NameCensus.

UK surname

Linsey

A locational surname referring to someone from a former parish in Suffolk, England.

In the 1881 census there were 268 people recorded with the Linsey surname, ranking it #10,542 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 218, ranked #18,481, down from #10,542 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Cherry Hinton and Bury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff, South Cambridgeshire and Haringey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Linsey is 343 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.7%.

1881 census count

268

Ranked #10,542

Modern count

218

2016, ranked #18,481

Peak year

1851

343 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Linsey had 268 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,542 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 218 in 2016, ranked #18,481.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 343 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Linsey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Linsey surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Linsey 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 343 #6,861
1861 historical 320 #7,960
1881 historical 268 #10,542
1891 historical 299 #11,140
1901 historical 269 #12,518
1911 historical 260 #12,561
1997 modern 203 #17,457
1998 modern 210 #17,600
1999 modern 218 #17,258
2000 modern 210 #17,670
2001 modern 193 #18,334
2002 modern 207 #17,911
2003 modern 205 #17,851
2004 modern 198 #18,308
2005 modern 203 #17,961
2006 modern 207 #17,892
2007 modern 214 #17,688
2008 modern 222 #17,442
2009 modern 241 #16,848
2010 modern 234 #17,544
2011 modern 213 #18,502
2012 modern 212 #18,481
2013 modern 216 #18,543
2014 modern 222 #18,355
2015 modern 224 #18,117
2016 modern 218 #18,481

Geography

Back to top

Where Linseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Cherry Hinton, Bury, St Leonard Shoreditch 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 Cardiff, South Cambridgeshire, Haringey and Newark and Sherwood. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Cherry Hinton Cambridgeshire
3 Bury Lancashire
4 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cardiff 009 Cardiff
2 South Cambridgeshire 007 South Cambridgeshire
3 Cardiff 045 Cardiff
4 Haringey 004 Haringey
5 Newark and Sherwood 012 Newark and Sherwood

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Linsey

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Linsey

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

Linsey is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Linsey falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Linsey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Linsey

The surname Linsey is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "lin", meaning flax, and the suffix "-ey", which denotes a place or locality. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place where flax was grown or cultivated.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Linsey can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "de Liniseye". This suggests that the name was initially used as a locational name, referring to someone who hailed from a place called Linsey or a similar-sounding location.

The name Linsey is also closely associated with the Lincolnshire area of England, where it is believed to have originated. In fact, there is a village called Linwood in Lincolnshire, which may have been the source of the surname.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "Lyndeseye", "Lindsey", and "Lindesey". This variation in spelling was common during that era due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One notable individual with the surname Linsey was Thomas Linsey, who was born in Lincolnshire in the late 15th century. He was a prominent merchant and landowner during the reign of King Henry VIII.

Another famous bearer of the name was Sir Nicholas Linsey, who lived in the 16th century and served as a member of Parliament for the borough of Grantham in Lincolnshire.

In the 17th century, the surname Linsey gained recognition through the work of Robert Linsey, a renowned English poet and playwright. He was born in 1592 in Stamford, Lincolnshire, and is best known for his pastoral poetry.

During the 18th century, the Linsey family established themselves as prominent landowners in the county of Lincolnshire. One notable member was Sir William Linsey, who was born in 1745 and served as the High Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1782.

In the 19th century, the name Linsey was associated with the textile industry, particularly in the production of a coarse fabric known as "linsey-woolsey". This fabric was a blend of linen and wool, which may have been a reference to the name's supposed connection to the flax industry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Linsey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Linsey 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 44 Linseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.57x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 44 26.57x
Lancashire 34 1.10x
Middlesex 31 1.19x
Yorkshire 30 1.16x
Lincolnshire 24 5.74x
Surrey 22 1.73x
Sussex 15 3.40x
Derbyshire 9 2.20x
Hampshire 8 1.49x
Staffordshire 8 0.91x
Worcestershire 7 2.05x
Essex 6 1.16x
Lanarkshire 6 0.71x
Leicestershire 4 1.38x
Somerset 4 0.95x
Durham 3 0.39x
Northumberland 3 0.77x
Gloucestershire 2 0.39x
Kent 2 0.22x
Oxfordshire 2 1.24x
Wiltshire 2 0.87x
Cumberland 1 0.44x
Warwickshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrewthe Less in Cambridgeshire leads with 18 Linseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 95.14x.

