Ludd
An occupational surname referring to someone who worked with wool.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 377 Americans carry the last name Ludd. That puts it at #59,742 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 909,163 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ludd surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
377
1 in 909,163
Census rank
#59,742
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
338
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 338 bearers of the surname Ludd in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 59742nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ludd, the largest self-reported group is Black at 87.3%. The next largest groups are White (8.3%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ludd
The surname LUDD is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from an Old English personal name, "Ludd," which itself may have roots in the Old English words "lud" or "hlude," meaning "loud" or "noisy."
The earliest known record of the LUDD surname dates back to the 13th century in the county of Yorkshire, where a man named William Ludd was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for the year 1273. Over the next few centuries, variations of the name such as Lude, Ludde, and Luddington began to appear in various records across England.
In the 16th century, the LUDD surname gained notoriety due to its association with Ned Ludd, a legendary figure from Nottinghamshire who is said to have instigated the Luddite movement. The Luddites were a group of English textile workers who protested against the introduction of machinery that threatened to replace their skilled labor. Although the historical existence of Ned Ludd is disputed, his name became synonymous with the Luddite rebellion, which took place between 1811 and 1816.
One of the earliest prominent individuals with the LUDD surname was John Ludd (c. 1595-1664), an English writer and clergyman who served as the rector of Newington in Oxfordshire. Another notable bearer of the name was Samuel Ludd (1670-1737), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Grimsby.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the LUDD surname spread across various parts of the British Isles, with several individuals making their mark in different fields. One such person was Henry Ludd (1781-1851), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a captain in the Royal Navy.
Another individual of note was William Ludd (1832-1910), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Masonic School for Boys in Bushey and the Church of St. Peter in Cricklewood.
As the centuries progressed, the LUDD surname also found its way to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization. However, its origins and historical associations remain deeply rooted in the English countryside and the events that shaped the country's industrial revolution.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ludd
Among Census respondents with the surname Ludd, the largest self-reported group is Black at 87.3%. The next largest groups are White (8.3%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Ludd bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ludd surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American87.3%
- White8.3%
- Hispanic or Latino2.1%
- Two or more races1.8%
- Unknown or suppressed0.6%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Ludd surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #58,553 | #59,742 | -2.0% |
| Count | 324 | 338 | 4.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.11 | -8.3% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Ludd bearers went from 324 to 338 (+4.3% change). The surname moved down 1,189 positions in the national ranking, going from #58,553 to #59,742.
FAQ
Ludd surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Ludd?
The surname Ludd holds position #59,742 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 377 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Ludd surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ludd, the largest self-reported group is Black at 87.3%. The next largest groups are White (8.3%) and Hispanic (2.1%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.