NameCensus.

UK surname

Li

A Chinese surname meaning "plum" or "plum tree," or referring to the ancient Li state in Shandong Province.

In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Li surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,196, ranked #930, up from #33,498 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Manchester, Oxford and Cambridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Li is 7,196 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 239766.7%.

1881 census count

3

Ranked #33,498

Modern count

7,196

2016, ranked #930

Peak year

2016

7,196 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Li had 3 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,498 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,196 in 2016, ranked #930.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Li surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Li surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Li 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
1881 historical 3 #33,498
1901 historical 3 #34,063
1997 modern 2,995 #2,156
1998 modern 3,237 #2,070
1999 modern 3,391 #1,996
2000 modern 3,459 #1,953
2001 modern 3,472 #1,908
2002 modern 3,844 #1,764
2003 modern 4,171 #1,575
2004 modern 4,361 #1,517
2005 modern 4,635 #1,408
2006 modern 4,859 #1,344
2007 modern 5,124 #1,287
2008 modern 5,330 #1,243
2009 modern 5,539 #1,216
2010 modern 6,310 #1,102
2011 modern 6,080 #1,125
2012 modern 6,515 #1,027
2013 modern 6,787 #1,008
2014 modern 6,914 #991
2015 modern 7,004 #967
2016 modern 7,196 #930

Geography

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Where Lis 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 Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge, Camden and Swansea. 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 Manchester 055 Manchester
2 Oxford 008 Oxford
3 Cambridge 007 Cambridge
4 Camden 025 Camden
5 Swansea 026 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Li

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Li

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Li, 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 Li surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Li 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Li 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

Li 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

Li falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Li is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

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

Meaning and origin of Li

The surname LI has its origins in China, where it has been in use since ancient times. It is one of the most common surnames in the country and is believed to have originated from the state of Li, which existed during the Spring and Autumn period (771-476 BC) in present-day Shandong province.

The name LI is thought to have derived from the word "li," which means "plum" or "plum tree" in Chinese. This suggests that the surname may have initially been used to denote someone who lived near or worked with plum trees. Alternatively, it could have been a reference to a particular characteristic or trait associated with the plum tree.

Historical records show that the surname LI appeared in various ancient Chinese texts and manuscripts, including the Shiji, a historical record written by Sima Qian in the 1st century BC. The Shiji mentions several prominent individuals with the surname LI, such as Li Si, a prominent statesman and scholar during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LI can be found in the Book of Documents, an ancient Chinese classic text dating back to around 1000 BC. The text mentions a person named Li Kui, who served as a minister during the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC).

Throughout Chinese history, the surname LI has been associated with numerous notable figures, including:

1. Li Bai (701-762 AD), a renowned poet of the Tang Dynasty widely regarded as one of the greatest poets in Chinese literature. 2. Li Shizhen (1518-1593), a renowned pharmacologist and herbalist who authored the Compendium of Materia Medica, a monumental work on traditional Chinese medicine. 3. Li Qingzhao (1084-1155), a renowned female poet and writer of the Song Dynasty, known for her beautiful and emotional poetry. 4. Li Yuan (566-635), the founder of the Tang Dynasty and the first emperor of the dynasty. 5. Li Guang (born 1943), a prominent Chinese physicist and academic who made significant contributions to the study of superconductivity and condensed matter physics.

The surname LI has also been associated with various place names in China, such as Licheng, a historical city in Shandong province, and Lizhou, an ancient county in present-day Hubei province. These place names may have influenced the spread and usage of the surname LI in different regions of China.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Li families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Li 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. Kent leads with 1 Lis recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.40x.

County Total Index
Kent 1 30.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Malling in Kent leads with 1 Lis recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place Total Index
West Malling 1 10000.00x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alfred 1

FAQ

Li surname: questions and answers

How common was the Li surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Li surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Li surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,196 in 2016. That gives Li a modern rank of #930.

What does the Li surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "plum" or "plum tree," or referring to the ancient Li state in Shandong Province.

What does the Li map show?

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