NameCensus.

UK surname

Linford

An English habitational surname referring to someone from a linear fort or a place with a straight road.

In the 1881 census there were 793 people recorded with the Linford surname, ranking it #4,693 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,469, ranked #4,191, up from #4,693 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Martham, Lolworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Barnsley and Aylesbury Vale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linford is 1,522 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 85.2%.

1881 census count

793

Ranked #4,693

Modern count

1,469

2016, ranked #4,191

Peak year

2014

1,522 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linford had 793 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,693 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,469 in 2016, ranked #4,191.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,177 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Linford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Linford 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 561 #4,515
1861 historical 541 #4,857
1881 historical 793 #4,693
1891 historical 901 #4,577
1901 historical 931 #5,008
1911 historical 1,177 #3,974
1997 modern 1,431 #4,068
1998 modern 1,492 #4,072
1999 modern 1,503 #4,076
2000 modern 1,489 #4,088
2001 modern 1,450 #4,103
2002 modern 1,485 #4,107
2003 modern 1,440 #4,128
2004 modern 1,458 #4,093
2005 modern 1,452 #4,069
2006 modern 1,457 #4,063
2007 modern 1,483 #4,042
2008 modern 1,494 #4,045
2009 modern 1,500 #4,120
2010 modern 1,517 #4,159
2011 modern 1,507 #4,141
2012 modern 1,472 #4,150
2013 modern 1,518 #4,122
2014 modern 1,522 #4,130
2015 modern 1,489 #4,168
2016 modern 1,469 #4,191

Geography

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Where Linfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Martham, Lolworth, London parishes, St Neots and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, Barnsley, Aylesbury Vale and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Martham Norfolk
2 Lolworth Huntingdonshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Neots Huntingdonshire
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 014 Burnley
2 Barnsley 001 Barnsley
3 Barnsley 002 Barnsley
4 Aylesbury Vale 004 Aylesbury Vale
5 Kingston upon Hull 004 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Linford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Linford

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Linford is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Linford 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

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

Meaning and origin of Linford

The surname Linford is an English locational name originating from the county of Buckinghamshire. It is derived from the Old English words "lind" meaning lime tree and "ford" meaning a shallow river crossing. This suggests the name originated from a place where lime trees grew near a ford or river crossing.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lindeford". Over time, variations like Lynford, Lyndford, and Linforth emerged due to dialectal differences and creative spellings.

In the 13th century, the name Linford is found in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire, a survey of landholders. This record mentions a John de Linford holding lands in the village of Linford.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir William de Linford, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War.

In the 16th century, the Linford family held lands in the parish of Lillingstone Dayrell in Buckinghamshire, where they were prominent landowners and gentry.

Notable figures with the surname Linford include:

1. John Linford (1592-1657), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of St. John's College, Cambridge.

2. Thomas Linford (1650-1724), an English mathematician and astronomer who published works on navigation and astronomy.

3. Eliza Lynn Linton (1822-1898), an English novelist and pioneering leader in the women's rights movement.

4. Percival Linford (1865-1949), a British publisher and founder of the Linford Mystery Library series.

5. Marcus Linford (born 1962), a British sprinter who won a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

The name Linford has been associated with various place names in Buckinghamshire, such as Linford Wood, Linford Wharf, and the villages of Little Linford and Great Linford.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Linford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linford 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 128 Linfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.65x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 128 1.65x
Norfolk 119 10.01x
Yorkshire 86 1.12x
Lancashire 72 0.78x
Huntingdonshire 60 39.07x
Buckinghamshire 45 9.62x
Staffordshire 39 1.49x
Bedfordshire 38 9.49x
Cambridgeshire 33 6.74x
Warwickshire 28 1.44x
Surrey 23 0.61x
Lincolnshire 20 1.62x
Hampshire 15 0.95x
Cheshire 12 0.70x
Essex 12 0.79x
Kent 11 0.42x
Hertfordshire 10 1.88x
Durham 9 0.39x
Suffolk 8 0.85x
Northamptonshire 6 0.82x
Devon 5 0.31x
Derbyshire 3 0.25x
Somerset 3 0.24x
Berkshire 2 0.34x
Leicestershire 2 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.19x
Gloucestershire 1 0.07x
Northumberland 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Neots in Huntingdonshire leads with 25 Linfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 299.40x.

