NameCensus.

UK surname

Lusk

An English locational surname derived from a place of the same name, likely referring to a marsh or bog.

In the 1881 census there were 276 people recorded with the Lusk surname, ranking it #10,305 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 357, ranked #12,953, down from #10,305 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Bute and Rothesay, Dundonald and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ12, Springside and Rural and Earlston and Hurlford Rural.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lusk is 370 in 2006. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.3%.

1881 census count

276

Ranked #10,305

Modern count

357

2016, ranked #12,953

Peak year

2006

370 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lusk had 276 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,305 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 357 in 2016, ranked #12,953.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 334 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lusk surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lusk surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lusk 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 185 #11,077
1861 historical 222 #10,993
1881 historical 276 #10,305
1891 historical 299 #11,140
1901 historical 334 #10,818
1911 historical 88 #24,041
1997 modern 330 #12,701
1998 modern 337 #12,859
1999 modern 346 #12,726
2000 modern 334 #12,980
2001 modern 327 #12,970
2002 modern 328 #13,186
2003 modern 337 #12,759
2004 modern 350 #12,449
2005 modern 356 #12,219
2006 modern 370 #11,940
2007 modern 365 #12,205
2008 modern 364 #12,328
2009 modern 369 #12,447
2010 modern 360 #12,953
2011 modern 368 #12,631
2012 modern 359 #12,698
2013 modern 369 #12,655
2014 modern 367 #12,801
2015 modern 355 #13,033
2016 modern 357 #12,953

Geography

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Where Lusks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Bute and Rothesay, Dundonald, Govan Combination, St Dunstan Stepney and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ12, Springside and Rural, Earlston and Hurlford Rural, Altonhill South, Longpark and Hillhead and IZ11. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 North Bute and Rothesay Bute
2 Dundonald Ayr
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire
2 Springside and Rural North Ayrshire
3 Earlston and Hurlford Rural East Ayrshire
4 Altonhill South, Longpark and Hillhead East Ayrshire
5 IZ11 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lusk

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lusk

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Lusk surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lusk household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lusk 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

Lusk 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

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

Meaning and origin of Lusk

The surname Lusk has its origins in Ireland and is derived from the Gaelic word 'losc', which means a place of burning or a burnt area. This suggests that the name may have originated from a location where a forest or woodland had been burnt or cleared by fire.

The name is believed to have first appeared in the 12th century in County Mayo, located in the west of Ireland. It is thought that the name may have been adopted by those who lived in or near an area that had been cleared by fire for agricultural or settlement purposes.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Lusk can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the entry for the year 1181, there is mention of a chieftain named Maghnus O'Loisc (Lusk) who was involved in a battle against the English.

The name Lusk has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Lusk, a village located in County Dublin. This village is believed to have derived its name from the surname, suggesting that it may have been a settlement established by those bearing the Lusk name.

Notable individuals throughout history with the surname Lusk include:

1. Sir Andrew Lusk (1688-1763), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for County Mayo in the Irish House of Commons.

2. John Lusk (1802-1878), an American Presbyterian minister and theologian who was involved in the Old School-New School Controversy within the Presbyterian Church in the United States.

3. Mary Lusk (1854-1936), an American educator and activist who founded the Iowa Federation of Colored Women's Clubs and was instrumental in the fight for women's suffrage.

4. Hugh Hamill Lusk (1872-1953), an American obstetrician and gynecologist who made significant contributions to the field of maternal and child health.

5. Rufus S. Lusk (1892-1963), an American lawyer and politician who served as the Attorney General of Texas from 1939 to 1949.

While the surname Lusk has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, carried by those of Irish descent who immigrated to these countries over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lusk families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lusk 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. Lanarkshire leads with 62 Lusks recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.15x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 62 7.15x
Ayrshire 46 22.91x
Lancashire 32 1.01x
Renfrewshire 23 11.06x
Middlesex 22 0.82x
Buteshire 15 92.31x
Cheshire 10 1.69x
Cumberland 10 4.33x
Dunbartonshire 10 13.87x
Argyllshire 8 10.71x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 20.60x
Wigtownshire 7 19.65x
Perthshire 4 3.32x
Warwickshire 4 0.59x
Yorkshire 3 0.11x
Northumberland 2 0.50x
Angus 1 0.40x
Berkshire 1 0.50x
Caithness 1 2.72x
Channel Islands 1 1.26x
Hampshire 1 0.18x
Midlothian 1 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.28x
Somerset 1 0.23x
Surrey 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 25 Lusks recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.39x.

Place Total Index
Barony 25 11.39x
Govan 21 9.79x
Dreghorn 16 440.77x
West Greenock 16 42.88x
Dundonald 15 202.70x
Mile End Old Town London 15 26.27x
Rothesay 12 152.48x
Caldewgate 10 79.05x
Birkenhead 9 19.07x
Kirkcudbright 8 249.22x
Inch 7 201.73x
Radcliffe 7 45.63x
Cumbernauld 6 151.90x
Heap 6 35.55x
Kilcalmonell 6 355.03x
Layton With Warbreck 6 51.37x
Shotts 6 57.80x
Toxteth Park 5 4.64x
Birmingham 4 1.77x
Bury 4 11.00x
Cambusnethan 4 20.76x
Comrie 4 232.56x
Dumbarton 4 39.88x
Girvan 4 79.37x
Bothwell 3 12.75x
Bute North 3 272.73x
Dalry 3 31.75x
Elswick 2 6.28x
Hammersmith London 2 3.03x
Inverkip 2 40.82x
Irvine 2 35.84x
Kilmarnock 2 8.37x
Paddington London 2 2.03x
Salford 2 2.14x
Abbey 1 3.15x
Ardrossan 1 14.39x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 4.17x
Blythswood 1 2000.00x
Bradford 1 1.55x
Cathcart 1 8.89x
Dalmellington 1 16.95x
Dundee 1 1.08x
Eastwood 1 7.81x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.69x
Everton 1 0.99x
Glasgow 1 0.65x
Glassary 1 24.88x
Kensington London 1 0.67x
Kilbirnie 1 20.75x
Kildalton Oa 1 833.33x
Langwith 1 285.71x
Lochwinnoch 1 32.26x
Manningham 1 3.05x
New Monkland 1 3.90x
Newington 1 1.01x
Olrig 1 54.64x
Oxton 1 29.85x
Port Glasgow 1 9.95x
Reading St Giles 1 5.06x
South Mimms 1 27.17x
Southampton St Mary 1 2.89x
Sowerby In Halifax 1 11.51x
St George In East London 1 3.96x
St Saviour 1 22.78x
Stewarton 1 25.19x
Weston Super Mare 1 9.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Ann 5
Elizabeth 5
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Emma 2
Harriett 2
Lucy 2
Susan 2
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Grace 1
Helen 1
Jesse 1
Lilly 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Mariann 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Rosanna 1
Selina 1
Sussanah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
William 5
Robert 4
Charles 3
George 3
John 3
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
G. 1
Gilbert 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Lawrence 1
Spencer 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Lusk surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lusk surname in 1881?

In 1881, 276 people were recorded with the Lusk surname. That placed it at #10,305 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lusk surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 357 in 2016. That gives Lusk a modern rank of #12,953.

What does the Lusk surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place of the same name, likely referring to a marsh or bog.

What does the Lusk map show?

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