Loo
A surname that may derive from a French place-name meaning “long field,” though some occurrences may be unrelated or differently explained.
The #8,977 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 84,704 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The clearest historical explanation in the provided sources links Loo to French Longchamp, glossed as “long field,” a place-name in Normandy. In surname use, this would be a locational name for someone who came from that place or was identified by it. The spelling Loo may also reflect later shortening or Anglicization, and not every bearer of the surname necessarily shares the same origin.
History
The name is uncommon in the United States and may represent more than one family line. Historical surname dictionaries often treated short forms like Loo cautiously, since they can arise from place-names, altered spellings, or independent sources in different regions. The supplied material does not provide a fuller genealogical trail for the surname in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Lower’s dictionary gives Loo as a surname form connected to a French place-name, which is why such a short spelling can still have a distinctly locational origin.
From the historical record
“LOO 199 LOT LONGCHAMP. Fr. 'long field'— a place in the arrondissement of Andeli in Normaud}'.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom