NameCensus.

UK surname

Lines

An English topographic surname denoting someone who lived near a boundary or near the edge of a wood.

In the 1881 census there were 3,187 people recorded with the Lines surname, ranking it #1,414 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,205, ranked #1,612, down from #1,414 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Hartlepool and Rugby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lines is 4,648 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.9%.

1881 census count

3,187

Ranked #1,414

Modern count

4,205

2016, ranked #1,612

Peak year

1998

4,648 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lines had 3,187 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,414 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,205 in 2016, ranked #1,612.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,539 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lines surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lines surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Lines 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 2,354 #1,266
1861 historical 1,874 #1,543
1881 historical 3,187 #1,414
1891 historical 3,362 #1,422
1901 historical 3,989 #1,414
1911 historical 4,539 #1,135
1997 modern 4,495 #1,462
1998 modern 4,648 #1,464
1999 modern 4,609 #1,487
2000 modern 4,545 #1,496
2001 modern 4,453 #1,494
2002 modern 4,505 #1,504
2003 modern 4,365 #1,514
2004 modern 4,407 #1,510
2005 modern 4,307 #1,516
2006 modern 4,289 #1,522
2007 modern 4,342 #1,526
2008 modern 4,355 #1,529
2009 modern 4,405 #1,543
2010 modern 4,409 #1,575
2011 modern 4,353 #1,574
2012 modern 4,256 #1,573
2013 modern 4,303 #1,595
2014 modern 4,297 #1,606
2015 modern 4,254 #1,602
2016 modern 4,205 #1,612

Geography

Back to top

Where Lines' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, St Mary Islington and Byfield, Chipping Warden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Hartlepool, Rugby, Aylesbury Vale and Cannock Chase. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Byfield, Chipping Warden Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 011 County Durham
2 Hartlepool 012 Hartlepool
3 Rugby 009 Rugby
4 Aylesbury Vale 004 Aylesbury Vale
5 Cannock Chase 013 Cannock Chase

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Lines

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Lines

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

Lines is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lines falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lines

The surname "Lines" is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "line," which referred to a boundary or line between properties or territories. This name likely originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a boundary line or border.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several entries for people with the surname "Lines" or similar spellings, such as "de la Lyne" or "atte Lyne." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in various parts of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Lines" is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mentions a "William de la Line." This spelling variation further reinforces the connection to the Old English word for boundary or line.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname appeared in various records across England, often associated with specific place names. For example, in 1327, a "John de la Lyne" is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, while a "William atte Lyne" is recorded in the Court Rolls of Essex in 1369.

One notable historical figure with the surname "Lines" was Sir Robert Lines (c. 1560-1634), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1617. He was also a member of the Virginia Company, which established the first permanent English settlement in North America at Jamestown.

Another prominent individual was John Lines (1629-1681), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the pastor of the Church of St. Mary in Nottingham. He was a vocal critic of the Restoration of the monarchy and was imprisoned for his nonconformist views.

In the 18th century, Joseph Lines (1701-1748) was a notable English engraver and illustrator known for his work on various publications, including editions of the works of William Shakespeare.

In the field of art, Henry Lines (1801-1876) was a British landscape painter and etcher who specialized in depictions of rural scenes and coastal views. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prominent galleries during the Victorian era.

Additionally, Samuel Lines (1778-1863) was an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. James in Bermondsey and the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in Old Kent Road.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Lines families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lines 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. Warwickshire leads with 519 Lines' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.64x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 519 6.64x
Middlesex 478 1.54x
Northamptonshire 232 7.96x
Hertfordshire 215 10.06x
Surrey 188 1.24x
Norfolk 163 3.42x
Suffolk 143 3.79x
Staffordshire 122 1.17x
Essex 114 1.86x
Oxfordshire 107 5.59x
Bedfordshire 97 6.04x
Kent 92 0.87x
Leicestershire 85 2.47x
Yorkshire 85 0.28x
Gloucestershire 83 1.37x
Worcestershire 82 2.03x
Buckinghamshire 74 3.95x
Lancashire 55 0.15x
Durham 31 0.34x
Somerset 26 0.52x
Hampshire 25 0.39x
Huntingdonshire 25 4.06x
Wiltshire 18 0.66x
Devon 17 0.26x
Cambridgeshire 16 0.81x
Berkshire 15 0.64x
Cheshire 13 0.19x
Herefordshire 9 0.71x
Sussex 8 0.15x
Derbyshire 7 0.14x
Lincolnshire 7 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.17x
Anglesey 4 0.73x
Shropshire 3 0.11x
Dorset 2 0.10x
Lanarkshire 2 0.02x
Royal Navy 2 0.54x
Ayrshire 1 0.04x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
East Lothian 1 0.24x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.04x
West Lothian 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 127 Lines' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.90x.

