NameCensus.

UK surname

Linklater

A Scottish habitational surname indicating someone from Linlithgow or East Lothian.

In the 1881 census there were 705 people recorded with the Linklater surname, ranking it #5,155 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 487, ranked #10,172, down from #5,155 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkwall and St.Ola, Lerwick and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Kirkwall, East Mainland and East Kirkwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linklater is 751 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.9%.

1881 census count

705

Ranked #5,155

Modern count

487

2016, ranked #10,172

Peak year

1891

751 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linklater had 705 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,155 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 487 in 2016, ranked #10,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 751 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Linklater surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linklater surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Linklater 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 675 #3,842
1861 historical 631 #4,244
1881 historical 705 #5,155
1891 historical 751 #5,305
1901 historical 710 #6,211
1911 historical 167 #16,692
1997 modern 428 #10,451
1998 modern 460 #10,232
1999 modern 462 #10,249
2000 modern 473 #10,049
2001 modern 464 #10,002
2002 modern 468 #10,117
2003 modern 467 #9,964
2004 modern 483 #9,743
2005 modern 462 #10,000
2006 modern 458 #10,109
2007 modern 466 #10,070
2008 modern 472 #10,074
2009 modern 487 #10,059
2010 modern 487 #10,251
2011 modern 480 #10,267
2012 modern 465 #10,422
2013 modern 482 #10,298
2014 modern 486 #10,309
2015 modern 476 #10,379
2016 modern 487 #10,172

Geography

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Where Linklaters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkwall and St.Ola, Lerwick, Edinburgh, Stromness and Birsay and Harray. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Kirkwall, East Mainland, East Kirkwall, West Mainland and Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkwall and St.Ola Orkney
2 Lerwick Shetland
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Stromness Orkney
5 Birsay and Harray Orkney

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
2 East Mainland Orkney Islands
3 East Kirkwall Orkney Islands
4 West Mainland Orkney Islands
5 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Linklater

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Linklater

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Linklater, 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 Linklater surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Linklater 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Linklater is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Linklater is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Linklater falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Linklater

The surname Linklater is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English words "linc" meaning a ridge or hill, and "latt" meaning a servant or retainer. It is likely that the name initially referred to someone who lived on or near a ridge or hill.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a Robert de Linclerech appearing in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document recording those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during his invasion of Scotland. The name also appears in the 14th century as Linclater and Lincledoire.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct references to the surname Linklater, but there are several place names that may have influenced the development of the name, such as Lincroft in Lincolnshire and Linton in Cambridgeshire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert Linklater, a Scottish merchant and burgess of Aberdeen in the late 15th century. Another notable figure was Sir John Linklater of Linklater, who was knighted by King James VI of Scotland in the early 17th century.

Other notable Linklaters throughout history include:

1. Robert Linklater (1776-1846), a Scottish inventor and engineer who patented several innovations in steam engines and milling machinery. 2. Eric Linklater (1899-1974), a Scottish novelist and poet known for works such as "The Wind on the Moon" and "The Crusader." 3. Andro Linklater (1944-2013), a Scottish journalist and author who wrote extensively on military history and international affairs. 4. Kristin Linklater (born 1936), a Scottish-born theatre teacher and author who has influenced the teaching of voice and speech for actors. 5. Magnus Linklater (born 1942), a Scottish journalist and former editor of The Scotsman newspaper.

The name Linklater remains most prevalent in Scotland, particularly in the regions of Aberdeenshire and Angus, where many of the earliest recorded bearers of the name were based.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Linklater families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linklater 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. Orkney leads with 381 Linklaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 505.71x.

County Total Index
Orkney 381 505.71x
Shetland 123 175.87x
Midlothian 48 5.23x
Middlesex 30 0.44x
Yorkshire 27 0.40x
Aberdeenshire 25 3.94x
Durham 10 0.49x
Essex 8 0.59x
Hampshire 8 0.57x
Gloucestershire 5 0.37x
Lanarkshire 5 0.23x
Lancashire 4 0.05x
Northumberland 4 0.39x
Surrey 4 0.12x
Derbyshire 3 0.28x
Perthshire 3 0.98x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.46x
Hertfordshire 2 0.42x
Norfolk 2 0.19x
Oxfordshire 2 0.47x
Stirlingshire 2 0.79x
Angus 1 0.16x
Fife 1 0.25x
Kinross-shire 1 5.78x
Leicestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sandwick in Orkney leads with 102 Linklaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 3617.02x.

Place Total Index
Sandwick 102 3617.02x
Stromness 82 1451.33x
Birsay Harray 47 859.23x
Bressay Burra Quarff 45 1475.41x
Kirkwall St Ola 42 372.34x
Firth Stenness 36 1114.55x
Lerwick Gulberwick 33 304.99x
St Andrews Deerness 24 606.06x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 5.69x
Bressay 18 1636.36x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 16 13.48x
Middlesbrough 13 14.71x
South Ronaldshay 13 166.67x
South Leith 12 11.62x
Cross Burness N 11 279.90x
Hoy Graemsay 11 780.14x
Nesting Lunnas Whalsay 11 178.57x
Shadwell London 9 46.97x
Westoe 9 7.79x
Aberdeen Old Machar 7 5.29x
Aldershot 7 14.89x
Kensington London 7 1.84x
Leyton 7 30.07x
Whiteness Weisdale 7 331.75x
Evie Rendall 6 188.68x
Stoke Newington London 6 11.25x
Stronsay Eday 6 121.70x
Liberton 5 35.31x
Manningham 5 5.98x
Sandsting Aitsting 5 78.86x
Clifton 4 5.89x
Govan 4 0.73x
Sutton 4 51.75x
Tynemouth 4 7.33x
Blackwell 3 56.93x
Callander 3 59.17x
Camberwell 3 0.69x
Chadderton 3 7.55x
Edinburgh St Stephens 3 16.61x
Alva 2 16.60x
Cowley 2 15.15x
Dalkeith 2 11.05x
Hammersmith London 2 1.19x
Mile End Old Town London 2 1.37x
Narford 2 606.06x
New Deer 2 17.42x
St Albans St Peter 2 12.55x
St Benedict Cambridge 2 81.63x
Tingwall 2 57.31x
Westminster St James 2 2.84x
Anderston 1 172.41x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 1.55x
Bristol St Stephen 1 28.65x
Clapham 1 1.17x
Delting 1 25.45x
Dunrossness 1 10.86x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 0.72x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 4.28x
Edinburgh Greenside S 1 30.03x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 5.25x
Hawley 1 37.88x
Inveresk 1 4.03x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 18.38x
Kinross 1 16.84x
Leicester St Margaret 1 0.54x
Montrose 1 2.60x
North Leith 1 2.36x
Prittlewell 1 5.34x
Sculcoates 1 0.93x
Skipton 1 4.68x
South Shields 1 5.51x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 3.37x
St Andrews 1 5.42x
Westminster St John 1 1.20x
Westray Papa Westray 1 16.75x
Yarm 1 28.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Beatrice 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Amley 1
Amy 1
Catherine 1
Christana 1
Christian 1
Christina 1
Constance 1
Ethel 1
Fanney 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Jean 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Margeret 1
Martha 1
Norah 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Robina 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Linklater surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linklater surname in 1881?

In 1881, 705 people were recorded with the Linklater surname. That placed it at #5,155 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linklater surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 487 in 2016. That gives Linklater a modern rank of #10,172.

What does the Linklater surname mean?

A Scottish habitational surname indicating someone from Linlithgow or East Lothian.

What does the Linklater map show?

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