NameCensus.

UK surname

Lush

A surname indicating a drunkard or one who drinks excessively.

In the 1881 census there were 1,199 people recorded with the Lush surname, ranking it #3,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,017, ranked #5,729, down from #3,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gillingham and Southampton St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Winchester and Havant.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lush is 1,543 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.2%.

1881 census count

1,199

Ranked #3,363

Modern count

1,017

2016, ranked #5,729

Peak year

1911

1,543 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lush had 1,199 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,017 in 2016, ranked #5,729.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,543 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Lush surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lush surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lush 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 813 #3,305
1861 historical 770 #3,574
1881 historical 1,199 #3,363
1891 historical 1,187 #3,614
1901 historical 1,395 #3,606
1911 historical 1,543 #3,144
1997 modern 1,104 #5,050
1998 modern 1,124 #5,158
1999 modern 1,131 #5,177
2000 modern 1,126 #5,171
2001 modern 1,082 #5,243
2002 modern 1,063 #5,420
2003 modern 1,028 #5,477
2004 modern 1,039 #5,437
2005 modern 1,033 #5,399
2006 modern 1,018 #5,473
2007 modern 1,005 #5,586
2008 modern 996 #5,665
2009 modern 1,011 #5,714
2010 modern 1,036 #5,713
2011 modern 1,035 #5,658
2012 modern 997 #5,749
2013 modern 1,012 #5,763
2014 modern 1,026 #5,737
2015 modern 1,014 #5,743
2016 modern 1,017 #5,729

Geography

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Where Lushs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gillingham, Southampton 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 South Somerset, Winchester, Havant and Sedgemoor. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Gillingham Dorset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 002 South Somerset
2 Winchester 010 Winchester
3 Havant 013 Havant
4 Sedgemoor 012 Sedgemoor
5 Havant 018 Havant

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lush

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lush

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Lush 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

Lush 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

Lush falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lush

The surname LUSH has its origins in the Old English language and can be traced back to the regions of Yorkshire and Lancashire in northern England during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "lus" or "lusc," which referred to a small wood or grove, suggesting that the name may have originally denoted someone who lived near or among such vegetation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LUSH can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1230, where it appears as "Lusch." This spelling variation hints at the name's evolution from its Old English roots over time.

In the 14th century, the LUSH surname is mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, indicating its presence in this region during that era. Notably, the name appears in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of England.

Among the notable historical figures who bore the LUSH surname is John Lush (1529-1610), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Rector of Bishopbourne in Kent and was a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. Another individual of note was Thomas Lush (1508-1582), an English Protestant reformer and influential figure in the Church of England during the reigns of Edward VI and Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, Edward Lush (1630-1696) was a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Truro in Cornwall. During the same period, Stephen Lush (1647-1715) was a respected English merchant and landowner in Devonshire.

Moving into the 19th century, Sir Robert Lush (1807-1881) was a notable English judge and Member of Parliament who served as the Lord Justice of Appeal and was knighted for his contributions to the legal profession.

