NameCensus.

UK surname

Longdon

A locational surname referring to someone from a long valley or hill.

In the 1881 census there were 605 people recorded with the Longdon surname, ranking it #5,796 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 688, ranked #7,804, down from #5,796 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Peter, St Alkmund and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Amber Valley and Broxtowe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Longdon is 759 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.7%.

1881 census count

605

Ranked #5,796

Modern count

688

2016, ranked #7,804

Peak year

1998

759 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Longdon had 605 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,796 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 688 in 2016, ranked #7,804.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 753 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Longdon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Longdon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Longdon 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 434 #5,651
1861 historical 753 #3,632
1881 historical 605 #5,796
1891 historical 713 #5,520
1901 historical 663 #6,541
1911 historical 657 #6,393
1997 modern 749 #6,890
1998 modern 759 #7,030
1999 modern 734 #7,263
2000 modern 730 #7,259
2001 modern 718 #7,222
2002 modern 716 #7,377
2003 modern 692 #7,449
2004 modern 675 #7,621
2005 modern 659 #7,694
2006 modern 664 #7,691
2007 modern 697 #7,441
2008 modern 696 #7,521
2009 modern 699 #7,647
2010 modern 709 #7,710
2011 modern 706 #7,655
2012 modern 707 #7,550
2013 modern 696 #7,755
2014 modern 703 #7,744
2015 modern 695 #7,756
2016 modern 688 #7,804

Geography

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Where Longdons are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Amber Valley and Broxtowe. 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 St Peter Derbyshire
2 St Alkmund Derbyshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Werburgh Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Amber Valley 012 Amber Valley
2 Amber Valley 017 Amber Valley
3 Amber Valley 008 Amber Valley
4 Amber Valley 013 Amber Valley
5 Broxtowe 002 Broxtowe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Longdon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Longdon

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Longdon 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

Longdon 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

Longdon falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Longdon

The surname Longdon has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the place name Longdon, which is found in several counties across England, including Staffordshire, Worcestershire, and Derbyshire.

The name Longdon is thought to be derived from the Old English words "lang" meaning "long" and "dun" meaning "hill" or "low ridge." This suggests that the name may have originated as a description of a long hill or ridge in the areas where the surname first arose.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Longdon can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Longedune." This entry refers to a settlement in the county of Staffordshire, which may have been the birthplace of the name.

During the Middle Ages, the name Longdon can be found in various historical records and documents. For example, John de Longdon, a prominent landowner, is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199.

Over the centuries, the surname Longdon has been spelled in various ways, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations. Some alternative spellings include Longden, Longdone, and Longdun.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname Longdon throughout history. One example is Sir Ralph Longdon (c. 1440-1515), an English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench during the reign of Henry VIII. Another prominent figure was John Longdon (1549-1620), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge.

In the 17th century, Edward Longdon (c. 1620-1685) was an English colonial administrator and merchant who served as the Governor of the Bahamas from 1679 to 1685. Additionally, Thomas Longdon (1675-1750) was an English churchman and author who wrote several religious works.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Longdon was Sir Charles Longden (1793-1863), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the Battle of Navarino during the Greek War of Independence in 1827. He was knighted for his service and later served as the Lieutenant-Governor of Greenwich Hospital.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Longdon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Longdon 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. Derbyshire leads with 237 Longdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.78x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 237 25.78x
Yorkshire 66 1.13x
Nottinghamshire 46 5.81x
Lancashire 36 0.52x
Staffordshire 33 1.66x
Surrey 28 0.98x
Gloucestershire 26 2.26x
Middlesex 25 0.43x
Lincolnshire 19 2.02x
Glamorgan 18 1.76x
Cheshire 16 1.23x
Devon 15 1.23x
Warwickshire 11 0.74x
Kent 9 0.45x
Durham 6 0.34x
Leicestershire 2 0.31x
Somerset 2 0.21x
Berkshire 1 0.23x
Essex 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.08x
Monmouthshire 1 0.24x
Royal Navy 1 1.43x
Suffolk 1 0.14x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Derby St Alkmund in Derbyshire leads with 27 Longdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 98.00x.

