NameCensus.

UK surname

Linden

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a linden tree or in a place abundant with lindens.

In the 1881 census there were 408 people recorded with the Linden surname, ranking it #7,852 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 952, ranked #6,034, up from #7,852 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, London parishes and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caldercruix and Plains, Birmingham and Thrashbush.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linden is 956 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 133.3%.

1881 census count

408

Ranked #7,852

Modern count

952

2016, ranked #6,034

Peak year

2015

956 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linden had 408 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,852 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 952 in 2016, ranked #6,034.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 472 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Linden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linden surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Linden 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 140 #13,593
1861 historical 236 #10,393
1881 historical 408 #7,852
1891 historical 470 #7,798
1901 historical 472 #8,407
1911 historical 381 #9,635
1997 modern 859 #6,185
1998 modern 895 #6,186
1999 modern 870 #6,373
2000 modern 901 #6,169
2001 modern 868 #6,229
2002 modern 894 #6,218
2003 modern 866 #6,253
2004 modern 890 #6,155
2005 modern 905 #6,005
2006 modern 908 #6,005
2007 modern 917 #6,008
2008 modern 917 #6,054
2009 modern 924 #6,131
2010 modern 948 #6,133
2011 modern 946 #6,087
2012 modern 912 #6,191
2013 modern 919 #6,250
2014 modern 941 #6,171
2015 modern 956 #6,040
2016 modern 952 #6,034

Geography

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Where Lindens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, London parishes, St Marylebone and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caldercruix and Plains, Birmingham, Thrashbush, Corby and Milnwood. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caldercruix and Plains North Lanarkshire
2 Birmingham 029 Birmingham
3 Thrashbush North Lanarkshire
4 Corby 006 Corby
5 Milnwood North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Linden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Linden

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

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Linden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Linden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Linden 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

Linden 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

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

Meaning and origin of Linden

The surname Linden originates from Germany and the Low Countries. It first appeared in the late medieval period, deriving from the German word 'linden', meaning 'lime tree'. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a lime tree or grove of lime trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Linden surname dates back to the 13th century, when a Heinrich von der Linden was mentioned in a document from the town of Marburg in Germany. The 'von der' prefix indicated the family's nobility and land ownership.

In the Netherlands, the Linden name was also prominently found, often spelled as 'Linden' or 'van der Linden'. A Johannes van der Linden was recorded in Utrecht in 1389. The Dutch 'van der' prefix had a similar meaning to the German 'von der', denoting the family's connection to a place called Linden.

The Linden surname can be traced back to various place names across Germany and the Low Countries that incorporated the word 'Linden'. Examples include Linden in Hesse, Germany, and Linden near Antwerp, Belgium. These locations likely took their names from the prevalence of lime trees in the area.

Notable individuals with the Linden surname include the Dutch Golden Age painter Pieter van der Linden (1609-1678), known for his genre paintings and portraits. Another was the German-American brewer Adolph Linden (1839-1917), who co-founded the Linden Brewing Company in Chicago.

