NameCensus.

UK surname

Lion

An English surname derived from the French nickname meaning "brave" or "courageous."

In the 1881 census there were 123 people recorded with the Lion surname, ranking it #17,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 156, ranked #23,098, down from #17,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Bytham, Little. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bristol, Surrey Heath and Waverley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lion is 226 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.8%.

1881 census count

123

Ranked #17,506

Modern count

156

2016, ranked #23,098

Peak year

1851

226 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lion had 123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016, ranked #23,098.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 226 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Lion surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lion surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lion 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 226 #9,487
1861 historical 222 #10,993
1881 historical 123 #17,506
1891 historical 125 #20,713
1901 historical 117 #20,830
1911 historical 93 #23,492
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 111 #26,182
2000 modern 105 #27,001
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 99 #28,136
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 99 #28,453
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 123 #26,728
2011 modern 117 #27,334
2012 modern 115 #27,717
2013 modern 120 #27,406
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 156 #23,098

Geography

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Where Lions are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, Bytham, Little, Stromness and Crowland. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bristol, Surrey Heath, Waverley, Newport and Camden. 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 London parishes London 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Bytham, Little Lincolnshire
4 Stromness Orkney
5 Crowland Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bristol 007 Bristol, City of
2 Surrey Heath 011 Surrey Heath
3 Waverley 007 Waverley
4 Newport 020 Newport
5 Camden 004 Camden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lion

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lion

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lion, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Lion surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Lion household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lion 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

Lion is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Lion

The surname LION is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "leon" or "leo," which means "lion." It was initially used as a nickname for someone who was perceived as brave, strong, or fierce, like the majestic lion.

This surname can be traced back to the 12th century, with early records showing individuals bearing this name in various parts of England. One of the earliest documented references to the LION surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dating back to 1273, which mentions a person named William Lyon.

In the Middle Ages, the LION surname was also associated with heraldry, as the lion was a common symbol on coats of arms, representing courage, strength, and nobility. This connection may have contributed to the adoption of the surname by certain families or individuals.

One notable historical figure with the LION surname was Sir John Lyon, born in 1511 and died in 1592. He was a prominent English merchant and philanthropist who founded the prestigious Harrow School in London. Another distinguished bearer of this name was Robert Lyon, born in 1540, who served as the King's Master of the Revels during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In Scotland, the LION surname was sometimes spelled as "Lyon," and it was associated with the Lyon Court, a heraldic institution responsible for overseeing matters related to coats of arms and genealogy. One of the most famous Scottish Lyons was David Lyon, born in 1635, who served as Lord Lyon King of Arms, the chief officer of the Lyon Court, from 1661 to 1671.

Another noteworthy individual with the LION surname was Mary Lyon, born in 1797 and died in 1849. She was an American pioneer in women's education and founded the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, which later became Mount Holyoke College, one of the oldest institutions of higher education for women in the United States.

In Ireland, the LION surname was sometimes anglicized from the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Leóin," which means "descendant of Leóin." One prominent figure with this surname was John O'Leyne, born in 1829, who was an Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Leitrim from 1885 to 1892.

The LION surname has also been found in various other parts of Europe, such as France, where it was sometimes spelled as "Lyon" or "Lyone," and in Germany, where it appeared as "Löwe" or "Loewe," both meaning "lion."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lion families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lion 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. Middlesex leads with 78 Lions recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.45x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 78 6.45x
Yorkshire 13 1.08x
Kent 6 1.45x
Lancashire 6 0.42x
Lincolnshire 6 3.10x
Surrey 6 1.02x
Nottinghamshire 4 2.45x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.31x
Lanarkshire 1 0.26x
Midlothian 1 0.62x
Royal Navy 1 6.94x
Warwickshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 56 Lions recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.77x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 56 47.77x
Bow London 6 38.96x
Chelsea London 6 16.46x
St Bartholomew Great 5 454.55x
Arnold 4 168.07x
Bicker 4 1333.33x
Holy Trinity 4 13.87x
Battersea 3 6.74x
Manchester 3 4.65x
Middlesbrough 3 19.22x
Ospringe 3 588.24x
Throwley 3 1153.85x
Barkstone 2 952.38x
Lambeth 2 1.90x
St Giles In Fields London 2 33.73x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 3.19x
Barmby On Moor 1 555.56x
Brafferton 1 1000.00x
Burnley 1 8.27x
Ealing 1 9.25x
Edgbaston 1 10.57x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 29.76x
Glasgow 1 1.44x
Leeds 1 1.48x
Liverpool 1 1.15x
New Malton 1 69.93x
Newington 1 2.24x
Sheffield 1 2.62x
Shoreditch London 1 1.91x
Silpho 1 2500.00x
St Martin In Fields 1 13.81x
St Peter Cambridge 1 384.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Frances 3
Julia 3
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Marie 2
Matilda 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Aspasie 1
Augusta 1
Bertha 1
Camille 1
Celestine 1
Cissy 1
Clemence 1
Clemens 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Elise 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Eugenia 1
F. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Helena 1
Jane 1
Maud 1
Nathilda 1
Pauline 1
Rachel 1
Rebekah 1
Rosetta 1
Rosine 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
Alexander 4
Henry 4
Joseph 4
Samuel 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Emanuel 3
John 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Peter 2
Thomas 2
Abraham 1
Andries 1
Benjamin 1
Cartry 1
Edmond 1
Edward 1
Elias 1
Ernest 1
Eugine 1
Fredk. 1
Harriet 1
Jacob 1
Leon 1
Lion 1
Louis 1
Maurice 1
Meyer 1
Michel 1
Morris 1
Moss 1
Myer 1
Samson 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Sylvian 1
Victor 1

FAQ

Lion surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lion surname in 1881?

In 1881, 123 people were recorded with the Lion surname. That placed it at #17,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lion surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016. That gives Lion a modern rank of #23,098.

What does the Lion surname mean?

An English surname derived from the French nickname meaning "brave" or "courageous."

What does the Lion map show?

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