NameCensus.

UK surname

Lemin

A surname derived from the German "Lehmann", meaning someone living near a clay pit or quarry.

In the 1881 census there were 128 people recorded with the Lemin surname, ranking it #17,079 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 222, ranked #18,277, down from #17,079 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Redruth, Illogan and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Plymouth and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lemin is 263 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.4%.

1881 census count

128

Ranked #17,079

Modern count

222

2016, ranked #18,277

Peak year

1999

263 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lemin had 128 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,079 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 222 in 2016, ranked #18,277.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 180 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Lemin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lemin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lemin 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 120 #15,144
1861 historical 66 #25,487
1881 historical 128 #17,079
1891 historical 128 #20,393
1901 historical 156 #17,638
1911 historical 180 #15,961
1997 modern 232 #16,012
1998 modern 248 #15,772
1999 modern 263 #15,267
2000 modern 239 #16,239
2001 modern 235 #16,147
2002 modern 258 #15,485
2003 modern 244 #15,861
2004 modern 229 #16,684
2005 modern 232 #16,480
2006 modern 232 #16,600
2007 modern 238 #16,505
2008 modern 236 #16,736
2009 modern 247 #16,549
2010 modern 252 #16,701
2011 modern 237 #17,235
2012 modern 222 #17,921
2013 modern 232 #17,663
2014 modern 223 #18,279
2015 modern 220 #18,346
2016 modern 222 #18,277

Geography

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Where Lemins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Redruth, Illogan, Gateshead, St Hilary and Camborne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Plymouth and Cornwall. 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 Redruth Cornwall
2 Illogan Cornwall
3 Gateshead Durham
4 St Hilary Cornwall
5 Camborne Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 007 Caerphilly
2 Plymouth 013 Plymouth
3 Cornwall 039 Cornwall
4 Caerphilly 002 Caerphilly
5 Cornwall 031 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lemin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lemin

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Lemin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lemin 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 house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Lemin is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Lemin is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lemin falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lemin

The surname Lemin is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "lemin" or "lamin", which referred to a type of thin metal plate or sheet. This suggests the name may have initially been an occupational surname for a metalworker or someone involved in the production of metal goods.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Lemin can be found in the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Marmoutier, a collection of charters and documents from the Abbey of Marmoutier in Tours, France. The name appears in a document dated to the late 12th century, which mentions a certain "Robertus Lemin" as a witness to a land transaction.

In the 13th century, the surname Lemin is also recorded in the Testa de Nevill, an important medieval census document compiled in England during the reign of King Henry III. This suggests that individuals bearing the name may have migrated from France to England during this time period.

One notable figure with the surname Lemin was Jean Lemin, a French merchant and explorer who lived in the late 15th century. He is believed to have been one of the earliest European traders to establish contacts with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean region.

During the Renaissance era, the Lemin family was prominent in the city of Lyon, France. In the 16th century, a certain Jacques Lemin (1520-1587) was a respected lawyer and legal scholar who served as a magistrate in the Lyon parliament.

Another individual of note was Pierre Lemin (1640-1715), a French artist and engraver who was known for his intricate etchings and engravings depicting religious and mythological scenes. His work was highly regarded during his lifetime and can be found in collections across Europe.

In the 18th century, the surname Lemin appears in connection with the town of Beaumont-le-Roger in Normandy, France. Records from this period mention a family of wealthy landowners and merchants bearing the name, possibly suggesting the surname had its origins in this region.

As the surname Lemin spread across Europe, it also found its way to other countries, such as Germany and Switzerland. In the 19th century, a Swiss mathematician named Johann Jakob Lemin (1808-1888) made significant contributions to the field of geometry and authored several influential works on the subject.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lemin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lemin 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. Cornwall leads with 51 Lemins recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.65x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 51 36.65x
Devon 13 5.08x
Caernarfonshire 12 24.14x
Anglesey 11 50.51x
Lancashire 8 0.55x
Surrey 8 1.34x
Northumberland 7 3.83x
Somerset 6 3.03x
Middlesex 5 0.41x
Kent 2 0.48x
Essex 1 0.41x
Glamorgan 1 0.47x
Royal Navy 1 6.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanengan in Caernarfonshire leads with 12 Lemins recorded in 1881 and an index of 2000.00x.

Place Total Index
Llanengan 12 2000.00x
Amlwch 10 487.80x
Redruth 10 253.81x
St Hilary 8 2000.00x
Brixham 7 236.49x
St Austell 7 147.06x
Camborne 6 104.71x
Cramlington 6 247.93x
Old Cleeve 6 845.07x
St Stephens By Saltash 6 1000.00x
Toxteth Park 6 12.15x
Hackney London 5 7.26x
Bermondsey 4 10.93x
Lambeth 4 3.73x
St Neot 3 545.45x
East Stonehouse 2 39.68x
Falmouth 2 40.57x
Margate St John Baptist 2 26.04x
Quethiock 2 1000.00x
St Ewe 2 476.19x
St Mewan 2 465.12x
Stoke Damerel 2 11.17x
Belsay 1 588.24x
Blisland 1 434.78x
Bodmin 1 43.48x
Braunton 1 114.94x
Devonport 1 34.01x
Hatfield Peverel 1 192.31x
Liverpool 1 1.13x
Llaneilian 1 250.00x
Madron 1 89.29x
Royal Navy 1 7.99x
Spotland 1 6.17x
Swansea 1 416.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 7
Jane 4
Florence 3
Grace 3
Alma 2
Bessie 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Cathrine 1
Elizh. 1
Ellen 1
Ema 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Helina 1
Janie 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Marey 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Moad 1
Robini 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 9
Charles 5
Edward 5
Richard 5
James 4
Solomon 3
Samuel 2
Alfred 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Herman 1
Irving 1
Joseph 1
Lander 1
Mabel 1
Mark 1
Oscar 1
Owen 1
Richd.Chas. 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Lemin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lemin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 128 people were recorded with the Lemin surname. That placed it at #17,079 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lemin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 222 in 2016. That gives Lemin a modern rank of #18,277.

What does the Lemin surname mean?

A surname derived from the German "Lehmann", meaning someone living near a clay pit or quarry.

What does the Lemin map show?

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