Place Total Index
St Neots 25 299.40x
Buckingham 21 220.82x
Lolworth 19 4222.22x
Preston 17 6.92x
Wakefield 17 28.89x
Ashton Under Lyne 16 7.98x
Birmingham 16 2.46x
Hackney London 16 3.69x
Flitcham Cum Appleton 14 1129.03x
Holy Trinity 14 7.59x
Islington London 14 1.87x
Terrington St Clement 12 223.46x
Aston 11 2.05x
Southampton St Mary 11 11.03x
Brampton 10 312.50x
Great Walsingham 10 833.33x
West Ham 10 2.97x
Lofthouse 9 78.67x
Maids Moreton 9 756.30x
Paddington London 9 3.16x
Plumstead 9 10.23x
Poplar London 9 6.16x
Rowley Regis 9 12.37x
Swineshead 9 1406.25x
Amersham 8 120.66x
Aughton 8 88.01x
Bedford St Paul 8 29.12x
Great Yarmouth 8 8.12x
Hampstead London 8 6.64x
Holy Trinity St Mary 8 68.55x
Lambeth 8 1.19x
Lowestoft 8 17.97x
Spittlegate 8 46.76x
St Pancras London 8 1.28x
St Paul Walden 8 296.30x
Wells Next Sea 8 115.44x
Horton In Bradford 7 5.85x
Martham 7 240.55x
Sandy 7 99.15x
Shoreditch London 7 2.09x
Snettisham 7 212.77x
Toxteth Park 7 2.25x
Bromley London 6 3.53x
Camberwell 6 1.21x
Cannock 6 13.17x
Everton 6 1052.63x
Finchley 6 20.23x
Huntingdon St Benedict 6 310.88x
Little Walsingham 6 223.05x
Sedgley 6 6.19x
St Marylebone London 6 1.45x
Wednesbury 6 9.20x
Bedford St Mary 5 48.45x
Beverley St Martin 5 39.09x
Cheadle 5 15.33x
Deeping St Nicholas 5 138.12x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 3.21x
Heigham 5 7.83x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 5 14.00x
Kirkdale 5 3.24x
Lund 5 409.84x
March 5 30.47x
Runcorn 5 12.70x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 3.21x
West Bromwich 5 3.34x
Westminster St John 5 5.31x
Chalfont St Peter 4 103.63x
Chelsea London 4 1.72x
Coundon 4 42.87x
Docking 4 106.95x
Harrow On The Hill 4 25.89x
Hartford 4 400.00x
Hillingdon 4 16.22x
Limpenhoe 4 754.72x
Norwich St Peter 4 51.22x
Peterborough 4 7.59x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 4 11.23x
Stranton 4 5.16x
Swavesey 4 127.39x
West Walton 4 175.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Elizabeth 45
Sarah 24
Annie 18
Eliza 17
Ann 16
Emma 15
Ellen 11
Jane 11
Alice 9
Margaret 9
Charlotte 8
Emily 8
Hannah 8
Edith 7
Rebecca 7
Harriet 6
Louisa 6
Martha 6
Clara 5
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Florence 4
Frances 4
Susan 4
Ethel 3
Isabella 3
Lizzie 3
Lucy 3
Minnie 3
Ruth 3
Selina 3
Sophia 3
Susannah 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Avis 2
Beatrice 2
Blanche 2
Catherine 2
Elizth. 2
Fanny 2
Harriett 2
Jessie 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Rosa 2
Bertha 1
Eleaner 1
Viney 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 53
William 53
James 34
Thomas 31
George 24
Charles 17
Alfred 13
Robert 13
Frederick 12
Arthur 11
Joseph 9
Edward 7
Henry 7
Albert 6
Jonathan 5
Martin 5
Richard 5
Samuel 5
Walter 5
Christopher 3
Daniel 3
Herbert 3
Horace 3
Aaron 2
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Emanuel 2
Ethelbert 2
Frank 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Jacob 2
Luke 2
Percy 2
Willm. 2
Amos 1
Archibald 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk 1
Fredk. 1
Geo.T. 1
Geo.Williams 1
Jethro 1
Jonah 1
Jonothan 1
Louis 1
Mash 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Linford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 793 people were recorded with the Linford surname. That placed it at #4,693 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,469 in 2016. That gives Linford a modern rank of #4,191.

What does the Linford surname mean?

An English habitational surname referring to someone from a linear fort or a place with a straight road.

What does the Linford map show?

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