NameCensus.

UK surname

Lish

A surname derived from the Old English word 'liss,' meaning a meadow or pasture.

In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Lish surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 174, ranked #21,466, up from #25,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Newport and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, Waveney and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lish is 174 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 205.3%.

1881 census count

57

Ranked #25,575

Modern count

174

2016, ranked #21,466

Peak year

2016

174 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lish had 57 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016, ranked #21,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 121 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lish surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lish surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lish 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 49 #24,448
1861 historical 95 #21,768
1881 historical 57 #25,575
1891 historical 92 #25,109
1901 historical 90 #24,021
1911 historical 121 #20,336
1997 modern 161 #20,176
1998 modern 159 #20,916
1999 modern 162 #20,781
2000 modern 164 #20,584
2001 modern 159 #20,710
2002 modern 163 #20,767
2003 modern 156 #21,115
2004 modern 160 #20,926
2005 modern 159 #20,983
2006 modern 159 #21,148
2007 modern 163 #21,050
2008 modern 157 #21,766
2009 modern 156 #22,351
2010 modern 170 #21,560
2011 modern 163 #21,983
2012 modern 159 #22,361
2013 modern 161 #22,521
2014 modern 169 #22,006
2015 modern 169 #21,888
2016 modern 174 #21,466

Geography

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Where Lishs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Newport, London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and Ryton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gateshead, Waveney, Sunderland, Blackpool and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Newport Essex
3 London parishes London 1
4 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Ryton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gateshead 002 Gateshead
2 Waveney 007 Waveney
3 Sunderland 009 Sunderland
4 Blackpool 013 Blackpool
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lish

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lish

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Lish is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lish is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Lish

The surname Lish is believed to have originated in Germany, with early records dating back to the 16th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old German word "lisch," which means "reed" or "rush." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have lived near a body of water where reeds or rushes grew.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lish can be found in the parish records of the town of Aachen, Germany, where a certain Johann Lisch was mentioned in 1587. It is possible that this individual was a resident of a nearby area known for its reedy marshlands or riverbanks.

In the 17th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of Germany, as well as neighboring regions such as the Netherlands and Switzerland. The spelling variations "Lische" and "Lish" can be found in various historical records from this period.

A notable bearer of the name was Hans Lisch, a German artist and engraver who lived from 1594 to 1639. His works, which included etchings and woodcuts, were widely admired during his lifetime and are now considered important examples of early modern German art.

Another individual of note was Johann Lisch, a German historian and archaeologist who lived from 1801 to 1877. He made significant contributions to the study of the ancient Germanic tribes of northern Germany and was particularly interested in the investigation of burial mounds and other archaeological sites.

In the 19th century, the name Lish began to appear in records from the United States, likely as a result of German immigration. One early American bearer of the name was Jacob Lish, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1820 and later served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

Another notable figure was Mary Lisch, an American educator and suffragist who lived from 1859 to 1936. She was actively involved in the women's suffrage movement and worked tirelessly to promote educational opportunities for women and girls in her home state of Wisconsin.

Throughout its history, the surname Lish has maintained a strong presence in various parts of Germany, as well as in the United States and other countries with significant German immigrant populations. Despite its relatively modest origins, the name has been borne by individuals who have made important contributions in fields ranging from art and archaeology to education and social reform.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lish families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lish 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. Durham leads with 16 Lishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.67x.

County Total Index
Durham 16 9.67x
Sussex 11 11.74x
Middlesex 8 1.44x
Warwickshire 7 4.99x
Yorkshire 4 0.73x
Midlothian 3 4.03x
Surrey 3 1.11x
Morayshire 2 23.15x
Suffolk 2 2.95x
Buckinghamshire 1 2.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ryton in Durham leads with 10 Lishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1724.14x.

Place Total Index
Ryton 10 1724.14x
Edgbaston 7 160.92x
Willesden 6 114.50x
Chester Le Street 5 393.70x
Henfield 5 1388.89x
Upper Beeding 4 3333.33x
Croydon 3 19.95x
South Leith 3 35.80x
Starforth 3 3000.00x
Ipswich St Clement 2 116.28x
Rothes 2 476.19x
Steyning 2 625.00x
Bradford 1 7.50x
Ealing 1 20.12x
Greencroft 1 333.33x
St Bride London 1 312.50x
Upton Cum Chalvey 1 74.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 3
Emily 2
Jane 2
Mary 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Elizth.W. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Marion 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Lish surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lish surname in 1881?

In 1881, 57 people were recorded with the Lish surname. That placed it at #25,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lish surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 174 in 2016. That gives Lish a modern rank of #21,466.

What does the Lish surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word 'liss,' meaning a meadow or pasture.

What does the Lish map show?

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