NameCensus.

UK surname

Land

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived on or near land or property.

In the 1881 census there were 2,181 people recorded with the Land surname, ranking it #2,036 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,823, ranked #2,394, down from #2,036 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Batley and Wakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Devon, Wakefield and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Land is 3,233 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.4%.

1881 census count

2,181

Ranked #2,036

Modern count

2,823

2016, ranked #2,394

Peak year

1901

3,233 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Land had 2,181 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,036 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,823 in 2016, ranked #2,394.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,233 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Land surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Land surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Land 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 1,938 #1,496
1861 historical 2,301 #1,279
1881 historical 2,181 #2,036
1891 historical 2,903 #1,624
1901 historical 3,233 #1,730
1911 historical 3,191 #1,635
1997 modern 2,894 #2,235
1998 modern 2,990 #2,250
1999 modern 2,937 #2,307
2000 modern 2,916 #2,309
2001 modern 2,812 #2,341
2002 modern 2,858 #2,354
2003 modern 2,825 #2,326
2004 modern 2,839 #2,317
2005 modern 2,776 #2,344
2006 modern 2,738 #2,366
2007 modern 2,755 #2,381
2008 modern 2,737 #2,406
2009 modern 2,810 #2,401
2010 modern 2,831 #2,429
2011 modern 2,801 #2,419
2012 modern 2,757 #2,422
2013 modern 2,805 #2,423
2014 modern 2,851 #2,392
2015 modern 2,834 #2,392
2016 modern 2,823 #2,394

Geography

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Where Lands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Batley, Wakefield, Bradford 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 Mid Devon, Wakefield, South Norfolk, Barnsley and Derbyshire Dales. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
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 Mid Devon 007 Mid Devon
2 Wakefield 027 Wakefield
3 South Norfolk 004 South Norfolk
4 Barnsley 018 Barnsley
5 Derbyshire Dales 006 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Land

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Land

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Land surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Land household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Land is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Land is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Land falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Land 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 Land, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Land

The surname LAND is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "land" meaning "earth" or "territory." It is believed to have originated in England during the early medieval period, likely before the 11th century.

Initially, the name LAND was likely used as a descriptive surname, referring to someone who lived or worked on a particular land or estate. Over time, it became a hereditary surname passed down through generations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LAND surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in various spellings, including "Landa" and "Lande."

In the 12th century, the surname LAND was documented in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, which recorded landowners and taxpayers in the region. Notable bearers of the name during this period included William de la Lande, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Essex in 1194.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the LAND surname was associated with various place names in England, such as Landbeach in Cambridgeshire and Landford in Wiltshire. These place names likely contributed to the widespread adoption of the surname in those areas.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the LAND surname was Walter de la Lande, who was born in Normandy, France, around 1165. He later accompanied King Richard I on the Third Crusade and was appointed the governor of Cyprus in 1191.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Lande (c. 1470–1538), an English politician and courtier who served as Lord Deputy of Calais during the reign of Henry VIII. He played a crucial role in the defense of Calais against the French in 1536.

In the 17th century, Edward Land (1637–1692) was a notable English mathematician and philosopher. He is best known for his work on the theory of equations and his contributions to the development of symbolic algebra.

During the 18th century, John Landen (1719–1790) was a renowned English mathematician and scientific writer. He made significant contributions to the fields of calculus, mechanics, and optics, and is remembered for his work on elliptic integrals.

In the 19th century, Edwin Herbert Land (1909–1991) was an American scientist and inventor, best known for his invention of the Polaroid instant camera and the development of polarized sunglasses. His revolutionary work in photography and optics earned him numerous awards and accolades.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Land families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Land 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. Yorkshire leads with 607 Lands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.91x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 607 2.91x
Norfolk 324 10.01x
Middlesex 220 1.04x
Derbyshire 153 4.64x
Lancashire 148 0.59x
Surrey 104 1.01x
Devon 96 2.19x
Suffolk 76 2.96x
Somerset 59 1.74x
Kent 43 0.60x
Staffordshire 39 0.55x
Durham 24 0.38x
Lanarkshire 23 0.34x
Lincolnshire 21 0.62x
Essex 20 0.48x
Warwickshire 19 0.36x
Gloucestershire 15 0.36x
Nottinghamshire 15 0.53x
Cheshire 11 0.24x
Bedfordshire 10 0.92x
Hertfordshire 10 0.69x
Huntingdonshire 9 2.15x
Leicestershire 9 0.39x
Northamptonshire 9 0.45x
Northumberland 9 0.29x
Sussex 9 0.25x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.60x
Merionethshire 8 2.08x
Hampshire 7 0.16x
Midlothian 7 0.25x
Glamorgan 6 0.16x
Westmorland 6 1.30x
Worcestershire 6 0.22x
Cardiganshire 5 0.97x
Renfrewshire 5 0.31x
Berkshire 3 0.19x
Channel Islands 3 0.48x
Dorset 3 0.22x
Angus 2 0.10x
Wiltshire 2 0.11x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.05x
Anglesey 1 0.27x
Herefordshire 1 0.12x
Orkney 1 0.43x
Perthshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe in Yorkshire leads with 68 Lands recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.13x.

