NameCensus.

UK surname

Lindley

From the linden tree meadow or clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 2,963 people recorded with the Lindley surname, ranking it #1,508 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,660, ranked #1,459, up from #1,508 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Doncaster and Wakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Doncaster and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lindley is 4,781 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.3%.

1881 census count

2,963

Ranked #1,508

Modern count

4,660

2016, ranked #1,459

Peak year

2014

4,781 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lindley had 2,963 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,508 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,660 in 2016, ranked #1,459.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,426 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lindley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lindley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lindley 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 1,580 #1,825
1861 historical 1,992 #1,459
1881 historical 2,963 #1,508
1891 historical 3,411 #1,398
1901 historical 4,093 #1,376
1911 historical 4,426 #1,163
1997 modern 4,553 #1,439
1998 modern 4,708 #1,448
1999 modern 4,733 #1,449
2000 modern 4,670 #1,459
2001 modern 4,600 #1,451
2002 modern 4,731 #1,442
2003 modern 4,595 #1,448
2004 modern 4,603 #1,443
2005 modern 4,488 #1,459
2006 modern 4,503 #1,455
2007 modern 4,519 #1,459
2008 modern 4,521 #1,473
2009 modern 4,633 #1,474
2010 modern 4,673 #1,498
2011 modern 4,677 #1,469
2012 modern 4,640 #1,450
2013 modern 4,742 #1,446
2014 modern 4,781 #1,444
2015 modern 4,718 #1,442
2016 modern 4,660 #1,459

Geography

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Where Lindleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Doncaster, Wakefield, Dean and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Doncaster, Barnsley and Wakefield. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Dean Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 020 North Lincolnshire
2 Doncaster 026 Doncaster
3 Barnsley 004 Barnsley
4 Wakefield 022 Wakefield
5 Doncaster 005 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lindley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lindley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lindley, 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 Lindley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lindley 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lindley 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

Lindley is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lindley 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 Lindley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lindley

The surname Lindley is of English origin, derived from the Old English words 'lind' meaning lime tree and 'leah' meaning a clearing or meadow. It was originally a place name referring to a clearing or meadow where lime trees grew.

The earliest recorded reference to the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Lindelei' in Nottinghamshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Throughout the medieval period, variations of the name such as Lyndelay, Lindeley, and Lyndeley can be found in various historical records and parish registers across England, particularly in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Yorkshire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Roger de Lindley, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1195. Another notable figure was Sir Henry Lindley (c.1380-1456), a member of the English gentry and landowner in Nottinghamshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname became more widespread, with several notable individuals bearing the name. These include Thomas Lindley (1548-1628), an English clergyman and author, and John Lindley (1599-1657), an English botanist and horticulturist who wrote several influential works on gardening and plant classification.

In the 18th century, Nathaniel Lindley (1697-1766) was a prominent English Quaker and merchant, while Thomas Lindley (1778-1857) was a renowned English missionary and pioneer in spreading Christianity in South Africa.

The 19th century saw the rise of several notable individuals with the Lindley surname, including Sir Nathaniel Lindley (1828-1915), an English judge and law reformer, and John Lindley (1799-1865), an English botanist and horticulturist who made significant contributions to the study of orchids and was one of the founders of the Royal Horticultural Society.

While the name has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization. However, its roots can be traced back to the Old English words 'lind' and 'leah', reflecting its connection to the natural landscape of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lindley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lindley 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 1,404 Lindleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.91x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,404 4.91x
Lancashire 598 1.75x
Nottinghamshire 329 8.45x
Derbyshire 110 2.43x
Middlesex 86 0.30x
Lincolnshire 84 1.82x
Cheshire 82 1.29x
Kent 50 0.51x
Surrey 28 0.20x
Staffordshire 23 0.24x
Warwickshire 22 0.30x
Durham 16 0.19x
Shropshire 14 0.56x
Leicestershire 13 0.41x
Worcestershire 13 0.34x
Gloucestershire 11 0.19x
Hampshire 11 0.19x
Cumberland 9 0.36x
Bedfordshire 7 0.47x
Devon 7 0.12x
Hertfordshire 6 0.30x
Suffolk 6 0.17x
Fife 5 0.29x
Glamorgan 5 0.10x
Rutland 5 2.36x
Angus 3 0.11x
Midlothian 3 0.08x
Northamptonshire 2 0.07x
Berkshire 1 0.05x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.06x
Essex 1 0.02x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.17x
Roxburghshire 1 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 0.29x
Selkirkshire 1 0.38x
Wiltshire 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. Kearsley in Lancashire leads with 93 Lindleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 129.01x.

