NameCensus.

UK surname

Linch

A surname derived from a location name based on a Celtic word for "lake" or "pool".

In the 1881 census there were 342 people recorded with the Linch surname, ranking it #8,902 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 151, ranked #23,615, down from #8,902 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Battersea and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maidstone, New Forest and Shepway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linch is 738 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 55.8%.

1881 census count

342

Ranked #8,902

Modern count

151

2016, ranked #23,615

Peak year

1851

738 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linch had 342 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,902 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 151 in 2016, ranked #23,615.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 738 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Linch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linch surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Linch 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 738 #3,569
1861 historical 685 #3,931
1881 historical 342 #8,902
1891 historical 316 #10,639
1901 historical 214 #14,517
1911 historical 215 #14,290
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 116 #25,332
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 113 #25,489
2002 modern 131 #23,793
2003 modern 122 #24,628
2004 modern 126 #24,335
2005 modern 144 #22,367
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 149 #22,318
2008 modern 147 #22,720
2009 modern 147 #23,248
2010 modern 157 #22,800
2011 modern 145 #23,837
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 151 #23,613
2016 modern 151 #23,615

Geography

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Where Linchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Battersea, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Manchester and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maidstone, New Forest and Shepway. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Battersea London (South Districts)
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maidstone 011 Maidstone
2 New Forest 011 New Forest
3 Shepway 002 Shepway
4 Shepway 011 Shepway
5 New Forest 013 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Linch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Linch

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Linch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Linch 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Linch is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Linch is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Linch falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Linch

The surname Linch has its origins in Anglo-Saxon England, deriving from the Old English word "hlinc" which referred to a ridge or bank. It is believed to have first emerged as a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near a ridge or bank.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Linch can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Linc is listed in Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name may have initially been concentrated in this region of England.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name appears to have undergone various spelling variations, including Linche, Lynche, and Lync. These variations likely reflect regional dialects and the inconsistencies in written records from this time period.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Robert Linch was recorded as a landowner in the county of Somerset. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its initial heartland by this point.

By the 16th century, the Linch surname had become well-established across various parts of England. One notable bearer of the name was Thomas Linch (1514-1583), who served as Sheriff of London in 1557.

In the 17th century, the Linch surname appears to have been particularly prevalent in the county of Gloucestershire. A prominent figure from this period was Sir Henry Linch (1594-1668), an English judge and Member of Parliament.

As the name spread further, it also began to take root in other parts of the British Isles. In the 18th century, a notable Irishman named James Linch (1736-1805) gained recognition as a politician and judge in County Galway.

Moving into the 19th century, one notable bearer of the Linch surname was Sir Alfred Linch (1825-1901), a British naval officer who served as Commander-in-Chief of the East Indies Station.