Place Total Index
St Andrewthe Less 18 95.14x
Cherry Hinton 11 1410.26x
Osbournby 9 2045.45x
Chesterfield 8 52.15x
Eling 8 147.33x
Great Shelford 8 919.54x
Hemswell 8 2424.24x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 15.21x
Kidderminster Borough 7 35.04x
Todmorden Walsden 7 84.24x
Tonge 7 107.53x
Tottenham 7 16.81x
Brighton 6 6.75x
Stone 6 53.14x
Altofts 5 174.83x
Chesterton 5 98.04x
Doncaster 5 26.41x
Hackney London 5 3.41x
Hamilton 5 21.20x
Hornsey 5 15.12x
St George Hanover Square 5 10.86x
Abram 4 168.07x
Leominster 4 281.69x
Banstead 3 86.96x
Betchworth 3 191.08x
Billingborough 3 283.02x
Blackburn 3 3.64x
Bletchingley 3 180.72x
Colchester St Peter 3 145.63x
Great Bolton 3 7.30x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 31.91x
Lockwood 3 32.19x
Warley 3 40.05x
Writhlington 3 810.81x
Bullers Green 2 689.66x
Camberwell 2 1.20x
Church 2 45.66x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.24x
Droylsden 2 19.76x
Heckmondwike 2 24.01x
Horton In Bradford 2 4.94x
Leicester All Sts 2 35.15x
Leyton Low 2 19.07x
Limehouse London 2 6.97x
Loughborough 2 15.21x
Pocklington 2 81.63x
Reddish 2 46.84x
St Pancras London 2 0.95x
Stafford St Mary 2 16.01x
Wolsingham 2 28.21x
Aswarby 1 833.33x
Battersea 1 1.04x
Brauncewell 1 666.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 2.07x
Brize Norton 1 144.93x
Campsall 1 370.37x
Caxton 1 196.08x
Chelsea London 1 1.27x
Dronfield 1 19.08x
Edgbaston 1 4.89x
Halifax 1 2.63x
Hastings Holy Trinity 1 30.77x
Helpringham 1 119.05x
Henley On Thames 1 30.21x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 1 55.56x
Lambeth 1 0.44x
Manchester 1 0.72x
Maryhill 1 6.04x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 1 19.57x
Newhaven 1 27.93x
Normanby In 1 14.45x
Plumstead 1 3.36x
Pontefract 1 17.92x
Salford 1 1.10x
Semington 1 263.16x
Sheriff Hutton W 1 136.99x
Tockwith 1 192.31x
Walcot 1 4.46x
Washington 1 30.67x
Westbury On Trym 1 5.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 11
Jane 7
Sarah 7
Alice 5
Ellen 5
Annie 4
Emily 4
Martha 4
Ann 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Isabella 3
Kate 3
Bridget 2
Caroline 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Catherine 1
Charloate 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dora 1
Esther 1
Georgina 1
H. 1
Helinah 1
Jemima 1
Julia 1
Lizzy 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Mahala 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Mrs 1
Rosa 1
Roseana 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
John 16
George 12
Thomas 12
Charles 8
James 8
Henry 6
Robert 5
Edward 4
Harry 4
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Charls 2
Edwd. 2
Patrick 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Abel 1
Andrew 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Edd. 1
Edw.J. 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Hatfried 1
Herbert 1
Hudson 1
J.H. 1
Jesse 1
Joseph 1
Matthew 1
Moses 1
Robt. 1
Smithers 1
T.B. 1
Tom 1
Tom. 1
Turner 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Linsey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Linsey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 268 people were recorded with the Linsey surname. That placed it at #10,542 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Linsey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 218 in 2016. That gives Linsey a modern rank of #18,481.

What does the Linsey surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a former parish in Suffolk, England.

What does the Linsey map show?

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