NameCensus.

UK surname

Lilburn

A locational surname denoting someone from Lilburn, England.

In the 1881 census there were 207 people recorded with the Lilburn surname, ranking it #12,555 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 247, ranked #16,955, down from #12,555 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes and Lincoln St Swithin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, Aboyne and South Deeside and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lilburn is 275 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.3%.

1881 census count

207

Ranked #12,555

Modern count

247

2016, ranked #16,955

Peak year

1901

275 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lilburn had 207 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,555 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016, ranked #16,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 275 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Lilburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lilburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Lilburn 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 162 #12,215
1861 historical 158 #14,644
1881 historical 207 #12,555
1891 historical 232 #13,429
1901 historical 275 #12,332
1911 historical 198 #15,058
1997 modern 254 #15,111
1998 modern 269 #14,941
1999 modern 271 #14,954
2000 modern 264 #15,191
2001 modern 257 #15,236
2002 modern 255 #15,599
2003 modern 242 #15,960
2004 modern 244 #15,948
2005 modern 230 #16,583
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 238 #16,505
2008 modern 254 #15,903
2009 modern 266 #15,711
2010 modern 262 #16,252
2011 modern 250 #16,637
2012 modern 252 #16,424
2013 modern 257 #16,466
2014 modern 254 #16,726
2015 modern 259 #16,409
2016 modern 247 #16,955

Geography

Back to top

Where Lilburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes, Lincoln St Swithin and Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, Aboyne and South Deeside, Northumberland and Horsham. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Lincoln St Swithin Lincolnshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 010 South Hams
2 Aboyne and South Deeside Aberdeenshire
3 Northumberland 024 Northumberland
4 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
5 Horsham 008 Horsham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Lilburn

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Lilburn

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Lilburn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Lilburn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lilburn 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

Lilburn is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lilburn falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lilburn

The surname Lilburn is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the Northumberland region of England during the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "leac," meaning a garden or field, and "burna," meaning a stream or brook. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a stream running through a garden or field.

The earliest known record of the surname Lilburn dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in the year 1230 as "de Lilleburn." This spelling variation provides insight into the name's evolution over time, reflecting the influence of local dialects and pronunciation changes.

Lilburn is also associated with several notable historical figures. One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing this name was Sir John Lilburn, a prominent Leveller leader and political activist born in 1614. He played a significant role in the English Civil War and was a vocal advocate for extended civil liberties and religious freedoms.

Another notable individual with the surname Lilburn was Robert Lilburne, born in 1613, who served as a Member of Parliament for Northumberland during the English Civil War and the Interregnum period. He was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause and played a role in the trial and execution of King Charles I.

In the 18th century, John Lilburne, born in 1722, was a notable English botanist and horticulturist. He made significant contributions to the study of plant life and was a respected figure in the scientific community of his time.

Moving forward to the 19th century, George Lilburn, born in 1835, was a prominent industrialist and entrepreneur who played a pivotal role in the development of the coal mining industry in the Northumberland region.

Another individual worth mentioning is William Lilburn, born in 1876, who was a renowned architect and designer known for his work on various churches and public buildings in the Northumberland area.

While the surname Lilburn has its roots in the north of England, it has since spread to other parts of the country and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions across various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Lilburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lilburn 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. Northumberland leads with 57 Lilburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.16x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 57 19.16x
Lincolnshire 26 8.13x
Angus 18 9.72x
Middlesex 13 0.65x
Durham 12 2.02x
Perthshire 12 13.37x
Surrey 11 1.13x
Lanarkshire 8 1.24x
Sussex 8 2.37x
Orkney 7 31.82x
Kent 6 0.88x
Yorkshire 6 0.30x
Devon 5 1.20x
Lancashire 5 0.21x
Clackmannanshire 3 18.17x
Worcestershire 3 1.15x
Fife 2 1.69x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.86x
Hampshire 1 0.24x
Kinross-shire 1 19.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Island in Northumberland leads with 20 Lilburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 5263.16x.

Place Total Index
Holy Island 20 5263.16x
St Swithin Lincoln 17 337.97x
Dundee 14 20.24x
Hammersmith London 11 22.33x
Bishopwearmouth 8 15.66x
Cowpen 8 116.79x
Bedlington 7 70.49x
Stromness 7 424.24x
Govan 6 3.75x
Rye 6 187.50x
Southwark St Saviour 6 58.37x
Barnstaple 5 76.57x
Battersea 5 6.80x
Berwick Upon Tweed 5 79.37x
Deptford St Paul 5 9.50x
Gainsborough 5 66.31x
Inchture 5 1111.11x
Wuerdle Wardle 5 69.44x
Chirton 4 59.44x
Murroes 4 784.31x
Tynemouth 4 25.11x
Bromsgrove 3 34.13x
Dollar 3 175.44x
Doxford 3 4285.71x
Dunbarney 3 576.92x
Skegness 3 326.09x
Arngask 2 540.54x
Dalziel 2 28.74x
Errol 2 120.48x
Tottenham 2 6.28x
Westbourne 2 119.05x
Bigges Quarter 1 555.56x
Chilton 1 53.76x
Dumbarton 1 13.37x
Greenwich 1 3.14x
Healey Comb Hill 1 5000.00x
Heaton 1 101.01x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 3.88x
Holy Trinity 1 2.10x
Kilspindie 1 208.33x
Kinross 1 57.80x
Kirkmichael 1 172.41x
Langfield 1 28.82x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 6.49x
North Shields 1 16.84x
Northallerton 1 39.53x
Portsmouth 1 10.59x
Sculcoates 1 3.18x
South Shields 1 18.87x
St Martin Lincoln 1 33.67x
Sunderland 1 9.51x
Witton Shields 1 10000.00x
York All Sts Pavement 1 434.78x
York St Giles In 1 53.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Jane 7
Isabella 6
Catherine 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Elizabeth 3
Emily 3
Margaret 3
Alice 2
Lizzie 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Christian 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Claudius 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellenor 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Helen 1
Louise 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Mirriam 1
Nellie 1
Phoebe 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 11
James 6
George 4
Harry 4
Charles 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Claudius 2
Edward 2
Reuben 2
Robson 2
Selby 2
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
David 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk 1
Geo.Wm. 1
H.Percy 1
Jno. 1
Stephen 1
Thos.Edwd.F. 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lilburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lilburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 207 people were recorded with the Lilburn surname. That placed it at #12,555 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lilburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 247 in 2016. That gives Lilburn a modern rank of #16,955.

What does the Lilburn surname mean?

A locational surname denoting someone from Lilburn, England.

What does the Lilburn map show?

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