NameCensus.

UK surname

Lings

In the 1881 census there were 152 people recorded with the Lings surname, ranking it #15,372 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 195, ranked #19,921, down from #15,372 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duffield, Burton-on-Trent and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire and East Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lings is 227 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.3%.

1881 census count

152

Ranked #15,372

Modern count

195

2016, ranked #19,921

Peak year

2001

227 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lings had 152 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,372 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 195 in 2016, ranked #19,921.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 178 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lings surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lings surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lings 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 129 #14,406
1861 historical 88 #22,554
1881 historical 152 #15,372
1891 historical 178 #16,264
1901 historical 151 #17,988
1911 historical 163 #16,939
1997 modern 207 #17,267
1998 modern 219 #17,115
1999 modern 226 #16,884
2000 modern 222 #17,032
2001 modern 227 #16,573
2002 modern 217 #17,388
2003 modern 208 #17,685
2004 modern 205 #17,935
2005 modern 202 #18,016
2006 modern 205 #18,005
2007 modern 195 #18,799
2008 modern 198 #18,753
2009 modern 195 #19,329
2010 modern 195 #19,762
2011 modern 198 #19,410
2012 modern 203 #19,025
2013 modern 200 #19,524
2014 modern 196 #19,961
2015 modern 196 #19,840
2016 modern 195 #19,921

Geography

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Where Lings' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duffield, Burton-on-Trent, London parishes, Manchester and Northenden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire and East Dorset. 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 Duffield Derbyshire
2 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Northenden Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 010 North Lincolnshire
2 North Lincolnshire 008 North Lincolnshire
3 North Lincolnshire 019 North Lincolnshire
4 East Dorset 012 East Dorset
5 North Lincolnshire 009 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lings

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lings

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Lings 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

Lings 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

Lings falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lings is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Lings families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lings 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. Lancashire leads with 30 Lings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.72x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 30 1.72x
Derbyshire 21 9.11x
Middlesex 21 1.43x
Cheshire 17 5.23x
Lincolnshire 15 6.37x
Staffordshire 10 2.01x
Leicestershire 8 4.90x
Durham 7 1.60x
Nottinghamshire 6 3.02x
Cumberland 5 3.94x
Rutland 4 36.97x
Yorkshire 3 0.21x
Essex 1 0.34x
Hampshire 1 0.33x
Hertfordshire 1 0.98x
Surrey 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Northenden in Cheshire leads with 13 Lings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2203.39x.

Place Total Index
Northenden 13 2203.39x
Burringham 9 3333.33x
Horninglow 9 384.62x
Didsbury 8 344.83x
Heaton Norris 8 80.40x
Belper 7 156.60x
Reddish 7 290.46x
Stockton On Tees 7 33.14x
Westminster St James 7 46.24x
Ockbrook 6 612.24x
Kensington London 5 6.11x
Radford 5 49.55x
Whicham 5 2631.58x
Dale Abbey 4 1904.76x
Leicester St Margaret 4 10.04x
Leicester St Mary 4 30.33x
Mile End Old Town London 4 12.76x
Morcott 4 1666.67x
St Swithin Lincoln 4 108.11x
Sale 3 75.19x
St Luke London 3 12.70x
Acton 2 23.18x
Barlow 2 434.78x
Hulme 2 5.48x
Ilkeston 2 30.91x
Leeds 2 2.43x
Scunthorpe 2 188.68x
Betchton 1 238.10x
Bishop Stortford 1 29.50x
Broughton In Salford 1 6.26x
Burnley 1 6.79x
Burton Upon Trent 1 8.60x
Great Crosby 1 20.96x
Millbrook 1 13.16x
Newark Upon Trent 1 14.01x
Oldham 1 1.77x
Pannal 1 71.43x
Streatham 1 9.15x
Urmston 1 88.50x
West Ham 1 1.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Ellen 5
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Elizabeth 3
Frances 3
Amelia 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Helen 2
Jane 2
Lucy 2
Rachel 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Charlot 1
Charlotte 1
Easter 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Eric 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Hettie 1
Jessie 1
Kathleen 1
May 1
Nellie 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sedena 1
Sophie 1
Stella 1
Susannah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Lings surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lings surname in 1881?

In 1881, 152 people were recorded with the Lings surname. That placed it at #15,372 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lings surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 195 in 2016. That gives Lings a modern rank of #19,921.

What does the Lings map show?

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