The name "Ned Ludd" was affixed to letters announcing the destruction of knitting frames, with the letters bearing the address "Sherwood Forest". According to the historian Miles Taylor, these letters were the work of various, unidentified hands. The suspected authors included prominent Luddites Gravenor Hensen, James Towle and George Mellor.

The source of the name came from a child weaver called Ludlam in Leicestershire, who broke up his frame after his master complained of poor workmanship. This story was reported in December 1811 in the Nottingham Review although whether it is a true story is unknown. Likely the Luddites adopted and adapted his name as a symbol of resistance to machine labour.

In short, no, General Ludd was not a real person.