NameCensus.

UK surname

Cline

Derived from German "klein," meaning "small," or referring to someone who lived near a clay pit or cliff.

In the 1881 census there were 127 people recorded with the Cline surname, ranking it #17,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 241, ranked #17,233, down from #17,166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bury, Bristol and Shepway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cline is 269 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 89.8%.

1881 census count

127

Ranked #17,166

Modern count

241

2016, ranked #17,233

Peak year

2000

269 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cline had 127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016, ranked #17,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 223 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Cline surname distribution map

The map shows where the Cline surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Cline surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cline over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 101 #17,036
1861 historical 110 #19,562
1881 historical 127 #17,166
1891 historical 113 #22,162
1901 historical 156 #17,638
1911 historical 223 #13,951
1997 modern 250 #15,281
1998 modern 267 #15,016
1999 modern 259 #15,433
2000 modern 269 #14,983
2001 modern 264 #14,958
2002 modern 257 #15,523
2003 modern 245 #15,822
2004 modern 238 #16,242
2005 modern 230 #16,583
2006 modern 230 #16,690
2007 modern 236 #16,617
2008 modern 230 #17,033
2009 modern 241 #16,848
2010 modern 249 #16,837
2011 modern 245 #16,874
2012 modern 249 #16,572
2013 modern 243 #17,114
2014 modern 250 #16,905
2015 modern 244 #17,090
2016 modern 241 #17,233

Geography

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Where Clines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, Toxteth Park, Manchester, St George the Martyr and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bury, Bristol, Shepway, Barking and Dagenham and Camden. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bury 024 Bury
2 Bristol 035 Bristol, City of
3 Shepway 002 Shepway
4 Barking and Dagenham 003 Barking and Dagenham
5 Camden 006 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cline

These lists show first names that appear often with the Cline surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cline

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cline, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Cline surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Cline household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cline is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cline is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cline falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cline is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cline, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cline

The surname Cline is derived from the Old English word "clin" or "clyne", which means "a valley" or "a ravine". This name originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "de Cline", "de Clyne", and "de Clina", indicating that the bearers of this name were likely located near a valley or ravine.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Robert de Clyne, who lived in Oxfordshire, England, during the 13th century. Another notable figure was John Cline, a wealthy merchant from Bristol, England, who lived in the 15th century and was known for his philanthropic endeavors.

The surname Cline also has connections to various place names in England, such as Cline in Derbyshire and Clyne in Swansea, Wales. These place names likely influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time.

In the 17th century, the Cline surname gained prominence with the birth of Mary Cline (1624-1704), who was one of the first English settlers in Virginia, USA. She married John Gorsuch, and their descendants played a significant role in the early history of the American colonies.

Another notable figure with the Cline surname was John Cline (1759-1825), an American Revolutionary War soldier and pioneer who settled in what is now West Virginia. He was renowned for his bravery and leadership during the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774.

In the 19th century, James Cline (1809-1891) was a prominent American politician and lawyer who served as a judge in Iowa and was actively involved in the establishment of the Republican Party.

Throughout history, the Cline surname has been carried by numerous individuals who have left their mark in various fields, such as literature, politics, and military service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cline families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cline surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 30 Clines recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.46x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 30 2.46x
Northumberland 16 8.82x
Surrey 16 2.69x
Lancashire 15 1.04x
Yorkshire 12 0.99x
Devon 11 4.33x
Worcestershire 6 3.77x
Essex 4 1.66x
Hertfordshire 3 3.57x
Kent 3 0.72x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.83x
Westmorland 3 11.20x
Angus 1 0.89x
Caithness 1 5.99x
Gloucestershire 1 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sculcoates in Yorkshire leads with 12 Clines recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.66x.

Place Total Index
Sculcoates 12 62.66x
Longbenton 9 117.19x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 32.61x
Toxteth Park 8 16.33x
Exeter St David 7 322.58x
Newington 6 13.32x
Whistones 6 521.74x
Berwick Upon Tweed 5 130.21x
Chadderton 4 56.58x
East Stonehouse 4 80.00x
Enfield 4 50.00x
Hammersmith London 4 13.32x
Islington London 4 3.39x
St Bartholomew Great 4 360.36x
Woodford 4 147.06x
Kings Langley 3 491.80x
Margate St John Baptist 3 39.37x
Mile End Old Town London 3 11.56x
Southwell 3 250.00x
Stainton 3 1875.00x
Bromley London 2 7.46x
Ratcliffe London 2 29.72x
St Marylebone London 2 3.07x
Alnwick 1 32.05x
Brechin 1 22.52x
Bristol Christchurch 1 285.71x
Cheetham 1 9.27x
Clapham 1 6.56x
Esher 1 120.48x
Liverpool 1 1.14x
Shadwell London 1 29.33x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 18.94x
St Anne Soho London 1 14.37x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.66x
St Luke London 1 5.12x
Tynemouth 1 10.30x
Wick 1 18.55x
Widnes 1 9.59x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cline surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 6
Sarah 5
Louisa 4
Margaret 4
Annie 3
Emma 3
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Loveday 2
Lucy 2
M. 2
Mearcy 2
Adeline 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Christiania 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Isabel 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Louise 1
Maud 1
Rebecca 1
Ruth 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Cline surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Cline surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cline surname in 1881?

In 1881, 127 people were recorded with the Cline surname. That placed it at #17,166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cline surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016. That gives Cline a modern rank of #17,233.

What does the Cline surname mean?

Derived from German "klein," meaning "small," or referring to someone who lived near a clay pit or cliff.

What does the Cline map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cline bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.