Surname Loudon - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'L'
Loudon: What does the surname Loudon mean?
The last name Loudon comes from Olde English and is of locational origin. Loudon is derived from a place-name, located near the Scottish border. It is derived from the Olde English word “hlud”, which means “loud” or “noisy”, combined with the Latin suffix “on”, forming the place name Loudon. The name likely refers to a location with a significant amount of noise or activity, such as a marketplace or marketplace type location.
The surname Loudon also appears in records as early as 1248. By the 16th century, the name had spread through Scotland as well as parts of North America.
Today, the surname is quite common, especially in British and North American countries. It is also found in countries such as France, Spain, Mexico, and Brazil.
The last name Loudon is associated with Scottish culture and history, and it symbolizes strength and resilience. People with this last name typically have a strong sense of identity and an entrepreneurial spirit. They tend to be decisive, independent and resourceful.
Order DNA origin analysisLoudon: Where does the name Loudon come from?
The last name Loudon is generally thought of as being most common in Scotland, and particularly in the central and east-central regions of the country. It is also common in Northern Ireland and parts of England, including Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire.
Today, Loudon is still a fairly common surname in those regions, but it can also be found further afield in countries such as France, the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Australia, and the United States. According to Ancestry.com, it is among the 1000 most common surnames in the United States, with the highest concentrations of people who carry the name being located mainly in Texas, California, Florida, and Missouri.
Researchers believe that the surname may have first appeared in Scotland around AD 1200, and it probably derives from the Gaelic "lethan" (meaning "a stronghold") which was longer combined with the English word "tun", (meaning "a dwelling place"). Loudon then eventually became a patronymic surname, meaning that it was passed down from father to son.
These days, variants of the surname such as MacLoudon, Leighton, and McLeighton can be found in Scotland, as well as other countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Loudon
Loudon is a surname of Scottish and Irish origin, with variants including Lynden, Loundon, Lunden, Lundon, and Lounden. The primary geographical locations associated with this surname are the Scottish Highlands and the Irish province of Ulster.
The variants of the Loudon surname began in the Middle Ages. In Scotland, the variants developed from the Olde English pre 7th Century ‘lludd’, meaning ‘loud’, which was sometimes used as a nickname for someone who was particularly articulate or boisterous. In Ireland, some of the variants were derived from the Gaelic surname O’Leannain, derived from the words for ‘speech’ or ‘debate’.
The Loudon spelling has been found in records from the 1300s in Scotland, where the family was recorded as holding a substantial estate in the Fife region. The Lundon spelling has been found in Ireland since the 16th century, with the family initially living in County Antrim.
Variants of the Loudon surname have been found in records around the world, including America, when settlers from Ireland and Scotland brought the name with them in the 19th century. In America, Loudon is the most commonly used spelling of the name. The variations in spelling have been found in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand too, as people from Scotland and Ireland immigrated there in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Variations of the Loudon surname also exist in France, which have derived from the French Huguenot variant of the name ‘Loudon’, rather than from the original Scottish and Irish variants.
In summary, the variants of the Loudon surname include Lynden, Loundon, Lunden, Lundon, and Lounden. Over time, the surname has been spelt differently in different records, as nomadic family lines moved around and immigrants made their way to new lands.
Famous people with the name Loudon
- Douglas Loudon: Founder of the UK-based WiFi provider, Fon, and former executive chairman of antivirus pioneer, McAfee.
- Wolfram von Loudon: German historian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
- Richard Loudon: Editor of the Journal of Private Enterprise and American business law professor.
- James Loudon: Canadian politician and former University of Toronto president.
- John Loudon McAdam: Scottish civil engineer known for developing the modern road-building technique of macadamization.
- Carina Loudon: British fashion entrepreneur and chef.
- Willard Franklin Loudon — American astronaut and the first African-American astronaut to make a space walk.
- Alfred Loudon: British anatomist and founder of England's first medical school.
- Cynthia Loudon: American actress and director.
- John Loudon: Dutch botanist who was active in the mid-19th century.
- Carmen Loudon: Prominent vocal coach and founder of the London-based vocal coaching company, Mariposa Music.
- Jim Loudon: Australian politician and former leader of Liberal Party Victoria.
- Micky Loudon: British professional boxer who won the British Middleweight Title in 1948.
- David Loudon: Scottish cricketer and the first captain of the national team.
- Gerry Loudon: South African guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who worked with the band Art School Dropouts.
- Forrest Loudon: Canadian-American anthropologist and professor at McGill University.
- Kenneth Loudon: British electrical engineer who invented the Loudon A-type induction motor.