NameCensus.

UK surname

Linney

A surname derived from a place name referring to someone from the town of Linney or other locations containing "lin" ("linden tree").

In the 1881 census there were 942 people recorded with the Linney surname, ranking it #4,092 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,211, ranked #4,912, down from #4,092 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linney is 1,336 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.6%.

1881 census count

942

Ranked #4,092

Modern count

1,211

2016, ranked #4,912

Peak year

1911

1,336 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linney had 942 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,092 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,211 in 2016, ranked #4,912.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,336 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Linney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Linney 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 645 #4,025
1861 historical 559 #4,715
1881 historical 942 #4,092
1891 historical 955 #4,336
1901 historical 1,260 #3,932
1911 historical 1,336 #3,579
1997 modern 1,253 #4,547
1998 modern 1,276 #4,653
1999 modern 1,304 #4,588
2000 modern 1,286 #4,624
2001 modern 1,242 #4,665
2002 modern 1,259 #4,707
2003 modern 1,230 #4,710
2004 modern 1,230 #4,702
2005 modern 1,211 #4,729
2006 modern 1,191 #4,805
2007 modern 1,187 #4,855
2008 modern 1,200 #4,841
2009 modern 1,224 #4,861
2010 modern 1,236 #4,916
2011 modern 1,200 #4,978
2012 modern 1,194 #4,934
2013 modern 1,200 #4,980
2014 modern 1,232 #4,902
2015 modern 1,221 #4,894
2016 modern 1,211 #4,912

Geography

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Where Linneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Manchester, Nottingham St Mary and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland and Salford. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 023 Northumberland
2 Salford 023 Salford
3 Northumberland 022 Northumberland
4 Northumberland 024 Northumberland
5 Northumberland 020 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Linney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Linney

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Linney is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Linney 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

Linney falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Linney

The surname Linney has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from the place name Linney, which is a small village located in the county of Shropshire. The name Linney itself is believed to come from the Old English words "lin" meaning flax and "eg" meaning island or dry ground, referring to an area where flax was grown.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Linney can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Linnie". This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "de Linney" and "de Lynney", indicating that it was used as a locational surname for people hailing from the village of Linney. During this time, the surname was also associated with nearby place names like "Lynney Magna" and "Lynney Parva", which were larger and smaller settlements in the same region.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Linney was Sir John Linney (c.1450-1518), a wealthy merchant and politician from Bristol who served as the city's Mayor in 1503 and 1511. Another early bearer of the name was William Linney (c.1540-1614), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Maidstone in Kent.

In the 17th century, the surname Linney spread beyond its original Shropshire roots, with bearers appearing in various parts of England. One such individual was Captain James Linney (c.1620-1680), a naval officer who served in the Anglo-Dutch Wars and was later appointed as the Governor of the Bahamas.

During the 18th century, the surname Linney continued to be found across England, with individuals like Thomas Linney (1733-1795), a notable architect and surveyor from Yorkshire who designed several public buildings in the region.

