NameCensus.

UK surname

Lindsell

Habitational surname derived from a place name, possibly meaning "linden tree valley."

In the 1881 census there were 320 people recorded with the Lindsell surname, ranking it #9,298 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 516, ranked #9,778, down from #9,298 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Debden, Braintree and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Uttlesford, Braintree and South Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lindsell is 621 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 61.3%.

1881 census count

320

Ranked #9,298

Modern count

516

2016, ranked #9,778

Peak year

1998

621 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lindsell had 320 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,298 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 516 in 2016, ranked #9,778.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 593 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lindsell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lindsell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lindsell 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 221 #9,630
1861 historical 167 #13,956
1881 historical 320 #9,298
1891 historical 427 #8,391
1901 historical 516 #7,866
1911 historical 593 #6,904
1997 modern 606 #8,087
1998 modern 621 #8,190
1999 modern 606 #8,387
2000 modern 601 #8,412
2001 modern 573 #8,552
2002 modern 580 #8,639
2003 modern 566 #8,652
2004 modern 546 #8,906
2005 modern 532 #9,019
2006 modern 535 #9,007
2007 modern 531 #9,131
2008 modern 521 #9,342
2009 modern 519 #9,578
2010 modern 537 #9,543
2011 modern 520 #9,681
2012 modern 532 #9,421
2013 modern 540 #9,483
2014 modern 535 #9,594
2015 modern 529 #9,623
2016 modern 516 #9,778

Geography

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Where Lindsells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Debden, Braintree, London parishes and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Uttlesford, Braintree, South Cambridgeshire, Fareham and South Bucks. 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 Debden Essex
2 Braintree Essex
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Uttlesford 004 Uttlesford
2 Braintree 009 Braintree
3 South Cambridgeshire 017 South Cambridgeshire
4 Fareham 003 Fareham
5 South Bucks 001 South Bucks

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lindsell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lindsell

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Lindsell 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

Lindsell 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

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

Meaning and origin of Lindsell

The surname Lindsell is of English origin, and its roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "lind" and "sele," which translate to "lime tree" and "hall" or "dwelling," respectively. This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals who resided in a dwelling or settlement near a lime tree or a lime grove.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Lindsell can be found in various historical documents and records from the 13th and 14th centuries. It is believed to have originated in the county of Essex, where several villages and hamlets bore variations of the name, such as Lindsell and Lindsell Hall.

One of the earliest references to the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Essex, a legal record dating back to 1285, where a certain John de Lyndesele is mentioned. This suggests that the surname had already been established and in use during the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Lindsell family gained prominence, with several members holding positions of importance. Sir John Lindsell, who lived during the reign of Edward III (1312-1377), served as the Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire. Another notable figure was William Lindsell, who was appointed as the Clerk of the King's Works during the same period.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the Lindsell family continued to hold land and property in Essex, with various branches emerging in different parts of the county. One prominent member was Sir Christopher Lindsell (c. 1515-1580), who served as a Member of Parliament and held the position of Sheriff of Essex.

In later centuries, the Lindsell surname spread beyond Essex, with families bearing the name being found in various parts of England. One notable individual was Reverend Obadiah Lindsell (1631-1704), a Puritan minister who served as the Rector of Chilton Foliat in Wiltshire.

Another significant figure was Thomas Lindsell (c. 1737-1820), a renowned architect and surveyor who was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the former St. Luke's Hospital for Lunatics.

As the centuries progressed, the Lindsell surname continued to be associated with individuals from various professions and backgrounds, including clergy, lawyers, politicians, and academics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lindsell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lindsell 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. Essex leads with 196 Lindsells recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.81x.

County Total Index
Essex 196 31.81x
Middlesex 51 1.63x
Surrey 26 1.71x
Suffolk 12 3.16x
Bedfordshire 11 6.81x
Hertfordshire 6 2.79x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.95x
Yorkshire 4 0.13x
Gloucestershire 2 0.33x
Kent 2 0.19x
Sussex 2 0.38x
Berkshire 1 0.43x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.51x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Lancashire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Braintree in Essex leads with 55 Lindsells recorded in 1881 and an index of 994.58x.

Place Total Index
Braintree 55 994.58x
Little Baddow 24 4137.93x
Debden 12 1379.31x
Biggleswade 11 207.94x
Islington London 11 3.64x
West Ham 11 8.09x
Newport 10 934.58x
Great Burstead 9 401.79x
St Pancras London 9 3.58x
Croydon 8 9.48x
Grays Thurrock 7 122.16x
Lambeth 7 2.57x
St Andrew Holborn London 7 51.81x
Westminster St John 7 18.42x
Woodham Ferris 7 972.22x
Writtle 7 277.78x
Ipswich St Helen 6 133.04x
Kingston On Thames 6 16.42x
Ashingdon 5 5000.00x
Broomfield 5 515.46x
Camberwell 4 2.01x
Carlton 4 83.33x
Chelsea London 4 4.25x
East Hanningfield 4 930.23x
Great Waltham 4 159.36x
Hitchin 4 41.19x
Little Waltham 4 645.16x
Orsett 4 248.45x
Thaxted 4 195.12x
Copmanthorpe 3 909.09x
Halesworth 3 111.11x
Quendon 3 1428.57x
Shoreditch London 3 2.22x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.47x
Bishop Stortford 2 27.82x
Chelmsford 2 18.92x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 17.81x
Kensington London 2 1.15x
Romford 2 20.53x
Saffron Walden 2 30.72x
St George Martyr London 2 31.65x
Woodford 2 28.65x
Worlington 2 645.16x
Altrincham 1 8.31x
Bocking 1 26.95x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 4.90x
Colchester All Sts 1 208.33x
Colchester St Mary At 1 45.87x
Coulsdon 1 36.10x
Crumpsall 1 11.45x
Deal 1 11.01x
Felstead 1 47.39x
Gate Fulford 1 13.85x
Great Sampford 1 151.52x
Great Wratting 1 238.10x
Greenwich 1 2.01x
Hampstead London 1 2.06x
Harrow 1 20.96x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 103.09x
Havering 1 212.77x
Hurst 1 32.57x
Ickleton 1 140.85x
Lydney 1 31.65x
Middle Temple London 1 1000.00x
Nazeing 1 126.58x
Netteswell 1 285.71x
Rochford 1 55.87x
Sandon 1 200.00x
Springfield 1 37.04x
St Marylebone London 1 0.60x
Tollesbury 1 64.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 11
Hannah 9
Sarah 9
Mary 8
Emily 7
Annie 6
Eliza 6
Elizabeth 5
Ada 4
Louisa 4
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Jane 3
Martha 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Elizth. 2
Emely 2
Frances 2
Lydia 2
Maria 2
May 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Adelaide 1
Amy 1
Angebe 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Elonera 1
Emmily 1
Estehr 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Lotty 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Marian 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
George 19
Arthur 11
Charles 11
Thomas 11
Alfred 9
James 9
John 9
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Henry 5
Joseph 5
Walter 4
Ernest 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
David 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Leonard 2
Alexander 1
Artr. 1
Barker 1
Daniell 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.James 1
Gideon 1
Haldow 1
Horace 1
Josh. 1
Mark 1
Phillip 1
Sidney 1
Stafford 1
Thos 1
Thos. 1
W.Henry 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Lindsell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lindsell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 320 people were recorded with the Lindsell surname. That placed it at #9,298 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lindsell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 516 in 2016. That gives Lindsell a modern rank of #9,778.

What does the Lindsell surname mean?

Habitational surname derived from a place name, possibly meaning "linden tree valley."

What does the Lindsell map show?

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