NameCensus.

UK surname

Lydon

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Lideadha, meaning "descendant of Lideadha" (a personal name of unknown meaning).

In the 1881 census there were 252 people recorded with the Lydon surname, ranking it #11,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,282, ranked #4,675, up from #11,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Huntingdonshire and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lydon is 1,379 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 408.7%.

1881 census count

252

Ranked #11,012

Modern count

1,282

2016, ranked #4,675

Peak year

2010

1,379 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lydon had 252 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,282 in 2016, ranked #4,675.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 449 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Lydon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lydon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lydon 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 58 #22,928
1861 historical 175 #13,409
1881 historical 252 #11,012
1891 historical 343 #9,994
1901 historical 395 #9,562
1911 historical 449 #8,519
1997 modern 1,259 #4,522
1998 modern 1,324 #4,481
1999 modern 1,342 #4,466
2000 modern 1,343 #4,442
2001 modern 1,323 #4,424
2002 modern 1,345 #4,452
2003 modern 1,308 #4,461
2004 modern 1,319 #4,430
2005 modern 1,286 #4,476
2006 modern 1,287 #4,483
2007 modern 1,274 #4,559
2008 modern 1,271 #4,597
2009 modern 1,321 #4,545
2010 modern 1,379 #4,459
2011 modern 1,342 #4,515
2012 modern 1,303 #4,565
2013 modern 1,328 #4,561
2014 modern 1,332 #4,577
2015 modern 1,308 #4,604
2016 modern 1,282 #4,675

Geography

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Where Lydons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon), Manchester, Liverpool and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside, Huntingdonshire, Bolton and Merton. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 020 South Tyneside
2 Huntingdonshire 022 Huntingdonshire
3 Bolton 012 Bolton
4 Merton 009 Merton
5 South Tyneside 017 South Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lydon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lydon

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

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Lydon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Lydon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

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, Lydon 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

Lydon 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

Lydon falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lydon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Lydon

The surname Lydon is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Ó Lideadha, which means "descendant of Lideadh." The name Lideadh itself is thought to be a diminutive of the word "lí," meaning "color" or "complexion," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone with a particular complexion or coloring.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 11th century in County Sligo, Ireland, where the Ó Lideadha clan was based. One of the first documented references to the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of Irish history written in the 17th century, which mentions a chieftain named Domhnall Ó Lideadha who lived in the 12th century.

In the 16th century, the Anglicized spelling "Lydon" began to emerge, as the Gaelic patronymic prefix "Ó" was often dropped or replaced with the English equivalent "O'" during this period. The Lydons were a prominent family in County Sligo and played a significant role in the region's history, with several members holding important positions and participating in various conflicts throughout the centuries.

One notable figure from the Lydon family was John Lydon, born in 1556, who was a prominent Irish lawyer and judge during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent Lydon was Patrick Lydon, born in 1781, who was a renowned Irish scholar and historian, best known for his work on the ancient Irish language and literature.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, many Irish families, including the Lydons, emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly the United States and Canada, due to factors such as the Great Famine and political turmoil. This diaspora helped to spread the Lydon surname across different continents.

Other notable individuals with the surname Lydon include John Lydon, born in 1956, better known as Johnny Rotten, the iconic frontman of the pioneering punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Additionally, there was Rosemary Lydon, born in 1908, an Australian artist and sculptor who made significant contributions to the Australian art scene in the mid-20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lydon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lydon 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. Durham leads with 61 Lydons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.34x.

County Total Index
Durham 61 8.34x
Yorkshire 51 2.09x
Lancashire 44 1.51x
Cheshire 20 3.69x
Staffordshire 16 1.93x
Northumberland 15 4.10x
Middlesex 7 0.28x
Perthshire 7 6.35x
Angus 6 2.63x
Warwickshire 5 0.81x
Dorset 4 2.48x
Somerset 4 1.01x
Ayrshire 3 1.63x
Devon 3 0.59x
Kent 2 0.24x
Lanarkshire 2 0.25x
Essex 1 0.21x
Hampshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hedworth Monkton Jarrow in Durham leads with 31 Lydons recorded in 1881 and an index of 97.88x.

Place Total Index
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 31 97.88x
Newton 12 53.38x
Bishopwearmouth 10 15.93x
Manchester 10 7.62x
Great Driffield 9 180.00x
Haswell 9 171.76x
Batley 8 34.56x
Birkenhead 8 18.50x
North Shields 8 109.59x
Heckmondwike 7 89.40x
Cornsay 6 304.57x
Dundee 6 7.06x
Northwich 6 697.67x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 6.82x
Barrow In Furness 5 12.60x
Birmingham 5 2.42x
Dewsbury 5 20.02x
Middlesbrough 5 15.76x
Sculcoates 5 12.95x
Stockport 5 17.91x
Stockton On Tees 5 14.18x
Walsall Foreign 5 11.67x
Tynemouth 4 20.42x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 3 229.01x
Findo Gask 3 967.74x
Heap 3 19.39x
Kirkmichael 3 178.57x
Leeds 3 2.18x
Longbenton 3 19.37x
Newcastle Under Lyme 3 20.44x
Shepton Mallet 3 67.57x
Southworth With Croft 3 344.83x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.45x
Crumpsall 2 29.11x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 4.04x
Islington London 2 0.84x
Kilmadock 2 78.74x
Morebath 2 540.54x
Oldham 2 2.12x
Perth East Church 2 19.23x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 18.80x
Widnes 2 9.51x
Blackburn 1 1.29x
Bradfield 1 10.65x
Brinnington 1 19.72x
Brompton Regis 1 232.56x
Cannock 1 6.91x
Cheriton Bishop 1 200.00x
Dorchester St Peter 1 85.47x
Farnborough 1 18.90x
Glasgow 1 0.71x
Holy Trinity 1 1.71x
Hythe St Leonard 1 33.78x
Knaresborough 1 26.11x
Liverpool 1 0.56x
Northfleet 1 13.53x
Northowram 1 5.85x
Poplar London 1 2.16x
Shettleston 1 14.04x
Southcoates 1 7.40x
Speke 1 232.56x
Thorganby Cum West 1 294.12x
Thornton In Fylde 1 15.67x
Wakefield 1 5.35x
Warrington 1 2.89x
Wednesbury 1 4.82x
West Ham 1 0.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 37
Bridget 18
Catherine 9
Ann 7
Elizabeth 7
Ellen 7
Margaret 6
Annie 4
Sarah 4
Hannah 3
Kate 3
Alice 2
Caroline 1
Delia 1
Dorothy 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Geraldine 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Margt. 1
Matilda 1
Nora 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1
Wenert 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
Thomas 13
James 12
Michael 11
Patrick 11
Martin 7
George 4
Thos. 4
Andrew 2
Anthony 2
Pat 2
William 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Athonay 1
Charles 1
Dominick 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Michiel 1
Noel 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Lydon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lydon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 252 people were recorded with the Lydon surname. That placed it at #11,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lydon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,282 in 2016. That gives Lydon a modern rank of #4,675.

What does the Lydon surname mean?

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Lideadha, meaning "descendant of Lideadha" (a personal name of unknown meaning).

What does the Lydon map show?

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