NameCensus.

UK surname

Lenz

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname referring to a person from the town of Lens, France, or Lenz, Austria.

In the 1881 census there were 30 people recorded with the Lenz surname, ranking it #29,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, up from #29,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, IZ12 and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lenz is 142 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 366.7%.

1881 census count

30

Ranked #29,363

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

2014

142 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lenz had 30 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 86 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Lenz surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lenz surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lenz 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 13 #32,208
1881 historical 30 #29,363
1891 historical 34 #31,604
1901 historical 86 #24,508
1911 historical 81 #24,719
1997 modern 118 #24,423
1998 modern 123 #24,449
1999 modern 129 #23,907
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 124 #24,114
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 120 #24,909
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 112 #26,114
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 128 #24,632
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 128 #25,427
2010 modern 126 #26,312
2011 modern 120 #26,930
2012 modern 123 #26,561
2013 modern 140 #24,779
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Lenz' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, IZ12, Chorley and Bolsover. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 041 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire
3 Chorley 013 Chorley
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 023 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Bolsover 002 Bolsover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lenz

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lenz

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Lenz surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Lenz 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Lenz 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

Lenz 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

Lenz 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 Lenz 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Lenz

The surname LENZ is of Germanic origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in various regions of present-day Germany and Switzerland. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "lens," meaning "lentil," which may have been used as a nickname for someone with a lentil-shaped birthmark or freckles.

In some instances, LENZ may have also originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a lentil field or a place where lentils were grown. The earliest recorded spelling variations of the name include Lentz, Lentze, and Lenze, found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the LENZ surname was Hans Lenz, a merchant from Nuremberg, Germany, who was mentioned in city records in the late 15th century. Another notable historical figure was Johannes Lenz, a German astronomer and mathematician born in 1631, who made significant contributions to the study of comets and celestial mechanics.

In the 17th century, the LENZ surname appeared in the records of the German settlement of Germantown, Pennsylvania, one of the earliest German communities in British North America. Johann Lenz, born in 1663, was among the first settlers of this colony, arriving in 1683.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, several individuals with the LENZ surname gained recognition in various fields. Johann Michael Lenz (1751-1792) was a Russian-German playwright and novelist, best known for his work "The Tutor." Gustav Lenz (1776-1839) was a German composer and organist, while Ernst Lenz (1808-1865) was a prominent German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin.

Another notable figure was Heinrich Friedrich Emil Lenz (1804-1865), a German physicist who formulated Lenz's law, a fundamental principle in electromagnetism. His contributions to the field of physics were significant and continue to be studied today.

Throughout history, the LENZ surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments associated with this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lenz families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lenz 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 14 Lenz' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.79x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 14 4.79x
Lancashire 9 2.59x
Lincolnshire 3 6.42x
Cheshire 2 3.10x
Staffordshire 1 1.01x
Sussex 1 2.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 9 Lenz' recorded in 1881 and an index of 97.51x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 9 97.51x
St Marylebone London 5 32.03x
St Gilesin Fields London 4 1600.00x
Great Grimsby 3 101.01x
Birkenhead 2 38.84x
St Pancras London 2 8.50x
Chelsea London 1 11.35x
Handsworth 1 41.15x
Paddington London 1 9.30x
St Giles In Fields London 1 69.93x
West Hoathly 1 666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Annie 2
Betsey 1
Elizabeth 1
Emilie 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Matilda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 2
Joseph 2
Adolph 1
Albert 1
Arthur 1
George 1
Gustave 1
Henry 1
Herman 1
J. 1
John 1
Philip 1
Reinhold 1
Thomas 1
William 1
Y.Herman 1

FAQ

Lenz surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lenz surname in 1881?

In 1881, 30 people were recorded with the Lenz surname. That placed it at #29,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lenz surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Lenz a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Lenz surname mean?

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) surname referring to a person from the town of Lens, France, or Lenz, Austria.

What does the Lenz map show?

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