NameCensus.

UK surname

Linegar

A habitational surname referring to a person from a place named with the Old English words lin "linden tree" and gār "triangular piece of land".

In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Linegar surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 126, ranked #26,686, down from #22,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Godalming, Elstead and Hambledon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waverley and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linegar is 165 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.5%.

1881 census count

80

Ranked #22,225

Modern count

126

2016, ranked #26,686

Peak year

1997

165 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linegar had 80 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016, ranked #26,686.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 149 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Linegar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linegar surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Linegar 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 102 #16,933
1861 historical 67 #25,342
1881 historical 80 #22,225
1891 historical 111 #22,421
1901 historical 140 #18,795
1911 historical 149 #17,937
1997 modern 165 #19,861
1998 modern 161 #20,754
1999 modern 165 #20,535
2000 modern 159 #20,975
2001 modern 152 #21,294
2002 modern 148 #22,087
2003 modern 144 #22,270
2004 modern 136 #23,207
2005 modern 127 #24,178
2006 modern 127 #24,384
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 144 #23,577
2010 modern 138 #24,801
2011 modern 142 #24,182
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 129 #26,211
2014 modern 127 #26,634
2015 modern 129 #26,226
2016 modern 126 #26,686

Geography

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Where Linegars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Godalming, Elstead, Hambledon, Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) and Dunsfold, Bramley, Shalford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waverley and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Godalming Surrey
2 Elstead Surrey
3 Hambledon Surrey
4 Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) Cheshire
5 Dunsfold, Bramley, Shalford Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waverley 011 Waverley
2 Waverley 012 Waverley
3 Waverley 010 Waverley
4 Cheshire West and Chester 018 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Linegar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Linegar

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

Linegar is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Linegar

The surname Linegar has its origins in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. One of the earliest spellings was "Linegere," which is thought to derive from the Old English words "lin" meaning flax and "gere" meaning a wearer or maker. This suggests the name was likely an occupational surname initially given to those involved in the production or trade of linen.

While the name does not appear in the Domesday Book, one of the earliest documented mentions is found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which lists a Richard le Linegere. Other early variations of the spelling include Lynegere and Lyneger, further indicating the name's connection to the linen trade.

The Linegar surname can be traced to various regions in England, with a concentration in the counties of Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire. Some early recordings include John Lyneger from Nottinghamshire in 1327 and Robert Lynegar from Yorkshire in 1379.

As the name spread across England, it evolved into different spellings, including Liniger, Linnegar, and eventually Linegar. One notable bearer of the name was William Linegar, born in 1614 in Lincolnshire, who served as a member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War.

Another prominent figure was John Linegar, born in 1678 in Nottinghamshire, who became a successful merchant and landowner. His descendants continued to use the Linegar surname and contributed to the local community.

In the 18th century, Samuel Linegar, born in 1712 in Yorkshire, gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker and watchmaker, with his timepieces being highly sought after by local gentry and nobility.

During the 19th century, the Linegar name was also represented in the arts, with the painter and illustrator Emily Linegar, born in 1842 in Lincolnshire, gaining recognition for her depictions of rural English life.

One of the most notable bearers of the Linegar surname was Sir Thomas Linegar, born in 1865 in Nottinghamshire, who had a distinguished career as a naval officer and served as the First Sea Lord from 1919 to 1921, playing a significant role in the aftermath of World War I.

While the Linegar surname has evolved over centuries, its origins can be traced back to the linen trade in medieval England, with various bearers of the name leaving their mark across different fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Linegar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linegar 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. Surrey leads with 43 Linegars recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.23x.

County Total Index
Surrey 43 12.23x
Cheshire 11 6.91x
Lincolnshire 8 6.93x
Hampshire 2 1.35x
Middlesex 2 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 2 2.06x
Staffordshire 2 0.82x
Leicestershire 1 1.25x
Midlothian 1 1.03x
Somerset 1 0.86x
Warwickshire 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Godalming in Surrey leads with 22 Linegars recorded in 1881 and an index of 995.48x.

Place Total Index
Godalming 22 995.48x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 8 563.38x
Stoke 6 361.45x
Upton 5 8333.33x
Guildford Holy Trinity 4 597.01x
Birkenhead 3 23.62x
Hambledon 3 810.81x
Abinger 2 689.66x
Dockenfield 2 4000.00x
East Bedfont 2 555.56x
Handsworth 2 33.33x
Laughton In Gainsborough 2 2857.14x
Reigate Foreign 2 52.49x
Thursley 2 800.00x
Birmingham 1 1.65x
Clayworth 1 909.09x
Hemswell 1 1111.11x
Kingston On Thames 1 11.83x
Leicester St Mary 1 15.48x
South Leith 1 9.19x
West Retford 1 500.00x
Weston Super Mare 1 34.13x
Worplesdon 1 238.10x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Linegar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linegar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Linegar surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linegar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 126 in 2016. That gives Linegar a modern rank of #26,686.

What does the Linegar surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to a person from a place named with the Old English words lin "linden tree" and gār "triangular piece of land".

What does the Linegar map show?

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