I grew up wondering where my "Louden" name came from. And I was twenty before I realized that my grandfather’s surname, "Lowdon," was changed as he emigrated from Canada to the United States.
The name Loudoun is a Celt name, but I often speculated as to its meaning. My younger years convinced me that it was a tribute to our family’s hereditary booming voices. But I was sure that it had a more ancient origin.
The Loudoun surname is derived from a nearby dormant volcano that has carried the name "lowdun" as eary as 80 A.D.
Volcanic Origins
The name's origin came from a nearby landmark -- Loudoun Hill. The ancient Scotto - Saxon word Law or Low, meaning "fire" and the Scotto - Irish word Dun, meaning "hill" fits well with the fact that Loudoun Hill is an ancient volcano. Ancient settlements near Loudoun Hill can be traced back to the Neolithic Age (4000-2400 B.C.) lending much credence to this theory.
Another theory is that the name comes from the Celtic loddon meaning "marshy ground." While The Irvine river is dominant in this area and could have easily have contributed to ancient marshy, this seems unlikely as Loudoun Hill sits high above the remaining countryside and is volcanic in orgin.
Its high ground made Loudoun Hill a strategic stronghold and many battles were fought and forts were built nearby. The Romans occupied and built a fort a few hundred yeards from Loudoun Hill in 80 A.D. Vikings were also a considerable influence to the area and built several forts nearby between 800-1200 A.D.
The map approximately highlights Ayrshire and the Lands of Loudoun.
