NameCensus.

UK surname

Lain

A variant of Lane, referring to someone who lived near a lane or path.

In the 1881 census there were 194 people recorded with the Lain surname, ranking it #13,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 260, ranked #16,349, down from #13,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Morley St Botolph, Morley St Peter and Forncett St Peter. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Pembrokeshire and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lain is 286 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.0%.

1881 census count

194

Ranked #13,097

Modern count

260

2016, ranked #16,349

Peak year

1999

286 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lain had 194 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016, ranked #16,349.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 260 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Lain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lain surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lain 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 215 #9,860
1861 historical 251 #9,830
1881 historical 194 #13,097
1891 historical 260 #12,367
1901 historical 225 #14,047
1911 historical 187 #15,600
1997 modern 247 #15,399
1998 modern 272 #14,846
1999 modern 286 #14,412
2000 modern 270 #14,943
2001 modern 253 #15,403
2002 modern 269 #15,044
2003 modern 257 #15,341
2004 modern 249 #15,739
2005 modern 244 #15,900
2006 modern 253 #15,602
2007 modern 255 #15,687
2008 modern 249 #16,111
2009 modern 261 #15,926
2010 modern 255 #16,563
2011 modern 235 #17,328
2012 modern 240 #16,979
2013 modern 261 #16,309
2014 modern 270 #16,020
2015 modern 269 #15,955
2016 modern 260 #16,349

Geography

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Where Lains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, Morley St Botolph, Morley St Peter, Forncett St Peter, Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, Pembrokeshire, Hinckley and Bosworth, Broadland and South Norfolk. 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 Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 Morley St Botolph, Morley St Peter Norfolk
3 Forncett St Peter Norfolk
4 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 005 North Devon
2 Pembrokeshire 014 Pembrokeshire
3 Hinckley and Bosworth 004 Hinckley and Bosworth
4 Broadland 002 Broadland
5 South Norfolk 001 South Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lain

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lain, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Lain surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Lain household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Lain is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lain is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lain falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lain is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lain

The surname Lain has its origins in the northern regions of England, particularly in the counties of Northumberland and Yorkshire. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, sometime around the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1176, where it is spelled as "Lain." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have derived from an Old English personal name or a place name.

Some scholars suggest that Lain could be a variant of the Old English name "Læfing," which means "the beloved" or "the dear one." Others propose that it may be related to the Old Norse word "leyna," meaning "to conceal" or "to hide," potentially indicating an occupational surname for someone who worked in a secret or concealed profession.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with similar names, such as "Laindon" in Essex and "Laneham" in Nottinghamshire. These place names could have influenced the development of the surname Lain, as it was common for people to adopt surnames derived from the places they lived or were associated with.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Lain was John Lain, a merchant from York who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1301. In the 14th century, a Richard Lain was recorded as a landowner in the village of Laneham, Nottinghamshire, in the Nomina Villarum of 1316.

During the 16th century, the Lain family had a notable presence in the northern counties. In 1586, Robert Lain was born in Northumberland and later became a renowned scholar and author, publishing works on theology and philosophy.

In the 17th century, the Lain surname gained prominence in the legal and political spheres. Sir Thomas Lain (1615-1687) was a notable lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King Charles II.

In the 18th century, the Lain family had connections to the arts and literature. William Lain (1725-1801) was a prominent poet and playwright from Yorkshire, known for his satirical works and contributions to the Yorkshire literary scene.

As the centuries progressed, the Lain surname spread to various parts of England and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields and professions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lain 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. Norfolk leads with 106 Lains recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.00x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 106 37.00x
Durham 25 4.51x
Yorkshire 12 0.65x
Middlesex 8 0.43x
Surrey 7 0.77x
Warwickshire 5 1.06x
Midlothian 4 1.60x
Lancashire 3 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.78x
Kent 2 0.31x
West Lothian 2 7.13x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.58x
Angus 1 0.58x
Ayrshire 1 0.72x
Bedfordshire 1 1.04x
Cumberland 1 0.62x
Derbyshire 1 0.34x
Devon 1 0.26x
Essex 1 0.27x
Fife 1 0.91x
Gloucestershire 1 0.27x
Leicestershire 1 0.48x
Lincolnshire 1 0.34x
Suffolk 1 0.44x
Sussex 1 0.32x
Wiltshire 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wymondham in Norfolk leads with 39 Lains recorded in 1881 and an index of 1331.06x.

Place Total Index
Wymondham 39 1331.06x
Heigham 17 110.61x
Hackford In Forehoe 11 8461.54x
Normanton 11 198.20x
Morley St Botolph 10 5555.56x
Westoe 10 31.83x
Monkwearmouth 9 169.49x
Forncett St Peter 4 1025.64x
Gateshead 4 9.64x
Kirknewton 4 555.56x
Lakenham 4 98.28x
Lambeth 4 2.46x
Norwich St Etheldred 4 1000.00x
Besthorpe 3 967.74x
Aston 2 1.55x
Broughton In Salford 2 9.90x
Eton 2 78.43x
Houghton Le Spring 2 52.22x
Minster In Sheppey 2 18.99x
Norwich St Peter Hungate 2 800.00x
St Pancras London 2 1.33x
Tivetshall St Mary 2 1111.11x
Uphall 2 64.72x
Wacton 2 1333.33x
Auckinleck 1 23.15x
Battersea 1 1.46x
Bedford St Paul 1 15.11x
Birmingham 1 0.64x
Bristol St Paul In 1 10.28x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.27x
Culsalmond 1 188.68x
Cupar 1 20.83x
Great Ellingham 1 238.10x
Hastings Holy Trinity 1 43.29x
Highweek 1 72.46x
Holy Trinity 1 2.25x
Isleworth 1 12.08x
Kirkley 1 52.63x
Lochee 1 64.94x
Loughton 1 54.95x
Matlock 1 25.51x
Melton Mowbray 1 26.95x
Newton Flotman 1 555.56x
North Walsham 1 48.31x
Norwich St Peter 1 53.19x
Paddington London 1 1.46x
Preston Quarter 1 22.27x
Richmond 1 7.86x
Saxlingham Nethergate 1 294.12x
Shilton 1 384.62x
Spittlegate 1 24.27x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 12.39x
St Marylebone London 1 1.01x
Stratton St Michael 1 588.24x
Swindon 1 7.82x
Thompson 1 434.78x
Tottenham 1 3.37x
Wandsworth 1 5.58x
Warrington 1 3.82x
Wootton Wawen 1 67.57x
Yelverton 1 2000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 12
Mary 9
Alice 7
Anna 4
Elizabeth 4
Emma 4
Harriet 4
Charlotte 3
Frances 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Margaret 2
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ellin 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Eveline 1
Georganna 1
Grace 1
Grae.A. 1
Harriett 1
Hester 1
Jane 1
Juley 1
July 1
Kathleen 1
Larna 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Margt.J. 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Miriam 1
Peter 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Salome 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Lain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 194 people were recorded with the Lain surname. That placed it at #13,097 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 260 in 2016. That gives Lain a modern rank of #16,349.

What does the Lain surname mean?

A variant of Lane, referring to someone who lived near a lane or path.

What does the Lain map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lain 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.