The LUSH surname has maintained a presence across various regions of England, with historical records indicating its concentration in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and parts of the southwest, such as Cornwall and Devon. While its origins can be traced back to Old English roots, the name has endured through the centuries, bearing witness to the rich tapestry of English history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lush families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lush 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. Hampshire leads with 270 Lushs recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.23x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 270 11.23x
Dorset 200 25.99x
Middlesex 164 1.40x
Wiltshire 115 11.09x
Surrey 85 1.49x
Somerset 59 3.13x
Yorkshire 45 0.39x
Kent 38 0.95x
Devon 28 1.15x
Gloucestershire 27 1.17x
Sussex 26 1.32x
Berkshire 23 2.61x
Lancashire 21 0.15x
Essex 15 0.65x
Kincardineshire 10 7.00x
Bedfordshire 9 1.48x
Staffordshire 9 0.23x
Lincolnshire 7 0.37x
Cheshire 6 0.23x
Midlothian 6 0.38x
Derbyshire 5 0.27x
Glamorgan 5 0.24x
Warwickshire 5 0.17x
Hertfordshire 3 0.37x
Monmouthshire 3 0.35x
Royal Navy 3 2.15x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.28x
Cornwall 2 0.15x
Cumberland 2 0.20x
Northamptonshire 2 0.18x
Suffolk 2 0.14x
Flintshire 1 0.32x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.27x
Worcestershire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 48 Lushs recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.19x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 48 10.19x
Gillingham 36 272.31x
Kensington London 31 4.76x
Southampton St Mary 28 18.53x
Wokingham 23 114.48x
Paddington London 17 3.94x
Sidlesham 17 447.37x
Andover 15 66.08x
Hampton London 15 77.84x
Titchfield 15 82.83x
Islington London 14 1.23x
Camberwell 13 1.74x
Wells St Cuthbert 13 100.93x
Alton 12 66.26x
Bermondsey 12 3.44x
Farnham 12 2926.83x
Kingston On Thames 12 8.74x
Lyncombe Widcombe 12 24.28x
Manningham 12 8.38x
Alverstoke 11 12.65x
Fordington 11 66.35x
Haselbury Bryan 11 380.62x
Lambeth 11 1.08x
Millbrook 11 18.17x
Stockbridge 11 314.29x
Ventnor 11 48.12x
Yeovil 11 28.68x
Bourton 10 296.74x
Deptford St Paul 10 3.24x
Nigg 10 84.67x
Seaton 10 106.27x
South Stoneham 10 19.18x
St Pancras London 10 1.06x
West Ham 10 1.96x
Widley 10 233.10x
Woodlands 10 549.45x
Broad Chalk 9 305.08x
Cann 9 400.00x
Cranborne 9 96.77x
Donhead St Mary 9 170.78x
Hound 9 55.18x
Langford 9 180.36x
Talaton 9 486.49x
Christchurch 8 15.35x
Melcombe Regis 8 25.09x
Rotherhithe 8 5.52x
Alvesdiston 7 729.17x
Battersea 7 1.62x
Bentley Cum Arksey 7 115.32x
Bower Chalk 7 414.20x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 3.23x
Devizes St James 7 50.80x
Kilmington 7 362.69x
Limpsfield 7 128.21x
Provost Stour 7 451.61x
Scarborough 7 6.63x
St George Hanover Square 7 3.39x
St Paul Covent Garden 7 59.68x
Warminster 7 30.81x
West Lavington 7 140.85x
West Tytherley 7 409.36x
Bradford Abbas 6 292.68x
Bromley 6 9.84x
Buckhorn Weston 6 287.08x
Croydon 6 1.89x
East Stoke 6 256.41x
Edinburgh St Marys 6 19.65x
Fisherton Anger 6 31.27x
Hampstead London 6 3.29x
Longfleet 6 67.34x
Plumstead 6 4.50x
Poplar London 6 2.71x
Sedghill 6 779.22x
Wandsworth 6 5.32x
Wareham St Martin 6 204.78x
Wylye 6 304.57x
Aston 5 0.61x
Awre 5 105.49x
Dinton 5 273.22x
Melbury Abbas 5 378.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Sarah 44
Elizabeth 41
Eliza 23
Jane 21
Ann 19
Ellen 19
Martha 19
Annie 18
Alice 17
Emily 17
Emma 16
Kate 11
Louisa 10
Caroline 8
Maria 8
Anne 7
Clara 7
Edith 7
Ethel 7
Florence 7
Harriet 7
Susan 7
Ada 6
Amelia 6
Fanny 6
Frances 5
Margaret 5
Rose 5
Catherine 4
Harriett 4
Jessie 4
Lydia 4
Matilda 4
Agnes 3
Amy 3
Bertha 3
Bessie 3
Charlotte 3
Eva 3
Lucy 3
Priscilla 3
Sophia 3
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Ida 2
Jennet 2
Katherine 2
Kezia 2
Marie 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 83
George 47
John 45
Charles 36
James 35
Thomas 26
Henry 25
Edward 18
Alfred 16
Walter 15
Frank 14
Joseph 12
Frederick 11
Albert 10
Arthur 10
Harry 10
Herbert 8
Robert 8
Richard 7
Samuel 7
Edwin 6
Ernest 6
Geo. 6
Leonard 6
Thos. 6
David 4
Francis 4
Silas 4
Tom 4
Allen 3
Fred 3
Jesse 3
Rowland 3
Sidney 3
Stephen 3
Wm. 3
Andrew 2
Daniel 2
Edgar 2
Esau 2
Gilbert 2
Harold 2
Henery 2
Hubert 2
Hugh 2
Jas. 2
Mark 2
Ruben 2
W. 2
Chas. 1

FAQ

Lush surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lush surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,199 people were recorded with the Lush surname. That placed it at #3,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lush surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,017 in 2016. That gives Lush a modern rank of #5,729.

What does the Lush surname mean?

A surname indicating a drunkard or one who drinks excessively.

What does the Lush map show?

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