NameCensus.

UK surname

Linscott

Habitational surname derived from a place in Devon, England, meaning "cottage on a declivity or slope."

In the 1881 census there were 148 people recorded with the Linscott surname, ranking it #15,611 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #15,611 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lympston, London parishes and Wallsend. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, Brighton and Hove and Reigate and Banstead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linscott is 212 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 25.0%.

1881 census count

148

Ranked #15,611

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1911

212 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linscott had 148 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,611 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 212 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Linscott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linscott surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Linscott 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 114 #15,716
1861 historical 124 #17,797
1881 historical 148 #15,611
1891 historical 181 #16,065
1901 historical 192 #15,518
1911 historical 212 #14,423
1997 modern 139 #22,132
1998 modern 128 #23,828
1999 modern 128 #24,017
2000 modern 127 #24,121
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 123 #24,735
2003 modern 126 #24,146
2004 modern 120 #25,078
2005 modern 121 #24,947
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 116 #26,209
2008 modern 105 #28,180
2009 modern 109 #28,145
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 109 #29,452
2015 modern 110 #29,157
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Linscotts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lympston, London parishes, Wallsend and Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gateshead, Brighton and Hove, Reigate and Banstead, Colchester and Uttlesford. 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 Lympston Devon
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wallsend Northumberland
5 Crediton, Colebroke, Shobrooke, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cruwys Morchard Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gateshead 019 Gateshead
2 Brighton and Hove 028 Brighton and Hove
3 Reigate and Banstead 009 Reigate and Banstead
4 Colchester 021 Colchester
5 Uttlesford 004 Uttlesford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Linscott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Linscott

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Linscott is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Linscott is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Linscott

The surname Linscott is of English origin, and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "lin," which means "flax" or "linen," and "cot," meaning "cottage" or "small dwelling." Therefore, the name likely referred to a cottage or dwelling where flax or linen was produced.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Linscott dates back to 1273 in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it was spelled as "Lynescote." Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, with variations such as Linskett, Linsket, and Linscott.

In the 14th century, the Linscott family was documented in the parish records of Langford, Oxfordshire. This indicates that the name was well-established in that region during the medieval period.

One notable historical figure with the surname Linscott was John Linscott, who was born in 1588 in Devonshire, England. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the area, and his family's coat of arms is recorded in the Visitation of Devon in 1620.

Another significant individual was William Linscott, born in 1612 in Gloucestershire. He was a Puritan and emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638, becoming one of the early settlers of Salem Village (now known as Danvers, Massachusetts).

The name Linscott can also be found in the records of the Domesday Book, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a place called "Linscott" in Somerset, which likely derived its name from the Old English words for "flax" and "cottage" as well.

In the 19th century, Thomas Linscott (1798-1876) was a prominent figure in the town of South Berwick, Maine. He served as a selectman and was involved in various civic affairs.

Additionally, Robert Linscott (1886-1964) was an American painter and illustrator known for his works depicting the everyday life of New England. He was born in East Matunuck, Rhode Island, and his paintings often featured rural scenes and coastal landscapes.

Throughout its history, the surname Linscott has maintained a strong presence in England, particularly in the regions of Oxfordshire, Devonshire, and Somerset, as well as in the New England areas of the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Linscott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linscott 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. Devon leads with 49 Linscotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.42x.

County Total Index
Devon 49 16.42x
Middlesex 29 2.02x
Surrey 27 3.86x
Kent 12 2.45x
Northumberland 12 5.63x
Yorkshire 7 0.49x
Cheshire 5 1.58x
Lancashire 2 0.12x
Wiltshire 2 1.58x
Cornwall 1 0.62x
Sussex 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 13 Linscotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.45x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 13 30.45x
Wallsend 12 177.25x
Enfield 9 95.64x
Leeds 7 8.72x
Okehampton 7 619.47x
Plymouth Charles The 6 45.63x
Ramsgate 6 75.09x
Camberwell 5 5.46x
Chester St Oswald 5 87.26x
Clapham 5 27.90x
Lympston 5 943.40x
St Clement Danes London 5 168.35x
Colebrooke 4 1142.86x
Exeter St John 4 1904.76x
Highweek 4 377.36x
Kensington London 4 5.02x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 17.40x
Acton 3 35.67x
Buckland In Dover 3 185.19x
North Tawton 3 326.09x
Coldridge 2 869.57x
Dunsford 2 526.32x
Fisherton Anger 2 85.11x
Newington 2 3.78x
St Luke London 2 8.70x
Tavistock 2 58.82x
West Derby 2 4.02x
Wingham 2 350.88x
Brighton 1 2.05x
Canterbury St Mary 1 30.49x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.96x
Crediton 1 35.34x
Eggesford 1 1111.11x
Exeter Holy Trinity 1 85.47x
Exeter St David 1 39.22x
Hackney London 1 1.24x
Richmond 1 10.21x
Shoreditch London 1 1.61x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.47x
St Anne Soho London 1 12.21x
St Giles In Fields London 1 14.22x
St Pancras London 1 0.87x
St Stephen 1 172.41x
Tedburn St Mary 1 322.58x
Wolborough 1 26.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 7
Thomas 6
Edward 5
Alfred 4
George 3
James 3
Percy 3
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Aaron 1
Archibald 1
Bertram 1
Charles 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Harry 1
Orlando 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
W.R. 1
Westley 1

FAQ

Linscott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linscott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 148 people were recorded with the Linscott surname. That placed it at #15,611 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linscott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Linscott a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Linscott surname mean?

Habitational surname derived from a place in Devon, England, meaning "cottage on a declivity or slope."

What does the Linscott map show?

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