Other historical figures bearing the Linden name include the German painter and engraver Johann Baptist Linden (1785-1846), the Dutch botanist Jean Jules Linden (1817-1898), who made significant contributions to the study of orchids, and the German mathematician Johann Georg Linden (1676-1723), who is credited with introducing the symbol for infinity.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Linden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linden 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. Middlesex leads with 99 Lindens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.49x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 99 2.49x
Sussex 45 6.71x
Surrey 40 2.06x
Kent 38 2.80x
Lancashire 25 0.53x
Durham 19 1.60x
Ayrshire 18 6.04x
Lanarkshire 17 1.32x
Warwickshire 14 1.39x
Essex 12 1.53x
Suffolk 12 2.48x
Yorkshire 10 0.25x
Gloucestershire 8 1.02x
Renfrewshire 8 2.59x
Devon 7 0.85x
Hampshire 7 0.86x
Cumberland 4 1.17x
Northumberland 4 0.68x
Staffordshire 4 0.30x
Buteshire 3 12.44x
Berkshire 2 0.67x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.79x
Lincolnshire 2 0.31x
Midlothian 2 0.38x
Worcestershire 2 0.38x
Cheshire 1 0.11x
East Lothian 1 1.90x
Isle of Man 1 1.35x
Royal Navy 1 2.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 19 Lindens recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.04x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 19 14.04x
Colmonell 18 602.01x
Battersea 12 8.19x
Westminster St James 12 29.33x
Kensington London 11 4.97x
St Marylebone London 11 5.18x
Glasgow 10 4.38x
Hutton Henry 10 401.61x
Bethnal Green London 9 5.21x
Dawdon 9 61.81x
Hastings St Clement 9 142.63x
Lowestoft 9 39.30x
Abbey 8 17.00x
Clerkenwell London 7 7.45x
Bristol St Paul In 6 28.86x
Hammersmith London 6 6.12x
Hastings All Sts 6 94.94x
Islington London 6 1.56x
Shoreditch London 6 3.48x
Toxteth Park 6 3.75x
Walthamstow 6 21.22x
Wanstead 6 43.60x
Wateringbury 6 338.98x
Aldershot 5 18.29x
Croydon 5 4.65x
Hawkhurst 5 118.48x
Molash 5 1086.96x
Plumstead 5 11.05x
Salehurst 5 171.82x
Shipley 5 24.43x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 6.24x
Whitechapel London 5 12.75x
Birmingham 4 1.20x
Bow London 4 7.89x
Camberwell 4 1.57x
Eccleston In Prescot 4 16.87x
Knowle 4 194.17x
Lewisham 4 5.52x
Penge 4 15.74x
Plymouth Charles The 4 10.96x
Salford 4 2.88x
Seaton 4 100.00x
Tynemouth 4 12.61x
Aston 3 1.09x
Barony 3 0.92x
Bermondsey 3 2.53x
Chelsea London 3 2.50x
Coventry Holy Trinity 3 10.01x
Eastbourne 3 9.72x
Kingarth 3 173.41x
Lambeth 3 0.86x
Metfield 3 375.00x
Old Monkland 3 5.87x
Scarborough 3 8.37x
Wolverhampton 3 2.90x
Chislehurst 2 27.47x
Chiswick 2 9.20x
Clayton Le Moors 2 21.83x
Dover St Mary Virgin 2 15.22x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 0.93x
Great Grimsby 2 4.95x
Mile End Old Town London 2 2.36x
Newington 2 1.36x
Paddington London 2 1.37x
St Andrewthe Less 2 6.94x
St Pancras London 2 0.62x
Tonbridge 2 4.08x
Waltham St Lawrence 2 170.94x
Warrington 2 3.57x
Westminster St Margaret 2 10.42x
Castleton 1 2.12x
Greenwich 1 1.58x
Halifax 1 1.73x
Hollingworth 1 27.62x
Layton With Warbreck 1 5.77x
Poplar London 1 1.33x
Portsmouth 1 5.32x
Tottenham 1 1.58x
Woolwich 1 1.99x
Yardley 1 7.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 16
Mary 13
Alice 11
Jane 9
Emma 8
Elizabeth 6
Louisa 6
Edith 5
Ellen 5
Annie 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Margt. 4
Rosa 4
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Amelia 2
Barbara 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Constance 2
Emily 2
Frances 2
Francis 2
Leah 2
Maggie 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Rose 2
Anes 1
Ann 1
Athlia 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Dinah 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Ethel 1
Irene 1
Isobel 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Vera 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Linden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 408 people were recorded with the Linden surname. That placed it at #7,852 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 952 in 2016. That gives Linden a modern rank of #6,034.

What does the Linden surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a linden tree or in a place abundant with lindens.

What does the Linden map show?

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