NameCensus.

UK surname

Langdon

A habitational surname derived from any of the various places in England named Langdon, meaning "long hill."

In the 1881 census there were 2,299 people recorded with the Langdon surname, ranking it #1,944 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,567, ranked #2,578, down from #1,944 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, South Hams and West Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Langdon is 2,731 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.7%.

1881 census count

2,299

Ranked #1,944

Modern count

2,567

2016, ranked #2,578

Peak year

1911

2,731 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Langdon had 2,299 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,944 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,567 in 2016, ranked #2,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,731 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Langdon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Langdon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Langdon 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 1,736 #1,664
1861 historical 1,374 #2,081
1881 historical 2,299 #1,944
1891 historical 2,333 #2,014
1901 historical 2,614 #2,108
1911 historical 2,731 #1,897
1997 modern 2,549 #2,484
1998 modern 2,647 #2,486
1999 modern 2,685 #2,475
2000 modern 2,624 #2,503
2001 modern 2,549 #2,518
2002 modern 2,640 #2,494
2003 modern 2,561 #2,505
2004 modern 2,544 #2,524
2005 modern 2,521 #2,524
2006 modern 2,513 #2,539
2007 modern 2,518 #2,552
2008 modern 2,545 #2,541
2009 modern 2,616 #2,544
2010 modern 2,678 #2,539
2011 modern 2,616 #2,567
2012 modern 2,550 #2,578
2013 modern 2,586 #2,584
2014 modern 2,595 #2,590
2015 modern 2,581 #2,577
2016 modern 2,567 #2,578

Geography

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Where Langdons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Newchurch and St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, South Hams, West Somerset and Neath Port Talbot. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 021 South Somerset
2 South Hams 002 South Hams
3 West Somerset 001 West Somerset
4 South Somerset 017 South Somerset
5 Neath Port Talbot 005 Neath Port Talbot

Forenames

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First names often paired with Langdon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Langdon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Langdon, 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 Langdon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Langdon 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Langdon is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Langdon is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Langdon 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 Langdon 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 Langdon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Langdon

The surname Langdon has its origins in England, emerging in the medieval period around the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from various places named Langdon or Langdene, which means "long valley" in Old English. The earliest recorded instances of the name come from the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Langedune" and "Langedene".

The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Kent and Essex, where several villages and hamlets bore the name Langdon or variations thereof. One notable example is the village of Langdon Hills in Essex, which was recorded as "Langeduna" in the Domesday Book.

Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Langdoun, Longdon, and Langdonne, reflecting the fluidity of English orthography during that time. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Robert de Langdon, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure bearing the name was Thomas de Langdon, a monk and chronicler from the Abbey of St. Augustine in Canterbury. His historical works, including the "Chronicon Monasterii Sancti Augustini Cantuariensis," provide valuable insights into the events and personalities of his time.

Another notable individual was Sir John Langdon, born around 1510, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1577. He was a successful merchant and played a significant role in the city's governance and trade affairs during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name gained further prominence with the birth of Samuel Langdon in 1723. He was an influential minister and president of Harvard College, known for his political sermons and support for American independence during the Revolutionary War.

Fast-forwarding to the 19th century, John Langdon Langdon-Down, born in 1828, was a pioneering English physician who made significant contributions to the field of mental health. He was the first to describe the condition now known as Down syndrome, which was initially referred to as "Langdon-Down syndrome" in his honor.

Throughout its history, the Langdon surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from clergymen and scholars to merchants and politicians, contributing to the rich tapestry of English heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Langdon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Langdon 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. Somerset leads with 531 Langdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.53x.

County Total Index
Somerset 531 14.53x
Devon 436 9.22x
Middlesex 317 1.40x
Cornwall 236 9.18x
Gloucestershire 102 2.29x
Surrey 99 0.89x
Hampshire 92 1.98x
Lancashire 71 0.26x
Kent 59 0.76x
Glamorgan 51 1.29x
Yorkshire 38 0.17x
Essex 30 0.67x
Pembrokeshire 26 3.60x
Channel Islands 25 3.72x
Sussex 21 0.55x
Derbyshire 19 0.53x
Dorset 18 1.21x
Lanarkshire 16 0.22x
Durham 14 0.21x
Monmouthshire 14 0.85x
Cheshire 11 0.22x
Flintshire 11 1.80x
Staffordshire 11 0.14x
Suffolk 8 0.29x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.33x
Leicestershire 7 0.28x
Royal Navy 7 2.59x
Warwickshire 7 0.12x
Herefordshire 5 0.54x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.16x
Lincolnshire 4 0.11x
Norfolk 4 0.11x
Wiltshire 4 0.20x
Berkshire 3 0.18x
Northamptonshire 3 0.14x
Worcestershire 3 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.14x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.44x
Westmorland 2 0.40x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.07x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.19x
Northumberland 1 0.03x
Perthshire 1 0.10x
Shropshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chiselborough in Somerset leads with 68 Langdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2419.93x.