As the centuries progressed, the Linney surname also gained a foothold in other parts of the world, particularly in North America, where many English settlers brought the name with them. One such individual was Joseph Linney (1788-1868), a pioneer who settled in Indiana and became a prominent landowner and farmer in the state.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Linney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linney 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 272 Linneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.49x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 272 2.49x
Cheshire 93 4.58x
Yorkshire 72 0.79x
Nottinghamshire 67 5.41x
Middlesex 56 0.61x
Bedfordshire 49 10.30x
Warwickshire 40 1.73x
Buckinghamshire 39 7.02x
Surrey 34 0.76x
Staffordshire 33 1.06x
Leicestershire 29 2.85x
Hampshire 28 1.49x
Derbyshire 26 1.81x
Cumberland 12 1.52x
Hertfordshire 12 1.89x
Monmouthshire 12 1.81x
Lincolnshire 11 0.75x
Ayrshire 10 1.45x
Durham 8 0.29x
Essex 6 0.33x
Cornwall 5 0.48x
Sussex 5 0.32x
Kent 4 0.13x
Lanarkshire 3 0.10x
Northamptonshire 3 0.35x
Brecknockshire 2 1.09x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.54x
Rutland 2 2.96x
Anglesey 1 0.61x
Devon 1 0.05x
Dorset 1 0.17x
Gloucestershire 1 0.06x
Northumberland 1 0.07x
Oxfordshire 1 0.18x
Somerset 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 41 Linneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.21x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 41 17.21x
Nottingham St Mary 37 11.55x
Salford 30 9.35x
Denton 29 120.03x
Leighton Buzzard 23 112.36x
Dukinfield 22 23.47x
Heaton Norris 20 32.23x
Oldham 18 5.11x
Newton 17 20.23x
North Marston 17 829.27x
Bredbury 15 127.77x
Stockport 15 14.37x
Brampton 14 69.62x
Shoreditch London 14 3.51x
Totternhoe 14 630.63x
Broughton In Salford 13 13.04x
Longdon 13 302.33x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 12 14.15x
Lower Llanvrechva 12 184.05x
St Marylebone London 12 2.45x
Aston 11 1.72x
Middleton In Oldham 11 33.65x
Newton 11 349.21x
Pendleton In Salford 11 8.47x
St Albans St Stephen 11 198.56x
Kimberworth 10 19.79x
Ardrossan 9 37.82x
Bedworth 9 53.22x
Brockenhurst 9 276.07x
Hinckley 9 37.24x
Leicester St Margaret 9 3.62x
Manchester 9 1.84x
Southampton St John 9 466.32x
Wigan 9 5.91x
Altofts 8 79.60x
Beachampton 8 1176.47x
Normanby In 8 32.87x
Bermondsey 7 2.56x
Beswick 7 25.11x
Birkenhead 7 4.33x
Brinnington 7 36.94x
Burton Upon Trent 7 9.65x
Haughton 7 44.00x
Hulme 7 3.08x
Newark Upon Trent 7 15.72x
Padbury 7 419.16x
Seale 7 243.90x
St Cuthbert W O 7 18.15x
Bromley London 6 2.97x
Dawdon 6 17.85x
Didsbury 6 41.44x
Great Holland 6 476.19x
Heath Reach 6 177.51x
Luton 6 7.28x
Manningham 6 5.35x
Mansfield 6 14.00x
Newington 6 1.77x
Upper Broughton 6 582.52x
Walton On Thames 6 29.18x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.25x
Bilston 5 8.32x
Birmingham 5 0.65x
Brightside Bierlow 5 2.80x
Caldewgate 5 11.53x
Gorton 5 4.88x
Phillack 5 37.23x
Poplar London 5 2.88x
Shadwell London 5 19.45x
Tanworth 5 81.70x
Alvaston 4 97.56x
Congleton 4 11.41x
Hastings St Mary 4 10.37x
Hordle 4 121.95x
Hougham 4 470.59x
Long Bennington 4 139.86x
Monks Coppenhall 4 5.23x
Rusholme 4 13.76x
Sheffield 4 1.38x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 1.22x
Tanshelf 4 55.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 66
Elizabeth 44
Sarah 37
Ann 25
Jane 22
Alice 16
Eliza 15
Emma 15
Hannah 14
Margaret 10
Martha 10
Annie 9
Ellen 9
Kate 9
Maria 8
Ada 7
Caroline 7
Catherine 7
Charlotte 7
Emily 6
Elizth. 5
Edith 4
Florence 4
Harriet 4
Susan 4
Betsy 3
Harriett 3
Lucy 3
Matilda 3
Rebecca 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Bridget 2
Eliz. 2
Isabella 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Nancy 2
Rose 2
Betty 1
E. 1
Edna 1
Edwina 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Elisabeth 1
Gorgena 1
Wilkie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 72
John 57
George 35
Thomas 30
James 28
Joseph 27
Charles 15
Arthur 14
Henry 14
Edward 13
Alfred 11
Samuel 11
Walter 11
Albert 8
Frederick 8
Robert 6
Ernest 5
Herbert 5
Richard 5
Benjamin 4
Daniel 4
Frank 4
Jonathan 4
Cephas 3
Joshua 3
Ralph 3
Augustus 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Jesse 2
Peter 2
Reuben 2
Saml. 2
Tom 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
Chas. 1
Chas.Ernest 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Ellis 1
Enoch 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Jas.A. 1
Jno. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Linney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 942 people were recorded with the Linney surname. That placed it at #4,092 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,211 in 2016. That gives Linney a modern rank of #4,912.

What does the Linney surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to someone from the town of Linney or other locations containing "lin" ("linden tree").

What does the Linney map show?

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