NameCensus.

UK surname

Line

An English occupational surname referring to a flax grower or worker in the linen industry.

In the 1881 census there were 1,421 people recorded with the Line surname, ranking it #2,922 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,494, ranked #4,138, down from #2,922 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Amersham and Newton Longville. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wellingborough, East Northamptonshire and Stratford-on-Avon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Line is 1,755 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.1%.

1881 census count

1,421

Ranked #2,922

Modern count

1,494

2016, ranked #4,138

Peak year

1911

1,755 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Line had 1,421 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,922 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,494 in 2016, ranked #4,138.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,755 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Line surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Line surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Line 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 985 #2,835
1861 historical 1,037 #2,704
1881 historical 1,421 #2,922
1891 historical 1,423 #3,065
1901 historical 1,635 #3,155
1911 historical 1,755 #2,800
1997 modern 1,583 #3,729
1998 modern 1,623 #3,789
1999 modern 1,648 #3,765
2000 modern 1,606 #3,843
2001 modern 1,553 #3,885
2002 modern 1,587 #3,887
2003 modern 1,572 #3,833
2004 modern 1,579 #3,823
2005 modern 1,528 #3,888
2006 modern 1,499 #3,965
2007 modern 1,485 #4,037
2008 modern 1,492 #4,051
2009 modern 1,554 #3,983
2010 modern 1,583 #3,996
2011 modern 1,510 #4,133
2012 modern 1,499 #4,089
2013 modern 1,519 #4,117
2014 modern 1,525 #4,122
2015 modern 1,499 #4,145
2016 modern 1,494 #4,138

Geography

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Where Lines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Amersham, Newton Longville and Sherrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wellingborough, East Northamptonshire and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 1
2 Amersham Buckinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Newton Longville Buckinghamshire
5 Sherrington Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wellingborough 010 Wellingborough
2 East Northamptonshire 009 East Northamptonshire
3 Stratford-on-Avon 004 Stratford-on-Avon
4 East Northamptonshire 007 East Northamptonshire
5 East Northamptonshire 008 East Northamptonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Line

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Line

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

London Fringe

Within London, Line is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Line 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

Line falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Line

The surname LINE is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'lin' meaning a flax-plant or linen cloth. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name for a maker or seller of linen cloth or ropes made from flax fibers.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname LINE can be traced back to the 13th century in various counties across England, such as Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk, where the flax industry was prevalent. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 contain entries for individuals with the surname LINE, including William Line from Lincolnshire.

In the 14th century, the LINE surname appears in several historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 and the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, indicating its widespread use during this period. One notable example is John Line, who was recorded as a resident of Scarborough, Yorkshire, in the 1379 Poll Tax Returns.

The surname LINE also has connections to various place names in England, such as Line Hill in Buckinghamshire and Line House in Staffordshire, suggesting that some LINE families may have derived their surname from these locations.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals bore the surname LINE, including:

1. John Line (c. 1525-1584), an English Protestant reformer and Church of England clergyman. 2. Tobias Line (fl. 1617-1623), an English merchant and explorer who voyaged to the Caribbean and New England. 3. Ralph Line (1612-1670), an English Puritan minister and author. 4. Francis Line (1595-1675), an English mathematician and astronomer. 5. Samuel Line (1659-1718), an English engraver and print publisher.

As the centuries progressed, the LINE surname continued to be found across various parts of England, with families establishing themselves in different regions and contributing to various professions and endeavors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Line families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Line 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 246 Lines recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.77x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 246 1.77x
Northamptonshire 219 16.79x
Buckinghamshire 191 22.78x
Warwickshire 128 3.66x
Bedfordshire 115 16.01x
Surrey 73 1.08x
Leicestershire 44 2.86x
Hampshire 40 1.41x
Cheshire 32 1.05x
Kent 27 0.57x
Yorkshire 26 0.19x
Huntingdonshire 24 8.71x
Lancashire 24 0.15x
Devon 23 0.80x
Sussex 22 0.94x
Essex 20 0.73x
Lincolnshire 20 0.90x
Dorset 18 1.98x
Somerset 16 0.72x
Staffordshire 16 0.34x
Wiltshire 14 1.14x
Berkshire 12 1.15x
Monmouthshire 12 1.20x
Westmorland 12 3.94x
Gloucestershire 11 0.40x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.91x
Oxfordshire 5 0.58x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.21x
Durham 3 0.07x
Hertfordshire 3 0.31x
Norfolk 3 0.14x
Worcestershire 3 0.17x
Cornwall 2 0.13x
Derbyshire 2 0.09x
Northumberland 2 0.10x
Ayrshire 1 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Earls Barton in Northamptonshire leads with 59 Lines recorded in 1881 and an index of 530.10x.

