NameCensus.

UK surname

Lindsey

From the English place name Lindsey, derived from the Old English elements "lind" meaning lime tree and "eg" meaning island.

In the 1881 census there were 1,516 people recorded with the Lindsey surname, ranking it #2,770 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,837, ranked #3,453, down from #2,770 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trowbridge, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redcar and Cleveland, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Shepway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lindsey is 2,017 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.2%.

1881 census count

1,516

Ranked #2,770

Modern count

1,837

2016, ranked #3,453

Peak year

1911

2,017 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lindsey had 1,516 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,770 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,837 in 2016, ranked #3,453.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,017 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Lindsey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lindsey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lindsey 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 1,133 #2,487
1861 historical 1,234 #2,313
1881 historical 1,516 #2,770
1891 historical 1,630 #2,745
1901 historical 1,615 #3,202
1911 historical 2,017 #2,468
1997 modern 1,785 #3,361
1998 modern 1,882 #3,328
1999 modern 1,886 #3,343
2000 modern 1,854 #3,372
2001 modern 1,796 #3,394
2002 modern 1,809 #3,433
2003 modern 1,769 #3,447
2004 modern 1,757 #3,474
2005 modern 1,712 #3,521
2006 modern 1,705 #3,536
2007 modern 1,729 #3,524
2008 modern 1,763 #3,500
2009 modern 1,873 #3,391
2010 modern 1,917 #3,391
2011 modern 1,846 #3,456
2012 modern 1,844 #3,415
2013 modern 1,894 #3,392
2014 modern 1,888 #3,412
2015 modern 1,854 #3,440
2016 modern 1,837 #3,453

Geography

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Where Lindseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trowbridge, London parishes, St Pancras and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redcar and Cleveland, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Shepway and Fenland. 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 Trowbridge Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redcar and Cleveland 013 Redcar and Cleveland
2 Redcar and Cleveland 016 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 015 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Shepway 012 Shepway
5 Fenland 006 Fenland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lindsey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lindsey

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Lindsey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lindsey 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

Lindsey falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lindsey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lindsey

The surname LINDSEY originated in England, with its roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "lind" and "ey," which translate to "lime tree" and "island" or "river meadow," respectively. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near a lime tree or in a meadow near a river.

During the medieval period, the name appeared in various records and documents, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled "Lindesie." This entry referred to a location in Lincolnshire, which may have been the birthplace or residence of some of the earliest individuals with this surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname LINDSEY was Robert de Lindsey, a prominent English nobleman who lived during the 13th century. He served as Lord of Lamberton and held significant lands in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Sir David Lindsey was a Scottish knight who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He played a crucial role in the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

During the Tudor period, Sir Walter Lindsey was a distinguished courtier and military commander who served under King Henry VIII. He was involved in several military campaigns, including the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

In the 17th century, Theophilus Lindsey was an English theologian and founder of the Unitarian movement in England. He was born in 1723 and played a significant role in promoting religious tolerance and reform.

Another notable person with this surname was John Lindsey, a Scottish mathematician and astronomer born in 1686. He made important contributions to the study of planetary orbits and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1728.

Throughout history, the LINDSEY surname has been associated with various places, including Lindsey in Lincolnshire, which was once a separate administrative county. The name has also been linked to other locations, such as Lindsey in Suffolk and Lindsey in Essex, further demonstrating its widespread presence across England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lindsey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lindsey 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 279 Lindseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 279 1.88x
Lancashire 156 0.88x
Yorkshire 125 0.85x
Surrey 113 1.56x
Durham 68 1.54x
Cambridgeshire 55 5.84x
Northumberland 50 2.26x
Kent 49 0.97x
Lincolnshire 49 2.06x
Wiltshire 47 3.57x
Devon 31 1.00x
Oxfordshire 31 3.38x
Hampshire 29 0.95x
Staffordshire 29 0.58x
Leicestershire 28 1.70x
Norfolk 28 1.22x
Cheshire 27 0.82x
Berkshire 26 2.33x
Nottinghamshire 24 1.20x
Essex 23 0.78x
Somerset 23 0.96x
Gloucestershire 22 0.75x
Ayrshire 16 1.44x
Warwickshire 16 0.43x
Glamorgan 15 0.58x
Lanarkshire 13 0.27x
Midlothian 13 0.65x
Suffolk 12 0.66x
Buckinghamshire 11 1.22x
Pembrokeshire 11 2.33x
Sussex 11 0.44x
Channel Islands 10 2.27x
Rutland 9 8.25x
Cornwall 8 0.48x
Perthshire 8 1.20x
Derbyshire 6 0.26x
Dumfriesshire 6 1.83x
Angus 5 0.36x
Bedfordshire 5 0.65x
Isle of Man 5 1.81x
Huntingdonshire 4 1.36x
Monmouthshire 4 0.37x
Worcestershire 4 0.21x
Brecknockshire 3 1.01x
Cumberland 3 0.23x
Hertfordshire 3 0.29x
Northamptonshire 3 0.21x
Renfrewshire 3 0.26x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.17x
Inverness-shire 1 0.23x
Selkirkshire 1 0.74x
Shropshire 1 0.08x
Wigtownshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Trowbridge in Wiltshire leads with 37 Lindseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.67x.

