NameCensus.

UK surname

Linehan

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Laigheanáin, meaning "descendant of Laigheanán," derived from a diminutive of laighean, meaning "spear."

In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Linehan surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 754, ranked #7,258, up from #23,517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Ealing, Chiswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Hammersmith and Fulham and Sutton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linehan is 789 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 962.0%.

1881 census count

71

Ranked #23,517

Modern count

754

2016, ranked #7,258

Peak year

2010

789 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linehan had 71 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,517 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 754 in 2016, ranked #7,258.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 167 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Linehan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linehan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Linehan 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 26 #28,667
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 71 #23,517
1891 historical 82 #26,494
1901 historical 112 #21,382
1911 historical 167 #16,692
1997 modern 747 #6,905
1998 modern 774 #6,938
1999 modern 774 #6,970
2000 modern 778 #6,925
2001 modern 776 #6,807
2002 modern 784 #6,893
2003 modern 757 #6,960
2004 modern 752 #7,005
2005 modern 709 #7,256
2006 modern 745 #7,018
2007 modern 751 #7,054
2008 modern 762 #7,024
2009 modern 782 #7,013
2010 modern 789 #7,107
2011 modern 775 #7,123
2012 modern 733 #7,356
2013 modern 751 #7,338
2014 modern 763 #7,263
2015 modern 755 #7,266
2016 modern 754 #7,258

Geography

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Where Linehans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and St George the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Hammersmith and Fulham, Sutton, Calderdale and South Cambridgeshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 019 Caerphilly
2 Hammersmith and Fulham 016 Hammersmith and Fulham
3 Sutton 011 Sutton
4 Calderdale 026 Calderdale
5 South Cambridgeshire 006 South Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Linehan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Linehan

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Linehan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Linehan 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Linehan 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

Linehan 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

Linehan falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Linehan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Linehan

The surname Linehan originates from Ireland and is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "O'Lonáin," meaning "descendant of Lonán." Lonán was a personal name that likely referred to a small, slender person. The prefix "O'" denoted a grandson or descendant.

In its earliest recorded form, the surname appeared as "O'Lonain" in medieval Irish manuscripts and records. Over time, the spelling evolved to Linehan, reflecting the anglicization of Irish names that occurred as English became more prevalent in Ireland.

One of the earliest documented references to the Linehan surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. This text mentions an individual named Toirdhealbhach Ua Lonáin, who lived in the 13th century and was a prominent member of the Uí Lonáin family in County Cork.

In the 16th century, the Linehan surname was concentrated in the counties of Cork and Limerick, particularly in the baronies of Fermoy and Condons. Notable individuals from this period include John Linehan, a Catholic priest and scholar who lived in the late 16th century and was known for his writings on Irish history and law.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Linehan name appeared in various records and documents related to land ownership and legal proceedings in counties Cork and Limerick. One notable figure was Patrick Linehan (1641-1721), a Catholic landowner and member of the Irish Parliament who played a role in the Jacobite uprising of 1689-1691.

In the 19th century, the Linehan surname gained wider recognition with the literary works of John Linehan (1819-1888), an Irish poet and journalist who wrote extensively about Irish culture and nationalism. Another prominent individual was Michael Linehan (1846-1923), a Catholic priest and educator who served as the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.

Other notable individuals with the Linehan surname include: - Margie Linehan (1887-1983), an Irish-American actress and vaudeville performer. - John Linehan (1910-1997), an Irish politician and member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament. - Martin Linehan (born 1944), an American psychologist and developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. - Colm Linehan (born 1982), an Irish hurler who played for the Cork senior hurling team.

While the Linehan surname is predominantly Irish in origin, it has also been found in other regions, likely due to emigration and migration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Linehan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linehan 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 23 Linehans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.37x.

County Total Index
Surrey 23 6.37x
Middlesex 16 2.16x
Devon 9 5.83x
Lancashire 8 0.91x
Channel Islands 5 22.77x
Durham 4 1.81x
Glamorgan 4 3.10x
Nottinghamshire 3 3.00x
Hampshire 2 1.32x
Essex 1 0.68x
Kent 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 10 Linehans recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.27x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 10 24.27x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 60.36x
Battersea 8 29.34x
Stoke Damerel 8 74.07x
Manchester 5 12.64x
Mile End Old Town 5 42.74x
St Helier 5 69.93x
Lambeth 4 6.19x
Llandaff 4 93.24x
Whitworth 4 248.45x
Nottingham St Mary 3 11.61x
Liverpool 2 3.74x
Portsea 2 6.72x
Camberwell 1 2.11x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 7.16x
Deptford St Paul 1 5.13x
Devonport 1 56.50x
East Ham 1 36.76x
Mile End New Town 1 99.01x
Wandsworth 1 14.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Ellen 7
Margaret 4
Ann 3
Bridget 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Abby 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Dora 1
Elizabeth 1
Jessie 1
Joannah 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 5
James 4
Patrick 4
William 4
Michael 3
Timothy 3
Andrew 2
John 2
Joseph 2
Con 1
Daniel 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
Denniss 1
George 1
Patk. 1

FAQ

Linehan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linehan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Linehan surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linehan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 754 in 2016. That gives Linehan a modern rank of #7,258.

What does the Linehan surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Laigheanáin, meaning "descendant of Laigheanán," derived from a diminutive of laighean, meaning "spear."

What does the Linehan map show?

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