Place Total Index
Kearsley 93 129.01x
Brightside Bierlow 83 14.79x
Doncaster 83 39.71x
Leeds 70 4.33x
Ashton Under Lyne 61 8.15x
Sheffield 54 5.93x
Ecclesall Bierlow 53 9.11x
Mansfield 53 39.35x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 51 38.37x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 44 16.51x
Darton 44 150.12x
Epworth 42 195.08x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 35 33.68x
Hoyland Nether 34 48.45x
Burton Joyce 33 497.74x
Ecclesfield 32 15.25x
Oldham 31 2.80x
Salford 29 2.88x
Huddersfield 28 6.72x
Hunslet 28 6.28x
Castleford 27 25.91x
Pilkington 27 20.75x
Sutton In Ashfield 27 31.97x
Nottingham St Mary 26 2.58x
Preston 26 2.84x
Worsley 26 12.31x
Dukinfield 25 8.49x
Cartworth 23 97.21x
Lockwood 23 22.34x
Nether Hallam 22 5.68x
Stayley 22 30.20x
Tanshelf 22 96.28x
Basford 21 11.71x
Fulstone 21 100.33x
Little Lever 21 47.92x
Selston 21 48.31x
Worsbrough 21 25.05x
Eckington 19 17.30x
Thurlstone 19 67.33x
Ferry Fryston 18 161.44x
Handsworth 18 23.80x
Finningley 17 456.99x
Honley 17 33.95x
Clifton 16 62.23x
Greasley 16 18.22x
Islington London 16 0.57x
Manchester 16 1.04x
Wombwell 16 19.18x
Bradford 15 2.17x
Bury 15 3.83x
Elland Cum Greetland 15 11.64x
Gainsborough 15 13.78x
Headingley Cum Burley 15 8.14x
Mirfield 15 9.55x
Pontefract 15 24.33x
Almondbury 14 10.12x
Clowne 14 77.91x
Droylsden 14 12.52x
Kippax 14 55.64x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 13 38.07x
Havercroft Cum Cold 13 264.77x
Heeley 13 14.95x
Horton In Bradford 13 2.91x
Plumstead 13 3.96x
Sowerby In Halifax 13 13.89x
Tottington Lower End 13 7.98x
Aston 12 0.60x
Austonley 12 74.07x
Gildersome 12 34.88x
Newton 12 4.54x
West Derby 12 1.20x
Whitwell 12 66.74x
Barnsley 11 3.73x
Churwell 11 56.38x
Nottingham St Nicholas 11 20.75x
Owston 11 83.91x
Wooldale 11 22.67x
Bawtry 10 110.99x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.32x
Netherthong 10 108.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 205
Sarah 148
Elizabeth 106
Ann 69
Hannah 63
Jane 56
Annie 52
Emma 46
Alice 42
Eliza 38
Ellen 36
Martha 30
Maria 26
Emily 25
Harriet 24
Margaret 20
Kate 18
Florence 17
Ada 16
Louisa 16
Clara 14
Edith 14
Anne 13
Charlotte 13
Catherine 12
Fanny 12
Frances 12
Gertrude 11
Betty 10
Ruth 10
Lucy 9
Harriett 8
Minnie 8
Rebecca 8
Betsy 6
Caroline 6
Ethel 6
Henrietta 6
Jessie 6
Julia 6
Rose 6
Amelia 5
Anna 5
Betsey 5
Eleanor 5
Rachel 5
Selina 5
Amy 4
Helena 4
Isabella 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 183
William 151
George 111
James 86
Thomas 78
Joseph 65
Charles 59
Henry 58
Samuel 43
Edward 31
Robert 30
Walter 29
Arthur 28
Albert 26
Harry 25
Richard 24
Frederick 21
Alfred 18
Herbert 18
David 17
Fred 17
Frank 16
Joe 12
Ernest 11
Wm. 11
Francis 10
Tom 10
Matthew 8
Peter 8
Sam 8
Timothy 8
Benjamin 7
Jonathan 7
Edwin 6
Ralph 6
Saml. 6
Edmund 5
Jesse 5
Joshua 5
Geo. 4
Jacob 4
Leonard 4
Percy 4
Willie 4
G. 3
Hugh 3
Isaac 3
Jno. 3
Job 3
Reuben 3

FAQ

Lindley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lindley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,963 people were recorded with the Lindley surname. That placed it at #1,508 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lindley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,660 in 2016. That gives Lindley a modern rank of #1,459.

What does the Lindley surname mean?

From the linden tree meadow or clearing.

What does the Lindley map show?

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