Place Total Index
Earls Barton 59 530.10x
Birmingham 49 4.20x
Wycombe 35 55.99x
Bozeat 34 600.71x
Amersham 32 269.13x
Flitwick 27 694.09x
Daventry 26 140.85x
Sherington 24 836.24x
St Pancras London 23 2.06x
Wootton 21 338.71x
Braunston 20 392.93x
Bromley London 19 6.23x
Southampton St Mary 19 10.63x
Ellington 18 967.74x
Aston 17 1.76x
Newton Longville 16 714.29x
Melchbourne 14 1346.15x
Newport Pagnell 14 79.82x
Brighton 13 2.76x
Camberwell 13 1.47x
Napton On Hill 13 308.79x
Plymouth Charles The 13 10.22x
Ridgmont 13 367.23x
St Marylebone London 13 1.76x
West Ham 13 2.15x
Chelsea London 12 2.87x
Hampstead London 12 5.55x
Kensington London 12 1.56x
Llanover 12 35.04x
Market Harborough 12 172.66x
Mile End Old Town London 12 4.06x
Odell 12 597.01x
Soulbury 12 530.97x
Stanwick 12 385.85x
Wellingborough 12 18.29x
Hammersmith London 11 3.22x
Lambeth 11 0.91x
Limehouse London 11 7.22x
North Crawley 11 331.33x
Great Horwood 10 295.86x
Poplar London 10 3.82x
Shadwell London 10 25.76x
St George Hanover Square 10 4.09x
Bermondsey 9 2.18x
Bilton 9 111.66x
Brinnington 9 31.47x
Eton 9 47.34x
Horton In Bradford 9 4.19x
Leicester St Margaret 9 2.40x
Melton Mowbray 9 32.55x
Newington 9 1.76x
Shoreditch London 9 1.50x
Stockport 9 5.71x
Wandsworth 9 6.74x
Affpuddle 8 344.83x
Dunchurch 8 167.36x
Fenny Stratford 8 100.88x
Graveley 8 808.08x
Heversham With Milnthorpe 8 108.99x
Hillingdon 8 18.09x
Wollaston 8 111.58x
Alverstoke 7 6.80x
Chislehurst 7 27.58x
Finedon 7 61.24x
Hunningham 7 551.18x
Kingswinford 7 4.12x
Quadring 7 163.93x
Sheffield 7 1.60x
Trowbridge 7 12.91x
West Haddon 7 165.48x
Garford 6 370.37x
Great Doddington 6 212.01x
Hackney London 6 0.77x
Islington London 6 0.45x
Leamington Priors 6 6.97x
Newbold Upon Avon 6 180.72x
Oakley 6 428.57x
Ratcliffe London 6 7.83x
Handsworth 5 4.33x
Kingston On Thames 5 3.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 81
Elizabeth 69
Sarah 60
Ann 34
Emma 30
Eliza 29
Alice 22
Jane 21
Annie 20
Fanny 19
Ellen 18
Louisa 17
Martha 17
Emily 13
Ada 11
Charlotte 11
Harriet 11
Florence 10
Hannah 10
Maria 10
Caroline 9
Harriett 9
Kate 9
Susan 9
Edith 7
Agnes 6
Amelia 6
Anne 6
Frances 5
Isabella 5
Minnie 5
Rebecca 5
Rose 5
Ruth 5
Catherine 4
Lydia 4
Susannah 4
Winifred 4
Amy 3
Anna 3
Beatrice 3
Clara 3
Eleanor 3
Elizth. 3
Julia 3
Lucy 3
Mabel 3
Rachel 3
Rosa 3
Sophia 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 99
John 81
George 49
Thomas 42
Charles 37
Henry 29
James 26
Arthur 21
Alfred 19
Frederick 18
Edward 17
Joseph 17
Richard 15
Samuel 15
Walter 12
Albert 10
Harry 10
Robert 10
Frank 7
Francis 5
Herbert 5
Benjamin 4
Edmund 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Tom 4
Daniel 3
David 3
Fred 3
Isaac 3
Jabez 3
Robt. 3
Willm. 3
Abel 2
Earnest 2
Ebenezer 2
Fredrick 2
Job 2
Lewis 2
Mark 2
Wm. 2
Allen 1
Ambrose 1
Auston 1
Benj. 1
Eli 1
Eliza 1
Elizah 1
Jabes 1
Jacob 1

FAQ

Line surname: questions and answers

How common was the Line surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,421 people were recorded with the Line surname. That placed it at #2,922 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Line surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,494 in 2016. That gives Line a modern rank of #4,138.

What does the Line surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a flax grower or worker in the linen industry.

What does the Line map show?

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