NameCensus.

UK surname

Lingley

An English locational surname referring to someone from a location called Ling Lea.

In the 1881 census there were 359 people recorded with the Lingley surname, ranking it #8,614 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 272, ranked #15,832, down from #8,614 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Colchester, Kettering and Tendring.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lingley is 464 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 24.2%.

1881 census count

359

Ranked #8,614

Modern count

272

2016, ranked #15,832

Peak year

1911

464 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lingley had 359 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,614 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 272 in 2016, ranked #15,832.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 464 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Lingley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lingley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lingley 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 157 #12,504
1861 historical 272 #9,167
1881 historical 359 #8,614
1891 historical 406 #8,765
1901 historical 437 #8,894
1911 historical 464 #8,307
1997 modern 308 #13,297
1998 modern 319 #13,330
1999 modern 314 #13,556
2000 modern 310 #13,618
2001 modern 299 #13,758
2002 modern 288 #14,373
2003 modern 287 #14,219
2004 modern 286 #14,312
2005 modern 275 #14,624
2006 modern 271 #14,880
2007 modern 280 #14,694
2008 modern 277 #14,940
2009 modern 283 #15,020
2010 modern 283 #15,363
2011 modern 287 #15,044
2012 modern 278 #15,333
2013 modern 277 #15,644
2014 modern 277 #15,734
2015 modern 274 #15,749
2016 modern 272 #15,832

Geography

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Where Lingleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Lambeth and Finingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Colchester, Kettering, Tendring and Trafford. 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 Manchester Lancashire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Finingham Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Colchester 020 Colchester
2 Kettering 003 Kettering
3 Tendring 002 Tendring
4 Trafford 002 Trafford
5 Kettering 002 Kettering

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lingley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lingley

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Lingley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Lingley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Lingley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lingley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lingley falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lingley 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lingley

The surname Lingley originated in England, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the place name Lingley, a small village located in West Yorkshire. The name itself may have evolved from the Old English words "ling," meaning heather or heathland, and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lingley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lingeleia." This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, serves as a valuable record of landowners and their holdings in the years following the Norman Conquest of England.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms, such as "Lyngleye" and "Lyngeley," reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that era. Around 1275, a record mentions a John de Lyngleye, who was likely associated with the village of Lingley.

During the 14th century, the surname Lingley began to spread beyond its place of origin, with individuals bearing the name appearing in various parts of England. In 1327, a Robert de Lyngeley was mentioned in the records of Yorkshire, while in 1379, a Richard Lyngeleye was recorded in Warwickshire.

One notable figure with the surname Lingley was Sir Ralph Lingley, a 16th-century English landowner and Member of Parliament. He was born around 1530 in Yorkshire and served as a Member of Parliament for Aldborough in 1571 and 1572.

Another prominent individual was John Lingley, born in 1630 in Gloucestershire, England. He was a prominent Quaker preacher and author, known for his influential works on religious matters during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Lingley surname continued to appear in various regions of England. Thomas Lingley, born in 1705 in Derbyshire, was a respected scholar and educator who authored several works on mathematics and astronomy.

As the centuries progressed, the Lingley surname spread further across the British Isles and eventually to other parts of the world through emigration. Notable individuals bearing this surname include James Lingley (1818-1898), a Canadian politician and businessman from New Brunswick, and William Lingley (1870-1945), an Australian cricketer who played for the New South Wales cricket team.

While the Lingley surname may not be among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history spanning centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, from landowners and politicians to scholars and athletes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lingley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lingley 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. Suffolk leads with 100 Lingleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.44x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 100 23.44x
Middlesex 47 1.34x
Surrey 46 2.70x
Lancashire 33 0.79x
Norfolk 32 5.94x
Yorkshire 22 0.63x
Essex 19 2.75x
Warwickshire 18 2.04x
Cheshire 8 1.03x
Hertfordshire 8 3.31x
Cambridgeshire 7 3.16x
Kent 6 0.50x
Cumberland 4 1.33x
Sussex 4 0.68x
Derbyshire 3 0.55x
Bedfordshire 1 0.55x
Monmouthshire 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. Newton in Suffolk leads with 28 Lingleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5185.19x.

Place Total Index
Newton 28 5185.19x
Lambeth 19 6.22x
Cotton 18 2950.82x
Warrington 14 28.42x
Birmingham 13 4.42x
Camberwell 13 5.81x
Hulme 13 14.99x
Hackney London 11 5.60x
Whitechapel London 11 31.87x
Bethnal Green London 10 6.57x
Long Melford 10 252.53x
Bowling 7 20.37x
Brickendon 7 625.00x
Girton 7 1206.90x
Kelvedon 7 380.43x
Latchford 7 136.19x
Nayland 7 648.15x
West Ham 7 4.59x
Groton 6 1071.43x
Kenninghall 6 405.41x
Mundford 6 1764.71x
Norwich St Augustine 6 276.50x
Norwich St Saviour 6 317.46x
Brantingham 5 1515.15x
Foleshill 5 53.82x
Norwich St James 5 118.48x
Oxted 5 243.90x
Yeadon 5 63.78x
Clerkenwell London 4 4.84x
Cuckfield 4 67.11x
Epsom 4 48.08x
Great Cornard 4 416.67x
Hadleigh 4 96.62x
Thornaby 4 30.84x
Thorndon All Sts 4 519.48x
Westminster St James 4 11.11x
Wigton 4 88.50x
Assington 3 337.08x
Kensington London 3 1.54x
Lavenham 3 134.53x
Longford 3 600.00x
Polstead 3 303.03x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 25.00x
Cockfield 2 178.57x
Croydon 2 2.11x
Great Waldingfield 2 285.71x
Manchester 2 1.07x
Norwich St Peter 2 56.66x
Oldham 2 1.49x
Thorpe Le Soken 2 344.83x
Altrincham 1 7.40x
Ardwick 1 2.67x
Ash Next Ridley 1 131.58x
Bromley 1 5.49x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 8.78x
Colchester St James 1 35.71x
Colchester St Martin 1 79.37x
Colchester St Runwald 1 270.27x
Cople 1 181.82x
Earl Soham 1 135.14x
Eastwick 1 909.09x
Gravesend 1 9.88x
Guildford St Nicholas 1 33.22x
Leeds 1 0.51x
Lewisham 1 1.57x
Lingfield 1 30.03x
Llanvetherine 1 384.62x
Newchurch 1 2.94x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 1 30.58x
Paddington London 1 0.78x
Rochester St Margaret 1 7.94x
St George Bloomsbury 1 4.98x
St Marylebone London 1 0.53x
Stoke By Nayland 1 72.46x
Sudbury St Peter 1 42.74x
Westminster St Margaret 1 5.92x
Wimbledon 1 5.22x
Woolwich 1 2.27x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 20
John 16
Charles 14
James 10
Thomas 10
Henry 8
George 7
Albert 6
Frederick 5
Harry 4
Joshua 4
Richard 4
Edward 3
Herbert 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Wm. 3
Arthur 2
Edgar 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Jeremiah 2
R. 2
A. 1
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Anld. 1
Bertram 1
C.B. 1
Edmund 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Golding 1
H. 1
Isaiaha 1
Issac 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Noles 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Perry 1
Peter 1
Reuben 1
Roger 1
T.A. 1
Trevor 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Lingley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lingley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 359 people were recorded with the Lingley surname. That placed it at #8,614 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lingley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 272 in 2016. That gives Lingley a modern rank of #15,832.

What does the Lingley surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone from a location called Ling Lea.

What does the Lingley map show?

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