Place Total Index
Trowbridge 37 63.67x
Lambeth 34 2.62x
Islington London 28 1.94x
Whittlesey St Mary St 27 82.09x
St Pancras London 26 2.17x
Loughborough 23 30.75x
Knapwell 20 2083.33x
Mile End Old Town London 19 6.00x
Newton 18 13.24x
Shoreditch London 18 2.79x
Bermondsey 17 3.84x
Bishopwearmouth 15 3.95x
Toxteth Park 15 2.51x
Manchester 14 1.76x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 14 10.60x
West Ham 14 2.16x
Byker 13 11.89x
Liverpool 13 1.21x
St Martin In Fields 13 14.61x
Bramley In Bramley 12 21.28x
Streatley 12 363.64x
Barnsley 11 7.24x
Gateshead 11 3.32x
Godalming 11 24.12x
Longbenton 11 11.74x
Nottingham St Mary 11 2.12x
Chelsea London 10 2.23x
Hackney London 10 1.20x
Holy Trinity 10 2.82x
Lewisham 10 3.70x
Oxford St Thomas 10 23.34x
Salford 10 1.93x
St Helier 10 6.97x
Birmingham 9 0.72x
Brotton 9 46.80x
Little Hulton 9 30.81x
Loudoun 9 33.63x
South Hinksey 9 185.19x
St Anne Soho London 9 10.60x
St George In East London 9 6.44x
Whissendine 9 241.29x
Beckenham 8 12.06x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.24x
Birkenhead 8 3.06x
Bradford On Avon 8 19.01x
Brightside Bierlow 8 2.77x
Chirton 8 15.98x
Croydon 8 1.99x
Fulham London 8 3.71x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 4.18x
Holy Trinity St Mary 8 35.67x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 8 11.66x
Newborough 8 241.69x
Newington 8 1.46x
Oxford St Giles 8 18.26x
Pendleton In Salford 8 3.81x
Scredington 8 459.77x
West Wycombe 8 65.63x
Camberwell 7 0.74x
Castleton 7 3.97x
Cosheston 7 243.06x
Feltham 7 47.17x
Isleworth 7 10.59x
Marston Bigott 7 384.62x
Ottery St Mary 7 34.48x
Perth West Church 7 22.11x
Poplar London 7 2.49x
Soothill 7 13.16x
St Stephen Coleman Street 7 134.10x
Twickenham 7 10.98x
Warrington 7 3.35x
Woodbury 7 76.25x
Edinburgh High Church 6 48.00x
Macclesfield 6 4.11x
Monkwearmouth Shore 6 6.95x
Southwick 6 45.25x
St George Hanover Square 6 2.29x
St Marylebone London 6 0.76x
Threckingham Swaton 6 408.16x
Toft 6 461.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 96
Sarah 59
Elizabeth 50
Emma 29
Jane 27
Ann 26
Alice 25
Ellen 24
Margaret 21
Martha 16
Eliza 15
Emily 15
Caroline 12
Annie 11
Catherine 11
Florence 11
Charlotte 10
Fanny 10
Isabella 10
Hannah 9
Harriet 9
Maria 8
Edith 7
Lucy 7
Ruth 7
Julia 6
Kate 6
Louisa 6
Agnes 5
Clara 5
Frances 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Betsy 4
Harriett 4
Jessie 4
Matilda 4
Rosa 4
Sophia 4
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Jemima 3
Lydia 3
Marion 3
Miriam 3
Phoebe 3
Rebecca 3
Selina 3
Amelia 2
Margt. 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 93
William 83
George 52
Thomas 49
James 45
Joseph 29
Charles 24
Robert 20
Henry 19
David 18
Edward 18
Frederick 15
Arthur 13
Samuel 12
Alfred 10
Walter 10
Frank 8
Fred 8
Harry 8
Benjamin 7
Wm. 7
Albert 6
Alexander 6
Ernest 6
Archibald 5
Francis 5
Isaac 5
Richard 5
Edwin 4
Herbert 4
Thos. 4
Hugh 3
Mark 3
Sainthill 3
Tom 3
Andrew 2
Auther 2
Cornelius 2
Frederic 2
G. 2
Jno. 2
Matthew 2
Nathan 2
Percy 2
Rowland 2
Alexr.W. 1
Arnold 1
Davey 1
E.R. 1
Edgar 1

FAQ

Lindsey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lindsey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,516 people were recorded with the Lindsey surname. That placed it at #2,770 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lindsey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,837 in 2016. That gives Lindsey a modern rank of #3,453.

What does the Lindsey surname mean?

From the English place name Lindsey, derived from the Old English elements "lind" meaning lime tree and "eg" meaning island.

What does the Lindsey map show?

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