Place Total Index
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 68 70.13x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 52 69.75x
Wakefield 34 21.22x
Wirksworth 34 113.41x
Batley 33 16.64x
Islington London 29 1.42x
Tiverton 27 35.75x
Leeds 26 2.21x
Bradford 23 4.55x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 22 29.03x
Camberwell 21 1.56x
Limehouse London 21 9.08x
Chorlton On Medlock 20 5.04x
Heigham 20 11.51x
Dewsbury 18 8.41x
St Pancras London 18 1.06x
Derby St Werburgh 17 8.93x
Southwold 17 111.99x
Croydon 16 2.81x
Sheffield 16 2.41x
South Lopham 16 409.21x
Sprowston 16 111.97x
St George In East London 16 8.08x
Bampton 15 111.77x
Barnsley 15 6.97x
Duffield 15 57.71x
Ecclesall Bierlow 15 3.53x
North Lopham 15 297.03x
Scarborough 14 7.38x
Chard 13 31.66x
Govan 13 0.77x
Norwich St John Timberhill 13 149.25x
Tacolnestone 13 407.52x
Barton Upon Irwell 12 6.38x
Hackney London 12 1.02x
Hazelwood 12 437.96x
Patrington 12 121.46x
Toxteth Park 12 1.42x
Bourn 11 40.44x
Holy Trinity 11 2.19x
Mattishall 11 169.75x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 11 67.65x
Poplar London 11 2.77x
Shoreditch London 11 1.20x
Aston 10 0.68x
Broughton In Salford 10 4.38x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 10 20.77x
Castleton 10 4.01x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.80x
Great Yarmouth 10 3.73x
Lambeth 10 0.54x
Lowestoft 10 8.25x
Methley 10 34.04x
Southwark St Saviour 10 9.24x
Westminster St John 10 3.90x
Withypoole 10 540.54x
Finningham 9 297.03x
Godmanchester 9 56.89x
Heston 9 12.87x
Huddersfield 9 2.96x
Openshaw 9 7.69x
Salford 9 1.22x
Sculcoates 9 2.72x
Tonbridge 9 3.47x
Tottenham 9 2.68x
Wells Next Sea 9 47.67x
Acomb 8 73.33x
Battersea 8 1.03x
Berkhampstead 8 24.51x
Castleford 8 10.53x
Llanfihangel Y Traethau 8 36.51x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 8 31.46x
Manchester 8 0.71x
Tibenham 8 175.44x
Tong 8 19.85x
Venn Ottery 8 1000.00x
Wandsworth 8 3.95x
Westoe 8 2.25x
Whitwood 8 26.99x
Wortley In Bramley 8 4.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 129
Elizabeth 94
Sarah 73
Emma 43
Ann 39
Alice 36
Eliza 36
Annie 35
Jane 34
Hannah 29
Ellen 26
Maria 26
Martha 24
Charlotte 20
Emily 17
Edith 16
Harriet 15
Louisa 15
Amelia 14
Caroline 14
Florence 13
Lucy 13
Margaret 13
Anne 12
Clara 12
Susan 12
Fanny 11
Frances 9
Catherine 7
Ada 6
Agnes 6
Gertrude 6
Isabella 6
Jessie 6
Laura 6
Anna 5
Harriett 5
Julia 5
Matilda 5
Rachel 5
Amy 4
Beatrice 4
Bertha 4
Elizth. 4
Eva 4
Kate 4
Lydia 4
Maud 4
Nancy 4
Rebecca 4

Top male names

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

FAQ

Land surname: questions and answers

How common was the Land surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,181 people were recorded with the Land surname. That placed it at #2,036 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Land surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,823 in 2016. That gives Land a modern rank of #2,394.

What does the Land surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived on or near land or property.

What does the Land map show?

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