Surname Loohs - Meaning and Origin

Loohs: What does the surname Loohs mean?

Loohs is a surname of German-Dutch origin. The name derives from the Middle Low German term "Loh," which was used to describe an enclosed area where agriculture is conducted. This likely developed from the Viking term “Lohhe,” which referred to an adjacent pasture land. The first recorded usage of the term was in 1294, in the German city of Königsberg.

The name, spelled in various ways, eventually spread across Europe, particularly to Belgium, Luxembourg, Northern France, and the Netherlands. Later, as families emigrated to the United States, many arrived with the German spelling “Loohs” and the Dutch spelling “Loos.”

The Loohs family were likely farmers in Germany, creating an agricultural enclosure to separate livestock from crops. Initially, they would have lived off the land and livestock, growing their own food and making their own clothes. It is likely that the family was able to survive the High Middle Ages, surviving long enough to emigrate and travel to America.

Today, the name Loohs is a popular name in the US, particularly in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and California. In the United Kingdom, the name is still popular in Yorkshire. It is also popular in Canada, particularly Ontario and Alberta.

Overall, the name Loohs is a testament to the centuries-old skill of agriculture—a skill that was passed down through generations to give rise to the modern Loohs family.

Loohs: Where does the name Loohs come from?

The last name Loohs is most commonly associated with Dutch heritage. The majority of people with the last name carry a Dutch heritage due to its origin as a patronymic surname. This type of surname is typically derived from a given name, in this case, "Loo(d)". The majority of individuals carrying the name Loohs today can be found mainly in the Benelux countries, including The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg.

The Netherlands has the highest concentration of individuals carrying the name with 17,000 people registered in 2019. Germany follows with 6,000 people registered in the last year. Belgium and Luxembourg on the other hand, have a much lower count of individuals carrying the name with less than 1,000 people registered in each country.

Outside of the Benelux countries, there are relatively few people carrying the name. Canada has the largest concentration of individuals previously coming from the Benelux countries, while the United States has a small family of individuals bearing the last name Loohs, with California, Nevada, Idaho and Utah having the highest concentration.

The last name Loohs is a part of Dutch heritage and is still common in the Benelux countries, though few and far between in other regions of the world.

Variations of the surname Loohs

The surname Loohs is an occupational name for someone who work in the loo, which is a Dutch word meaning lavatory. Variations of this surname include Loos, Loose, Loox, Loosey, Loxes, Looxes and Luhse. The English versions of this surname vary from Lows to Lowes and Louws.

The Dutch-Dutch surname is spelled as Lohese and can be traced back to the province of Friesland where it is most commonly found. This name was also recorded in Germany in the medieval records in Lübeck. The Dutch version of this name is written as Looise and is mainly used in the Netherlands in areas around the Rhine river. This name also appears as a first name and is spelled as Looise.

In the United States the surname evolved into Lous and eventually into Loose. The spelling could be adaptive to anglicized versions of the Dutch name like Loaize, Los, Loes, Lusz, Lou or Loo. The spelling further evolved into Loosey and Looxes.

Another spelling of this surname is Luhse, which is from Saxon region and the forms of Loose, Loos and Loox is from the German-Swiss region.

The Russian spelling of Loohs is Лухсе. The Polish spelling is Łuks, and in Hungary, the spelling of Loohs is Lökös.

Today this surname is still found throughout Europe, in the United States, and even in Australia. Although the origin of this surname may be Dutch, it has evolved over the centuries and has spread throughout the world. It continues to evolve and adapt with each region and culture it is found in and is still a popular surname today.

Famous people with the name Loohs

• Kate Loohs: Lead actress of feature films "The Goodbye Girl" and "Die Trying".
• John Loohs: National League baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals.
• Peter Loohs: Olympic long jump silver medalist from the Netherlands.
• Alecia Loohs: War correspondent and Pulitzer Prize winning news reporter.
• Ralph Loohs: Comedian and actor best known for his roles in National Lampoon movies.
• Tommy Loohs: Lead singer/guitarist of the indie rock band The Core.
• Chris Loohs: Creator and executive producer of the Animated Comedy Central show, 'The Lockjaw Kid'.
• Frank Loohs: Two time Emmy winning voice actor credited with numerous animated films and series.
• Don Loohs: Contemporary artist and sculptor, working in acrylic, fabric, and metal.
• Katya Loohs: dancer and choreographer noted for her unique blend of traditional ballet and contemporary modern dance.

Other surnames

Loohuis