NameCensus.

UK surname

Linger

A surname derived from the Old English word for a meadow or pastureland, referring to one who lived near such a place.

In the 1881 census there were 171 people recorded with the Linger surname, ranking it #14,212 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 202, ranked #19,475, down from #14,212 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Stagsden and Crawley, North. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braintree, East Northamptonshire and Torbay.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linger is 310 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.1%.

1881 census count

171

Ranked #14,212

Modern count

202

2016, ranked #19,475

Peak year

1911

310 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linger had 171 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,212 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 202 in 2016, ranked #19,475.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 310 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Linger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linger surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Linger 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 98 #17,383
1861 historical 138 #16,365
1881 historical 171 #14,212
1891 historical 238 #13,202
1901 historical 259 #12,848
1911 historical 310 #11,180
1997 modern 220 #16,607
1998 modern 231 #16,555
1999 modern 231 #16,646
2000 modern 219 #17,195
2001 modern 213 #17,267
2002 modern 230 #16,730
2003 modern 220 #17,033
2004 modern 219 #17,180
2005 modern 209 #17,629
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 224 #17,193
2008 modern 228 #17,146
2009 modern 222 #17,797
2010 modern 225 #18,000
2011 modern 219 #18,145
2012 modern 211 #18,539
2013 modern 220 #18,324
2014 modern 211 #19,002
2015 modern 207 #19,155
2016 modern 202 #19,475

Geography

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Where Lingers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Stagsden, Crawley, North and Pertenhall, Little Staughton, Bolnhurst (Riseley, Bedfordshire), Keysoe (Riseley, Bedfordshire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braintree, East Northamptonshire, Torbay, Luton and Bedford. 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 Stagsden Bedfordshire
3 Crawley, North Buckinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Pertenhall, Little Staughton, Bolnhurst (Riseley, Bedfordshire), Keysoe (Riseley, Bedfordshire) Huntingdonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braintree 014 Braintree
2 East Northamptonshire 004 East Northamptonshire
3 Torbay 013 Torbay
4 Luton 013 Luton
5 Bedford 001 Bedford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Linger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Linger

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Linger surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Linger household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Linger is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Linger 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

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

Meaning and origin of Linger

The surname Linger originates from the German language and first appeared in regions of modern-day Germany and Austria during the 12th century. It is derived from the Middle High German words "linger" meaning "left-handed" or "slow", and "lingern" meaning "to linger or delay". The name likely referred to someone who was perceived as slow-moving or left-handed.

One of the earliest known records of the name dates back to 1292 in the town of Rottenburg am Neckar, where a man named Heinrich Linger was documented in municipal records. The name also appears in various spellings such as Lingher, Lingher, and Lingere in medieval documents from the 13th and 14th centuries across southern Germany and Austria.

In the 15th century, the surname Linger was found in the town of Salzburg, Austria, where a family of goldsmiths and artisans bearing the name resided. Notable members include Hans Linger (1435-1501), a skilled goldsmith renowned for his intricate religious artifacts and jewelry.

The name Linger also has historical ties to the small village of Linger, located in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. This village likely took its name from an early resident with the surname Linger, and records show families with the name living in the area as early as the 16th century.

One of the earliest known emigrants to North America with the surname Linger was Johann Linger, who arrived in Pennsylvania from the Palatinate region of Germany in 1743. He settled in the area now known as Berks County and established a successful farming community.

Other notable individuals with the surname Linger throughout history include:

1. Franz Linger (1799-1867), an Austrian painter and engraver known for his landscapes and religious works. 2. Konrad Linger (1854-1923), a German architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in Berlin and other German cities. 3. Maximilian Linger (1888-1962), an Austrian composer and conductor who served as the director of the Vienna Boys' Choir from 1924 to 1948. 4. Helene Linger (1910-1992), a German-born American mathematician and computer scientist who made significant contributions to the field of numerical analysis. 5. Klaus Linger (born 1938), a German business executive who served as the CEO of the luxury car manufacturer BMW from 1975 to 1993.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Linger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linger 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. Bedfordshire leads with 72 Lingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 83.37x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 72 83.37x
Buckinghamshire 22 21.82x
Hertfordshire 19 16.53x
Middlesex 17 1.02x
Surrey 8 0.98x
Huntingdonshire 7 21.14x
Yorkshire 6 0.36x
Aberdeenshire 5 3.24x
Warwickshire 5 1.19x
Lancashire 4 0.20x
Northumberland 4 1.61x
Kent 1 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stagsden in Bedfordshire leads with 27 Lingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 8709.68x.

Place Total Index
Stagsden 27 8709.68x
Luton 21 140.47x
North Crawley 14 3500.00x
Cheshunt 12 298.51x
Kempston 9 459.18x
Keysoe 8 1951.22x
Olney 8 575.54x
Edmonton 7 52.08x
St Neots 7 388.89x
Eaton Socon 6 441.18x
Islington London 6 3.71x
Sandridge 6 1250.00x
Aberdeen Old Machar 5 15.50x
Aston 5 4.32x
Bothal Demesne 4 336.13x
Coulsdon 4 270.27x
East Clandon 4 2500.00x
Barnsley 3 17.60x
Spotland 3 13.64x
Wortley In Bramley 3 22.92x
Paddington London 2 3.26x
Bedford St Paul 1 16.89x
Lee 1 12.11x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.82x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.72x
Preston 1 1.89x
Rickmansworth 1 31.55x
St Pancras London 1 0.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Sarah 7
Elizabeth 6
Eliza 5
Annie 3
Jane 3
Ann 2
Charlotte 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Kate 2
Lillian 2
Violet 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Elizth. 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Ivy 1
Judith 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Kezia 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lois 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Nelly 1
Olivia 1
Rachel 1
Rosa 1
Ruth 1
Sopia 1
Tamar 1
Thomasiana 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Linger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 171 people were recorded with the Linger surname. That placed it at #14,212 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 202 in 2016. That gives Linger a modern rank of #19,475.

What does the Linger surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word for a meadow or pastureland, referring to one who lived near such a place.

What does the Linger map show?

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