NameCensus.

UK surname

Linge

A surname of German or Dutch origin meaning "from the meadow or pasture."

In the 1881 census there were 116 people recorded with the Linge surname, ranking it #18,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 302, ranked #14,660, up from #18,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Southminster, Mayland, Steeple, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochford, Sedgemoor and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linge is 324 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 160.3%.

1881 census count

116

Ranked #18,126

Modern count

302

2016, ranked #14,660

Peak year

1999

324 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linge had 116 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 302 in 2016, ranked #14,660.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 275 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Linge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linge surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Linge 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 55 #23,413
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 116 #18,126
1891 historical 204 #14,702
1901 historical 238 #13,528
1911 historical 275 #12,123
1997 modern 313 #13,158
1998 modern 318 #13,362
1999 modern 324 #13,288
2000 modern 317 #13,439
2001 modern 304 #13,619
2002 modern 308 #13,763
2003 modern 305 #13,662
2004 modern 294 #14,055
2005 modern 284 #14,306
2006 modern 289 #14,234
2007 modern 291 #14,347
2008 modern 290 #14,466
2009 modern 283 #15,020
2010 modern 295 #14,911
2011 modern 287 #15,044
2012 modern 307 #14,288
2013 modern 304 #14,614
2014 modern 301 #14,809
2015 modern 303 #14,646
2016 modern 302 #14,660

Geography

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Where Linges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Southminster, Mayland, Steeple, London parishes, Gateshead, All Saints Poplar and Elvedon or Elden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochford, Sedgemoor, Babergh and Breckland. 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 Southminster, Mayland, Steeple Essex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 All Saints Poplar London (East Districts)
5 Elvedon or Elden Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochford 003 Rochford
2 Sedgemoor 007 Sedgemoor
3 Babergh 011 Babergh
4 Rochford 002 Rochford
5 Breckland 009 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Linge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Linge

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

Linge is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Linge falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Linge

The surname Linge originated in Germany and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German word "lingen," meaning a long, narrow strip of land or a ridge. This suggests that the name may have been initially used to identify someone who lived near or owned such a landform.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Linge appeared in the Codex Diplomaticus Silesiae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Silesia (now part of Poland and the Czech Republic), dated around 1200. The name was spelled "Lingi" in these records, indicating its Germanic roots.

During the medieval period, the Linge surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Saxony and Thuringia, which were part of the Holy Roman Empire. It is believed that the name may have been associated with landowners or farmers who held property in these areas.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name Linge was Johannes Linge, a scholar and theologian from the city of Erfurt in Thuringia. He was born around 1320 and is known for his contributions to the study of canon law.

Another historical reference to the name Linge can be found in the Stadtbuch von Halberstadt, a chronicle of the city of Halberstadt in Saxony-Anhalt, dating back to the 15th century. It mentions a certain Henricus Linge, who served as a city councilor in the year 1457.

In the 16th century, the Linge surname gained prominence in the region of Westphalia, located in present-day North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. One notable individual from this era was Johann Linge (1522-1597), a Protestant reformer and theologian who played a significant role in the establishment of Lutheranism in the city of Soest.

During the 17th century, the Linge family had a strong presence in the town of Mönchengladbach, near the Dutch border. Johann Wilhelm Linge (1625-1683) was a respected lawyer and magistrate who served as the mayor of Mönchengladbach from 1672 until his death.

As the Linge surname spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, such as Lingge, Linghel, and Lingemann. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and linguistic peculiarities of different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Linge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linge 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 43 Linges recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.80x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 43 3.80x
Essex 17 7.61x
Norfolk 16 9.20x
Lancashire 9 0.67x
Suffolk 9 6.53x
Hertfordshire 6 7.69x
Durham 5 1.49x
Somerset 5 2.75x
Surrey 4 0.73x
Dorset 1 1.35x
Yorkshire 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. Tottenham in Middlesex leads with 18 Linges recorded in 1881 and an index of 99.89x.

Place Total Index
Tottenham 18 99.89x
Poplar London 9 42.15x
Thetford St Mary 9 1914.89x
Everton 8 18.70x
Spitalfields London 7 82.26x
Woodham Walter 7 3500.00x
Berkhampstead 6 342.86x
Elvenden 6 5000.00x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 6 375.00x
Brandon 5 537.63x
Barrow Gurney 4 3333.33x
Boreham 3 769.23x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 20.58x
Mayland 3 3000.00x
Newington 3 7.18x
Knettishall 2 6666.67x
Southwick 2 62.70x
St George In East London 2 18.80x
Bedminster 1 5.84x
Caterham 1 40.98x
Islington London 1 0.91x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 19.16x
Kirkdale 1 4.43x
Maldon All Sts 1 227.27x
Nether Hallam 1 6.59x
Southminster 1 204.08x
Springfield 1 102.04x
Weeting With Broomhill 1 769.23x
West Ham 1 2.03x
Wetherden 1 526.32x
Wyke Regis 1 93.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Alice 4
Susan 4
Caroline 3
Eliza 3
Elizabeth 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Eleanor 2
Esther 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Sarah 2
(Ms.) 1
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Fanny 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Margreta 1
Rosetta 1
Sophia 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
George 8
John 6
Charles 5
James 5
Arthur 4
Stephen 4
Henry 2
David 1
Edgar 1
Elias 1
Florence 1
Harry 1
Heinrich 1
Owen 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Stanley 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Linge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 116 people were recorded with the Linge surname. That placed it at #18,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 302 in 2016. That gives Linge a modern rank of #14,660.

What does the Linge surname mean?

A surname of German or Dutch origin meaning "from the meadow or pasture."

What does the Linge map show?

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