2005 modern 148 #21,961
2006 modern 162 #20,886
2007 modern 170 #20,471
2008 modern 204 #18,403
2009 modern 226 #17,587
2010 modern 299 #14,769
2011 modern 264 #16,016
2012 modern 338 #13,304
2013 modern 371 #12,597
2014 modern 399 #12,030
2015 modern 404 #11,814
2016 modern 408 #11,711

Geography

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Where Luos 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 Tonbridge and Malling, Swansea, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Liverpool. 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 Tonbridge and Malling 013 Tonbridge and Malling
2 Swansea 025 Swansea
3 Southwark 004 Southwark
4 Tower Hamlets 031 Tower Hamlets
5 Liverpool 004 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Luo

These lists show first names that appear often with the Luo 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 Luo

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Luo surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Luo 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Luo 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

Luo 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

Luo 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 Luo 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
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Luo

The surname Luo is of Chinese origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient kingdom of Lu, which was located in the eastern part of modern-day Shandong Province during the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC). The name is derived from the state of Lu, one of the most influential and powerful states during that era.

The earliest recorded instances of the Luo surname can be found in historical records from the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC), where it was used by members of the nobility and ruling class associated with the state of Lu. One notable example is Confucius, the renowned philosopher and teacher, whose original surname was Luo before it was changed to Kong.

During the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), the Luo surname gained prominence and spread across various regions of China. In the centuries that followed, several notable individuals bore this surname, including Luo Guanzhong (c. 1330-1400), the author of the classic novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," and Luo Qing (1442-1527), a prominent Ming Dynasty scholar and calligrapher.

The Luo surname has also been associated with various place names throughout Chinese history. For instance, the city of Luoyang, one of the four great ancient capitals of China, derives its name from the state of Luo, indicating the historical significance of this surname.

Other notable individuals with the Luo surname include Luo Longji (c. 1633-1692), a renowned Qing Dynasty painter and calligrapher; Luo Binwang (1786-1854), a prominent scholar and philosopher during the Qing Dynasty; and Luo Niansheng (1852-1924), a pioneering Chinese educator and reformer.

Throughout history, the Luo surname has been widely dispersed across various regions of China, with significant populations found in Shandong, Henan, Guangdong, and Fujian provinces, among others. Despite its widespread distribution, the name retains a strong connection to its ancient roots in the state of Lu and the cultural heritage of the Spring and Autumn period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Luo surname: questions and answers

How common is the Luo surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 408 in 2016. That gives Luo a modern rank of #11,711.

What does the Luo surname mean?

A Chinese surname with various origins, including referring to the Luo River or meaning "net" or "collect."

What does the Luo map show?

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