Collinear laser spectroscopy experiments in the LuI transition 5d6s were performed on all lutetium isotopes in the range of 161 179 Lu. The nuclear spins, magnetic moments and quadrupole moments were determined from the hyperfine structures observed for 19 ground states and 11 isomers. Variations in the mean square charge radii as a function of neutron number were obtained from the isotope shifts. These data considerably extend the systematics of the properties of nuclei in the upper rare-earth region. A particular feature is the appearance of high-spin and low-spin ground states and isomeric states in the vicinity of the stable 175 Lu, partly arising from aligned neutron pairs. The present results clearly show that the deformation properties are nearly independent of the occupancy and the coupling of single-particle states. Theoretical predictions of deformation are confirmed in a consistent description of the measured radii and quadrupole moments. For all observed states, the spins and magnetic moments allow the assignment of rather pure Nilsson configurations.