While the name has maintained a presence throughout England, Wales, and Ireland over the centuries, it has also been carried to various parts of the world through migration and exploration. Bearers of the Linch surname can now be found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Linch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linch 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. Lancashire leads with 50 Linchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.28x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 50 1.28x
Surrey 42 2.62x
Middlesex 41 1.25x
Yorkshire 26 0.80x
Lanarkshire 15 1.41x
Essex 14 2.16x
Cumberland 11 3.89x
Devon 11 1.61x
Durham 11 1.12x
Renfrewshire 10 3.93x
Wigtownshire 10 22.91x
Hampshire 9 1.34x
Sussex 8 1.44x
Kent 6 0.54x
Leicestershire 6 1.65x
Midlothian 6 1.36x
Pembrokeshire 6 5.74x
Angus 5 1.64x
Norfolk 5 0.99x
Somerset 5 0.94x
Staffordshire 5 0.45x
Berkshire 4 1.62x
Ayrshire 3 1.22x
Oxfordshire 3 1.48x
Roxburghshire 3 5.04x
Glamorgan 2 0.35x
Lincolnshire 2 0.38x
Northumberland 2 0.41x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.45x
Stirlingshire 2 1.65x
Warwickshire 2 0.24x
Cheshire 1 0.14x
Derbyshire 1 0.19x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.13x
Fife 1 0.51x
Flintshire 1 1.13x
Northamptonshire 1 0.32x
Royal Navy 1 2.55x
Shropshire 1 0.35x
West Lothian 1 2.02x
Worcestershire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 31 Linchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.63x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 31 25.63x
West Ham 12 8.38x
Bromley London 10 13.83x
Keighley 10 28.80x
Pemberton 10 64.31x
Paisley High Church 9 44.38x
Cuckfield 8 142.86x
Berrynarbor 7 897.44x
Dearham 7 187.67x
Gateshead 7 9.56x
Liverpool 7 2.95x
Old Luce 7 254.55x
Bradford 6 7.61x
Hugglescote 6 111.94x
New Monkland 6 19.10x
Bermondsey 5 5.11x
Dundee 5 4.40x
Hubberston 5 326.80x
Paddington London 5 4.14x
St Luke London 5 9.48x
Ardwick 4 11.37x
Bath St Michael 4 149.81x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 12.91x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 6.46x
Glasgow 4 2.12x
Newbury 4 50.63x
Sprowston 4 179.37x
Westminster St Margaret 4 25.22x
Bishopwearmouth 3 3.57x
Castleton 3 117.19x
Georgeham 3 348.84x
Govan 3 1.14x
Holy Rood 3 220.59x
Lancaster 3 12.93x
Manchester 3 1.71x
Oxford St Ebbe 3 50.25x
Portsea 3 2.27x
St Pancras London 3 1.13x
Wolverhampton 3 3.52x
Barrow In Furness 2 3.77x
Batley 2 6.46x
Biggar 2 83.33x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.58x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 22.47x
Edinburgh St Johns 2 71.94x
Gomersal 2 13.16x
Guildford St Mary 2 101.52x
Kilbirnie 2 33.84x
Kirkleatham 2 45.45x
Leswalt 2 66.89x
Leyland 2 29.46x
Millbrook 2 11.79x
Old Artillery Ground 2 70.67x
South Leith 2 4.04x
Southwell 2 62.11x
St Anne Soho London 2 10.66x
St Peters 2 38.54x
Widnes 2 7.11x
Arlecdon 1 13.28x
Barking 1 5.27x
Beath 1 16.26x
Broom 1 123.46x
Ellesmere Penley 1 294.12x
Garston 1 8.69x
Hammersmith London 1 1.24x
Hornsey 1 2.41x
Islington London 1 0.31x
Kensington London 1 0.55x
Lambeth 1 0.35x
Middlesbrough 1 2.36x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 3.94x
Newington 1 0.82x
North Leith 1 4.91x
Oldham 1 0.79x
Royal Navy 1 2.99x
Scarborough 1 3.38x
Spitalfields London 1 4.05x
St Marylebone London 1 0.57x
Walcot 1 3.55x
West Derby 1 0.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Elizabeth 15
Catherine 10
Ellen 9
Sarah 9
Eliza 7
Margaret 7
Kate 5
Annie 4
Agnes 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Ann 2
Bridget 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Emily 2
Abina 1
Ada 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Bridgett 1
Cathrine 1
Deborah 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Kathy 1
Kezia 1
Lizzie 1
M. 1
M.A. 1
Margret 1
May 1
Rachel 1
Rebacca 1
Rosana 1
Teresa 1
Thurssa 1
Warrington 1
Winford 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 15
John 14
William 12
Thomas 10
Edward 8
George 6
Joseph 5
Patrick 5
Richard 3
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
J. 2
Michael 2
Owen 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Barthl. 1
Benjamin 1
Birnard 1
Charles 1
Charley 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Dennis 1
Ernest 1
Evelyn 1
Fancis 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Franz 1
Fred 1
G. 1
H.R. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Horrace 1
Infant 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
Pat 1
Pathick 1
Samuel 1
Sharly 1
Timothy 1
W.D. 1
W.H.G. 1

FAQ

Linch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 342 people were recorded with the Linch surname. That placed it at #8,902 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 151 in 2016. That gives Linch a modern rank of #23,615.

What does the Linch surname mean?

A surname derived from a location name based on a Celtic word for "lake" or "pool".

What does the Linch map show?

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