Place Total Index
Aston 127 5.90x
Birmingham 126 4.84x
Islington London 77 2.56x
Luton 55 19.79x
Swalcliffe 48 722.89x
West Ham 47 3.48x
Lambeth 44 1.63x
Chipping Warden 41 976.19x
Dersingham 35 325.28x
Paddington London 34 2.98x
Leicester St Margaret 32 3.82x
Kensington London 30 1.74x
Handsworth 29 11.24x
Northampton All Sts 29 29.31x
Clerkenwell London 27 3.69x
Runton 27 500.00x
Coventry Holy Trinity 25 10.71x
Hackney London 25 1.44x
Kidderminster Borough 25 10.55x
St Marylebone London 24 1.45x
Bristol St George 23 8.18x
Walsall Foreign 23 4.26x
Rugby 22 20.80x
St Pancras London 22 0.88x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 21 3.67x
Shoreditch London 21 1.56x
Kings Norton 20 5.51x
Hampstead London 19 3.94x
Leamington Priors 19 9.88x
Newington 19 1.66x
St Albans 18 41.11x
Camberwell 17 0.86x
Gillingham 17 7.80x
Hatfield 17 39.24x
Ipswich St Mathew 17 16.07x
Weedon Beck 17 81.38x
Battersea 16 1.40x
Cheltenham 16 3.41x
Northampton St Sepulchre 16 10.79x
Poplar London 16 2.73x
Wolverton 16 41.25x
Hammersmith London 15 1.96x
Southwark St George Martyr 15 2.40x
Willesden 15 5.13x
Coventry St Michael 14 5.57x
Eydon 14 294.12x
Fulham London 14 3.11x
Kimpton 14 139.72x
Kingston On Thames 14 3.86x
Staines 14 28.52x
Wheathampstead 14 56.70x
Aldershot 13 6.11x
Harborne 13 3.88x
Harpenden 13 39.89x
Hornsey 13 3.32x
Newbold Upon Avon 13 175.20x
West Bromwich 13 2.17x
Woolvercot 13 167.10x
Berkhampstead 12 24.98x
Desford 12 125.79x
Finchley 12 10.10x
Hadleigh 12 32.76x
Palgrave 12 151.13x
Widnes 12 4.52x
Wolvey 12 144.40x
Aldenham 11 56.58x
Diss 11 26.92x
East Barnet 11 25.96x
Marske In Guisbrough 11 20.16x
Napton On Hill 11 117.02x
Studham 11 124.58x
Tring 11 19.28x
Bethnal Green London 10 0.74x
Bramfield 10 150.15x
Broughton 10 162.07x
Fenny Compton 10 160.51x
Gravesend 10 11.17x
Hemel Hempstead 10 10.39x
Oldbury 10 5.02x
Warkworth 10 38.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 220
Sarah 125
Elizabeth 119
Emma 66
Eliza 59
Ann 54
Alice 53
Ellen 52
Jane 47
Annie 44
Emily 41
Charlotte 35
Martha 33
Florence 29
Hannah 28
Harriet 27
Louisa 22
Caroline 21
Ada 20
Edith 18
Catherine 16
Lucy 15
Amelia 12
Harriett 12
Kate 12
Maria 12
Susan 12
Fanny 11
Rose 11
Agnes 10
Anne 10
Clara 10
Margaret 10
Minnie 10
Julia 9
Sophia 9
Frances 8
Lydia 8
Rebecca 7
Susannah 7
Elizth. 6
Ethel 6
Gertrude 6
Laura 6
Rosa 6
Ruth 6
Eleanor 5
Esther 5
Jessie 5
Susanna 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 238
John 184
George 128
Thomas 96
Henry 86
James 70
Charles 54
Edward 46
Joseph 43
Arthur 41
Alfred 39
Samuel 36
Robert 33
Frederick 31
Albert 30
Harry 23
Richard 19
Herbert 17
Ernest 16
Walter 16
Benjamin 11
Francis 11
Edwin 10
Fredrick 10
Frank 9
David 6
Geo. 6
Isaac 6
Joshua 5
Michael 5
Philip 5
Edgar 4
Eli 4
Fredk. 4
Mark 4
Stephen 4
Thos. 4
Amos 3
Austin 3
Ellis 3
Frederic 3
Lewis 3
Percy 3
Phillip 3
Reuben 3
Sidney 3
Tom 3
Chas.Saml. 2
Christopher 2
Jonathan 2

FAQ

Lines surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lines surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,187 people were recorded with the Lines surname. That placed it at #1,414 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lines surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,205 in 2016. That gives Lines a modern rank of #1,612.

What does the Lines surname mean?

An English topographic surname denoting someone who lived near a boundary or near the edge of a wood.

What does the Lines map show?

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