Find out how popular the last name Loud is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Loud.

Loud, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Loud surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Loud in America

Loud is the 15278th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Loud surname appeared 1,922 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Loud.

We can also compare 2010 data for Loud to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Loud

The surname Loud is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "hlud," meaning "loud" or "noisy," suggesting that it may have been initially used as a nickname for someone with a boisterous personality or a loud voice.

One of the earliest known references to the name Loud appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1190, where it is recorded as "Hludd." This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, reflecting the changes in language and pronunciation.

During the medieval period, the Loud surname was primarily concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset in the southwest of England. Records from this era mention individuals such as William Loud, who was documented in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1327.

As the name spread across England, various place names and locations likely influenced its spelling. For instance, the village of Loud in Wiltshire may have contributed to the surname's evolution, with some families adopting the name based on their place of origin or residence.

In the 16th century, the Loud surname gained prominence with the birth of Sir Thomas Loud (1518-1592), a renowned English jurist and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was John Loud (1572-1651), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Newington Butts in Surrey.

The 17th century saw the emergence of other prominent individuals bearing the Loud surname, such as Sir Samuel Loud (1631-1707), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1689. Additionally, Edward Loud (1647-1708) was a successful banker and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Shaftesbury.

As the centuries progressed, the Loud surname continued to be represented by notable figures, including the British artist and painter Sir Robert Loud (1760-1836), known for his landscapes and portraits of notable individuals, and the American politician and lawyer Benjamin Loud (1789-1865), who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Throughout its history, the Loud surname has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, as well as in other English-speaking countries, where its bearers have made significant contributions across various fields, from law and politics to art and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Loud

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Loud.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Loud was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Loud has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Loud was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Loud, please contact us.

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