NameCensus.

UK surname

Luter

A surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Lüter, Germany.

In the 1881 census there were 63 people recorded with the Luter surname, ranking it #24,711 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, up from #24,711 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Newchurch and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, South Gloucestershire and Telford and Wrekin.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Luter is 190 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 149.2%.

1881 census count

63

Ranked #24,711

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

2010

190 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Luter had 63 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,711 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 150 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Luter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Luter surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Luter 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 63 #22,069
1861 historical 97 #21,503
1881 historical 63 #24,711
1891 historical 110 #22,557
1901 historical 68 #26,598
1911 historical 150 #17,866
1997 modern 155 #20,684
1998 modern 165 #20,423
1999 modern 170 #20,153
2000 modern 163 #20,657
2001 modern 160 #20,616
2002 modern 161 #20,925
2003 modern 156 #21,115
2004 modern 172 #20,008
2005 modern 167 #20,296
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 165 #20,893
2008 modern 168 #20,828
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 190 #20,087
2011 modern 180 #20,649
2012 modern 163 #21,989
2013 modern 159 #22,706
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 156 #23,106
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

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Where Luters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Newchurch, St Leonard Shoreditch, Govan Combination and Shiffnal. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, South Gloucestershire and Telford and Wrekin. 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 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Shiffnal Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 002 Isle of Wight
2 Isle of Wight 001 Isle of Wight
3 Isle of Wight 005 Isle of Wight
4 South Gloucestershire 024 South Gloucestershire
5 Telford and Wrekin 013 Telford and Wrekin

Forenames

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First names often paired with Luter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Luter

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Luter 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

Luter is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Luter falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Luter

The surname "Luter" is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "luter," which means "pure" or "clear." This name is believed to have originated in the 14th century in various regions of Germany.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Luter" can be found in the tax records of the city of Nuremberg, dating back to the late 15th century. These records mention a certain Hans Luter, a blacksmith by trade, who lived in the city during that period.

Another notable historical figure with the surname "Luter" was Martin Luter, better known as Martin Luther (1483-1546), the influential German reformer and theologian who initiated the Protestant Reformation. Although the spelling of his surname was later standardized as "Luther," his name was originally recorded as "Luter" in various documents from his time.

In the 16th century, the name "Luter" appeared in the records of the town of Eisenach, in present-day Thuringia, Germany. These records mention a family by the name of Luter who owned a brewery in the town during that period.

The surname "Luter" has also been associated with the German town of Lüter, located in the state of Lower Saxony. It is possible that the name may have originated from this place name, although the exact connection is uncertain.

Another notable bearer of the surname "Luter" was Johann Luter (1594-1661), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister at the court of Saxe-Weissenfels in the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, the name "Luter" was recorded in the parish registers of the town of Merseburg, in present-day Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, where it was borne by several families residing in the area.

Over the centuries, the surname "Luter" has undergone various spelling variations, such as "Luder," "Lüter," and "Lühter," reflecting the regional differences in pronunciation and orthography within German-speaking areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Luter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Luter 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. Shropshire leads with 20 Luters recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.08x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 20 37.08x
Hampshire 15 11.72x
Rutland 8 174.67x
Berkshire 4 8.54x
Sussex 4 3.80x
Essex 3 2.43x
Herefordshire 3 11.72x
Middlesex 3 0.48x
Devon 1 0.77x
Lancashire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 13.44x
Warwickshire 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Northwood in Hampshire leads with 14 Luters recorded in 1881 and an index of 769.23x.

Place Total Index
Northwood 14 769.23x
Shifnal 12 821.92x
Brooke 8 40000.00x
Wrockwardine 8 672.27x
Storrington 4 1379.31x
Winkfield 4 512.82x
Letton 3 7500.00x
West Ham 3 11.03x
Hammersmith London 2 13.00x
Birmingham 1 1.91x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 33.56x
Portsmouth 1 33.90x
Royal Navy 1 15.72x
Sutton 1 40.32x
Twickenham 1 37.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 5
Elizabeth 4
Emily 4
Mary 4
Ann 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
William 5
George 4
Charles 3
Edward 2
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
E. 1
Frederick 1
James 1
Mills 1
Phillip 1
Simon 1
Timothy 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Luter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Luter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 63 people were recorded with the Luter surname. That placed it at #24,711 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Luter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Luter a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Luter surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to someone from Lüter, Germany.

What does the Luter map show?

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