Place Total Index
Chiselborough 68 2419.93x
St Pancras London 43 2.35x
Williton 42 343.14x
Bedminster 36 10.48x
Paignton 34 94.52x
Ryde 31 31.00x
Plymouth St Andrew 27 7.41x
Old Cleeve 26 199.23x
Paddington London 26 3.11x
St Stephen 26 285.09x
Bridgewater 24 24.18x
St Agnes 23 63.87x
St Marylebone London 23 1.90x
Camberwell 22 1.52x
Exeter St Sidwell 22 20.32x
Widdecombeinthe Moor 20 315.46x
Hammersmith London 19 3.40x
Yeovil 19 25.58x
East Stonehouse 18 19.33x
Kensington London 18 1.43x
Bristol St James St Paul 17 11.45x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 17 4.05x
Hackney London 17 1.34x
Mile End Old Town London 17 3.52x
Norton Sub Hamdon 17 405.73x
West Chinnock 17 523.08x
Plymouth Charles The 16 7.68x
Bermondsey 15 2.22x
Croydon 15 2.44x
Ealing 15 7.39x
East Coker 15 187.50x
Exeter Heavitree 15 42.55x
Islington London 15 0.68x
Millbrook 15 12.80x
St Teath 15 96.90x
Chatham 14 6.57x
Clerkenwell London 14 2.61x
West Ham 14 1.41x
Clifton 13 5.77x
Luxborough 13 400.00x
Tormoham 13 6.50x
Brotton 12 40.86x
Fulham London 12 3.64x
Lanteglos 12 100.93x
Liskeard 12 27.89x
Monksilver 12 585.37x
Newington 12 1.43x
Cardiff St Bride Super 11 2037.04x
Minehead 11 79.65x
Sidbury 11 108.70x
Steynton 11 47.15x
Swansea Town 11 3.39x
Wiveliscombe 11 54.00x
Ashburton 10 44.25x
Broad Clist 10 61.31x
Chard 10 22.58x
Great Torrington 10 37.31x
Hornsey 10 3.48x
Lambeth 10 0.51x
Littleham 10 28.94x
Llanstadwell 10 42.41x
St Helier 10 4.56x
Bethnal Green London 9 0.91x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 9 22.18x
Cannington 9 82.87x
Carhampton 9 179.64x
Dalton In Furness 9 8.65x
Derby St Peter 9 7.95x
Hastings St Mary In The 9 11.02x
Holy Trinity 9 90.73x
Kenwyn 9 13.39x
Minster 9 257.14x
Plumstead 9 3.48x
South Brent 9 88.67x
St Clement 9 33.54x
Stonehouse East 9 37.53x
Taunton St James 9 16.88x
Walthamstow 9 5.58x
Bicknoller 8 314.96x
Newton St Loe 8 281.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 162
Elizabeth 98
Sarah 51
Eliza 42
Jane 39
Emily 38
Ann 35
Emma 34
Alice 31
Ellen 25
Annie 24
Florence 22
Louisa 22
Susan 20
Edith 19
Fanny 19
Bessie 16
Martha 16
Charlotte 15
Harriet 15
Ada 14
Clara 14
Caroline 13
Margaret 13
Maria 13
Catherine 12
Hannah 12
Anna 11
Lucy 11
Rose 11
Agnes 10
Amy 10
Anne 8
Frances 8
Kate 8
Beatrice 7
Harriett 7
Ethel 6
Grace 6
Isabella 6
Rebecca 6
Amelia 5
Betsy 5
Elizth. 5
Esther 5
Helen 5
Lydia 5
Matilda 5
Minnie 5
Henrietta 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 132
John 123
George 71
James 69
Henry 62
Thomas 60
Charles 58
Alfred 27
Frederick 27
Robert 27
Joseph 24
Albert 20
Edward 20
Harry 19
Samuel 19
Walter 16
Ernest 13
Richard 13
Frank 12
Francis 11
Arthur 10
Edwin 10
Herbert 9
Martin 9
Benjamin 7
Nicholas 7
Chas. 6
Isaac 6
Thos. 6
Leonard 5
Mark 5
Eli 4
Fredrick 4
Peter 4
Philip 4
Tom 4
W. 4
Abraham 3
Elias 3
Fredk. 3
Jas. 3
Jeremiah 3
Josiah 3
Reuben 3
Sydney 3
Wm. 3
David 2
Noah 2
Percy 2
R. 2

FAQ

Langdon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Langdon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,299 people were recorded with the Langdon surname. That placed it at #1,944 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Langdon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,567 in 2016. That gives Langdon a modern rank of #2,578.

What does the Langdon surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from any of the various places in England named Langdon, meaning "long hill."

What does the Langdon map show?

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