Place Total Index
Derby St Alkmund 27 98.00x
Heanor 21 152.73x
Spondon 20 564.97x
Codnor Loscoe 19 260.99x
Derby St Peter 16 54.64x
Ilkeston 15 58.18x
Codnor Park 14 648.15x
Salford 13 6.34x
Whittington 13 102.20x
Greasley 12 67.19x
Litchurch 12 32.43x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 10.14x
Aberavon 10 106.27x
Lambeth 10 1.95x
Sutton 10 150.83x
Lenton 9 48.28x
Stanley 9 529.41x
Barwick In Elmet 8 179.37x
Bolsover 8 173.54x
Derby St Werburgh 8 15.07x
Long Eaton 8 65.95x
Stockport 8 11.99x
Wolverhampton 8 5.25x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 12.65x
Holy Trinity 7 5.00x
Nottingham St Mary 7 3.42x
Stoke Newington London 7 15.30x
Tamworth 7 66.04x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 3.94x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 6 86.46x
Birmingham 6 1.22x
Chesterfield 6 17.41x
Derby All Sts 6 78.13x
Exeter St Thomas The 6 48.15x
Habrough 6 769.23x
Islington London 6 1.05x
Nuthall 6 202.02x
Ogley Hay 6 145.99x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 5.08x
Toxteth Park 6 2.54x
Battersea 5 2.31x
Brampton Bierlow 5 67.11x
Claylane 5 39.12x
Coxhoe 5 100.81x
Greenwich 5 5.35x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 5.31x
Rhyndwyclydach 5 70.52x
Sculcoates 5 5.42x
Sheffield 5 2.70x
St Swithin Lincoln 5 33.88x
Wentworth 5 138.89x
Brampton 4 31.13x
Camberwell 4 1.07x
Henbury 4 71.17x
Kensington London 4 1.23x
Kimberworth 4 12.38x
Plymouth Charles The 4 7.43x
Rainow 4 155.04x
St Lawrence 4 29.03x
Westbury On Trym 4 10.25x
Alfreton 3 10.74x
Ashover 3 65.65x
Basford 3 8.22x
Brewood 3 52.54x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 7.81x
Burslem 3 5.28x
Cheadle 3 12.12x
Hognaston 3 535.71x
Ible 3 3000.00x
Normanton 3 38.61x
Quarndon 3 267.86x
Radford 3 7.46x
West Bromwich 3 2.64x
Wilford 3 134.53x
Aston 2 0.49x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 3.69x
Bolehall Glascote 2 31.90x
Croft 2 131.58x
Neath 2 9.62x
St Pancras London 2 0.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 37
Elizabeth 26
Sarah 23
Ann 12
Jane 12
Eliza 11
Hannah 11
Annie 10
Emma 9
Ellen 8
Edith 6
Harriet 6
Alice 5
Amelia 5
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Emily 5
Fanny 5
Maria 4
Matilda 4
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Christiana 2
Georgina 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Serah 2
Susan 2
Tacy 2
Bessie 1
Betey 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Constance 1
E.M. 1
Effie 1
Eliza. 1
Elizath. 1
Georgeania 1
Hanh. 1
Trancia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 45
John 36
Thomas 18
George 14
Joseph 14
Henry 12
Robert 12
Arthur 11
Charles 9
James 8
Frederick 6
Herbert 6
Edward 5
Ernest 5
Jonathan 5
Walter 5
Wm. 5
Harry 4
Alfred 3
David 3
Fred 3
Jacob 3
Samuel 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Isaac 2
Reginald 2
Richard 2
Rupert 2
Solomon 2
Thos. 2
Angelo 1
Claude 1
Douglas 1
Ferdinand 1
Flyn 1
Fredk.Arthur 1
Godfrey 1
Jonathon 1
Leonard 1
Lester 1
Lidrey 1
Marshall 1
Mathew 1
Wm.Edwd. 1

FAQ

Longdon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Longdon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 605 people were recorded with the Longdon surname. That placed it at #5,796 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Longdon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 688 in 2016. That gives Longdon a modern rank of #7,804.

What does the Longdon surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a long valley or hill.

What does the Longdon map show?

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