Loftus
A surname usually from Lofthouse, meaning “the house in the lofts” or a high/upper house, especially in Yorkshire.
The #4,347 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 37,809 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Loftus is generally taken as a shortened form of Lofthouse, an English place-name built from Old English elements meaning “loft” or “upper story” plus “house.” In this sense, it refers to a dwelling associated with a raised or upper place, or a house distinguished by its position. Older surname writers specifically linked the name to a parish in Yorkshire.
History
The name is recorded in English surname sources as a contraction of Lofthouse, with Yorkshire given as the main place of origin. Lower also notes an early family presence in Yorkshire, citing medieval and later authority. In modern use, Loftus survives as both a surname and a place-related name, with variant forms such as Lofts and Lofthouse.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley treated Loftus as one of several surnames built from house-names, alongside forms like Kirkus and Malthus.
From the historical record
“house. See Loftus. LOFTUS. A contraction of Lofthouse, a parish in Yorkshire. The family " appear to have flourished in Yorkshire as early as the reign of Alfred 1" B.L.G., where the archives of York Minster are given as the authority. LOFTY. From pride or arrogance of disposition. LOGAN. A Celtic word used In…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom