NameCensus.

UK surname

Limb

A surname referring to a person with a physical deformity or disability.

In the 1881 census there were 677 people recorded with the Limb surname, ranking it #5,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,355, ranked #4,448, up from #5,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eastwood, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Boston, East Lindsey and Erewash.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Limb is 1,404 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.1%.

1881 census count

677

Ranked #5,320

Modern count

1,355

2016, ranked #4,448

Peak year

1998

1,404 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Limb had 677 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,355 in 2016, ranked #4,448.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,197 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Limb surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Limb surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Limb 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 505 #4,949
1861 historical 465 #5,591
1881 historical 677 #5,320
1891 historical 811 #4,976
1901 historical 996 #4,780
1911 historical 1,197 #3,927
1997 modern 1,380 #4,187
1998 modern 1,404 #4,265
1999 modern 1,394 #4,320
2000 modern 1,389 #4,314
2001 modern 1,349 #4,335
2002 modern 1,364 #4,386
2003 modern 1,297 #4,496
2004 modern 1,303 #4,471
2005 modern 1,298 #4,433
2006 modern 1,282 #4,497
2007 modern 1,286 #4,530
2008 modern 1,292 #4,535
2009 modern 1,338 #4,495
2010 modern 1,384 #4,445
2011 modern 1,360 #4,463
2012 modern 1,354 #4,413
2013 modern 1,387 #4,411
2014 modern 1,394 #4,408
2015 modern 1,370 #4,429
2016 modern 1,355 #4,448

Geography

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Where Limbs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eastwood, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood, Ilkeston and Chesterfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Boston, East Lindsey, Erewash and Chesterfield. 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 Eastwood Nottinghamshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood Nottinghamshire
4 Ilkeston Nottinghamshire
5 Chesterfield Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Boston 001 Boston
2 East Lindsey 017 East Lindsey
3 East Lindsey 018 East Lindsey
4 Erewash 003 Erewash
5 Chesterfield 001 Chesterfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Limb

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Limb

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Limb, 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 Limb surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Limb 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, Limb 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

Limb is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Limb

The surname LIMB is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "lim" which means "branch" or "member" of the body. The name can be traced back to the 12th century in various regions of England, particularly in areas such as Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LIMB appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where it is listed as "Robertus Lym." The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer during the medieval period.

In the 13th century, the name LIMB is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is recorded as "Willelmus le Lymbe." The Hundred Rolls were administrative records documenting the holdings of landowners in various counties of England.

During the 14th century, the LIMB surname appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, dated around 1349. Here, the name is listed as "Johannes Lymbe."

One notable figure bearing the LIMB surname was Sir Robert Lymb (c. 1460-1528), a prominent English judge and landowner from Warwickshire. He served as a Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of King Henry VIII.

Another individual of historical significance was John Limb (c. 1570-1640), an English Protestant clergyman from Gloucestershire. He was a puritan minister and author known for his religious writings.

In the 17th century, the LIMB surname is found in the parish records of Oxfordshire, where a Thomas Limb was baptized in 1635 in the village of Deddington.

The name LIMB also has connections to various place names in England, such as Limb Valley in Derbyshire and Limb Brook in Warwickshire, both of which likely derive their names from the Old English word "lim."

Other notable individuals bearing the LIMB surname include William Limb (1721-1801), an English clockmaker from Gloucestershire, and Thomas Limb (1796-1868), a prominent industrialist and manufacturer from Staffordshire during the Industrial Revolution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Limb families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Limb 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. Derbyshire leads with 252 Limbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.37x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 252 24.37x
Nottinghamshire 191 21.46x
Yorkshire 88 1.34x
Lincolnshire 58 5.49x
Surrey 20 0.62x
Cheshire 19 1.30x
Lancashire 14 0.18x
Leicestershire 13 1.78x
Middlesex 10 0.15x
Northamptonshire 5 0.81x
Gloucestershire 4 0.31x
Hampshire 1 0.07x
Norfolk 1 0.10x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chesterfield in Derbyshire leads with 42 Limbs recorded in 1881 and an index of 108.36x.

Place Total Index
Chesterfield 42 108.36x
Greasley 29 144.42x
Eastwood 25 314.07x
Brackenfield 20 2739.73x
Radford 18 39.81x
Basford 17 41.43x
Skegby 17 311.93x
Sutton In Ashfield 17 87.99x
Wrangle 17 646.39x
Ilkeston 16 55.19x
Hunslet 14 13.72x
Brightside Bierlow 13 10.13x
Whitwick 13 139.63x
Bolsover 12 231.66x
Crich 12 177.78x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 12 39.47x
West Fen 12 1643.84x
Mansfield Woodhouse 11 185.81x
Tibshelf 11 216.96x
Ault Hucknall 10 591.72x
Snenton 10 28.60x
Alfreton 9 28.65x
Beeston 9 87.98x
Heage 9 164.53x
Matlock 9 64.84x
Staveley 9 49.05x
Ashover 8 155.34x
Eckington 8 31.85x
Glossop Dale 8 16.52x
Mansfield 8 25.97x
Newbold Dunston 8 81.38x
Nottingham St Mary 8 3.47x
Nuthall 8 239.52x
West Ardsley 8 101.52x
Bolton On Dearne 7 308.37x
Lambeth 7 1.22x
Newington 7 2.87x
Belper 6 29.94x
Clapham 6 7.27x
Clowne 6 145.99x
Northolme 6 1333.33x
Selston 6 60.36x
St Botolph Lincoln 6 79.05x
Whitwell 6 145.99x
Denby 5 141.64x
Friskney 5 149.25x
Hasland 5 47.48x
Nether Hallam 5 5.65x
Newton 5 8.28x
Normanton 5 25.43x
Runcorn 5 14.88x
Shipley 5 304.88x
Bradford 4 10.91x
Church Coppenhall 4 61.35x
Codnor Loscoe 4 48.84x
Derby St Alkmund 4 12.91x
Ecclesfield 4 8.34x
Kettering 4 15.92x
Killamarsh 4 62.21x
Revesby 4 312.50x
Bristol St George 3 5.01x
Carlton 3 29.53x
Church Hulme 3 201.34x
Darfield 3 50.34x
Doncaster 3 6.27x
Holbeach 3 25.51x
Holloway 3 236.22x
Shoreditch London 3 1.05x
Wainfleet All Sts 3 97.72x
Worksop 3 11.36x
Ardwick 2 2.83x
Bakewell 2 35.34x
Chorley In Macclesfield 2 45.05x
Middlesbrough 2 2.35x
Pilsley 2 58.65x
Sheffield 2 0.96x
St George Hanover Square 2 1.72x
Wainfleet St Mary 2 125.00x
Weaverham Cum Milton 2 51.95x
Whittington 2 13.98x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Limb surname: questions and answers

How common was the Limb surname in 1881?

In 1881, 677 people were recorded with the Limb surname. That placed it at #5,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Limb surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,355 in 2016. That gives Limb a modern rank of #4,448.

What does the Limb surname mean?

A surname referring to a person with a physical deformity or disability.

What does the Limb map show?

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