NameCensus.

UK surname

Limbert

A topographic surname possibly derived from a place with lime trees or elm trees.

In the 1881 census there were 338 people recorded with the Limbert surname, ranking it #8,962 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 657, ranked #8,108, up from #8,962 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Loughborough, St Werburgh and Garforth, West. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby, Leeds and Derby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Limbert is 698 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 94.4%.

1881 census count

338

Ranked #8,962

Modern count

657

2016, ranked #8,108

Peak year

2002

698 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Limbert had 338 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,962 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 657 in 2016, ranked #8,108.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 531 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Limbert surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Limbert surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Limbert 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 204 #10,250
1861 historical 207 #11,687
1881 historical 338 #8,962
1891 historical 413 #8,638
1901 historical 457 #8,610
1911 historical 531 #7,492
1997 modern 682 #7,394
1998 modern 688 #7,582
1999 modern 688 #7,618
2000 modern 694 #7,540
2001 modern 680 #7,524
2002 modern 698 #7,530
2003 modern 685 #7,516
2004 modern 684 #7,544
2005 modern 681 #7,508
2006 modern 687 #7,479
2007 modern 686 #7,549
2008 modern 682 #7,633
2009 modern 681 #7,817
2010 modern 681 #7,943
2011 modern 679 #7,873
2012 modern 679 #7,800
2013 modern 680 #7,917
2014 modern 674 #8,018
2015 modern 665 #8,044
2016 modern 657 #8,108

Geography

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Where Limberts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Loughborough, St Werburgh, Garforth, West, Manchester and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby, Leeds and Derby. 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 Loughborough Leicestershire
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Garforth, West Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 004 Selby
2 Leeds 074 Leeds
3 Leeds 107 Leeds
4 Leeds 089 Leeds
5 Derby 009 Derby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Limbert

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Limbert

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Limbert surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Limbert household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Limbert is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Limbert is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Limbert 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 Limbert is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Limbert

The surname Limbert has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Limbury, which is found in several locations across England, including Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. The name Limbury itself is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "lim," meaning "a limb or branch," and "burg," meaning "a fortified town or dwelling."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Limbert can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, the name appears as "Limberi," referring to individuals residing in the village of Limbury.

During the 13th century, the surname Limbert began appearing in various historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire, where it was spelled as "Lymbery" and "Lymbiry." In the 14th century, the name was recorded as "Lymbury" in the Subsidy Rolls of Bedfordshire.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Limbert throughout history include William Limbert, a merchant from Bedfordshire who lived during the 15th century, and John Limbert, a farmer from Hertfordshire who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of 1562. In the 17th century, the name appears in the parish records of St. Giles, Cripplegate, London, with the birth of Robert Limbert in 1683.

One prominent figure with the surname Limbert was Sir Thomas Limbert (1694-1767), a wealthy landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in the mid-18th century. Another notable individual was James Limbert (1801-1879), a British architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

In the 19th century, the Limbert family had a presence in various parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshire. One example is William Limbert (1825-1901), a farmer from Buckinghamshire who was mentioned in the local census records of that time.

The surname Limbert has maintained its connection to its English origins, with many bearers of the name still residing in the regions where it first emerged, particularly in the counties of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. While the name has spread to other parts of the world due to migration, its historical roots can be traced back to the medieval period in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Limbert families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Limbert 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. Yorkshire leads with 181 Limberts recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.59x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 181 5.59x
Lancashire 34 0.88x
Lincolnshire 33 6.32x
Leicestershire 28 7.73x
Derbyshire 26 5.08x
Kent 14 1.26x
Surrey 4 0.25x
Huntingdonshire 3 4.62x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 6.34x
Hampshire 2 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.45x
Staffordshire 2 0.18x
Berkshire 1 0.41x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.76x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Garforth in Yorkshire leads with 32 Limberts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1290.32x.

Place Total Index
Garforth 32 1290.32x
Leeds 19 10.39x
Loughborough 15 91.24x
York St Mary 12 89.49x
Leicester St Margaret 11 12.45x
Appleton Roebuck 10 2040.82x
Monk Bretton 10 304.88x
Bradford 9 11.48x
Whaplode 9 505.62x
Everton 8 6.47x
Holbeach 8 137.46x
York St Cuthbert 8 270.27x
Barwick In Elmet 7 282.26x
Chadderton 7 36.92x
Cheetham 7 24.20x
Derby All Sts 7 163.93x
Skelton In Guisbrough 7 79.91x
York St Saviour 7 226.54x
Derby St Peter 6 36.81x
Gate Fulford 6 79.37x
Holbeck 6 27.97x
Milton In Gravesend 6 35.89x
Tanshelf 6 231.66x
Droylsden 5 39.53x
Frithville Boston Sibsey 5 1470.59x
Grindleton 5 714.29x
Litchurch 5 24.28x
Lutton 5 581.40x
Bradford 4 22.04x
Deptford St Paul 4 4.65x
Derby St Alkmund 4 26.09x
Dodworth 4 119.05x
Strensall 4 800.00x
Barnsley 3 8.98x
Barugh 3 109.89x
Camberwell 3 1.44x
Derby St Werburgh 3 10.16x
Scarborough 3 10.20x
Seacroft 3 196.08x
Urr 3 48.78x
Bridge 2 208.33x
Norton Canes 2 49.75x
Orton Waterville 2 571.43x
Snenton 2 11.55x
Southampton St Mary 2 4.75x
Strood 2 31.45x
Swineshead 2 116.28x
Tydd St Mary 2 192.31x
Aberford 1 136.99x
Alne 1 181.82x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 1 8.50x
Battersea 1 0.83x
Belper 1 10.08x
Bilton In Wetherby 1 370.37x
Boxworth 1 357.14x
Chapel Allerton 1 20.62x
Clifton In York 1 14.77x
East Hardwick 1 384.62x
East Ilsley 1 153.85x
Eglwys Rhos 1 60.24x
Elton 1 109.89x
Gedney 1 46.95x
Gorton 1 2.74x
Horbury 1 17.67x
Huddersfield 1 2.12x
Leicester St Mary 1 3.42x
Leyland 1 14.81x
Manningham 1 2.51x
Mountsorrel North End 1 142.86x
Nawton 1 256.41x
Nunnington 1 222.22x
Preston Under Soar 1 250.00x
Sherburn 1 37.59x
South Milford 1 84.75x
Sutton St Mary 1 20.24x
Tockwith 1 156.25x
Toxteth Park 1 0.76x
York St Maurice 1 16.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 23
John 21
George 17
Charles 11
James 10
Thomas 7
Henry 6
Edward 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Samuel 4
Fred. 3
Joseph 3
Matthew 3
Robert 3
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Mark 2
Paul 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Anthony 1
Ben 1
Benjamin 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frederic 1
Geo.Henry 1
Isaac 1
Joe. 1
John. 1
Joshua 1
Laurie 1
Michael 1
Nathaniel 1
Rowland 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Limbert surname: questions and answers

How common was the Limbert surname in 1881?

In 1881, 338 people were recorded with the Limbert surname. That placed it at #8,962 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Limbert surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 657 in 2016. That gives Limbert a modern rank of #8,108.

What does the Limbert surname mean?

A topographic surname possibly derived from a place with lime trees or elm trees.

What does the Limbert map show?

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