NameCensus.

UK surname

Longstaff

An English occupational surname referring to someone who carried a long staff or pole.

In the 1881 census there were 2,110 people recorded with the Longstaff surname, ranking it #2,094 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,989, ranked #2,255, down from #2,094 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Darlington and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Longstaff is 3,124 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.7%.

1881 census count

2,110

Ranked #2,094

Modern count

2,989

2016, ranked #2,255

Peak year

2010

3,124 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Longstaff had 2,110 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,094 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,989 in 2016, ranked #2,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,896 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Longstaff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Longstaff surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Longstaff 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 1,344 #2,144
1861 historical 1,404 #2,039
1881 historical 2,110 #2,094
1891 historical 2,238 #2,083
1901 historical 2,659 #2,078
1911 historical 2,896 #1,800
1997 modern 2,929 #2,210
1998 modern 3,014 #2,239
1999 modern 3,004 #2,260
2000 modern 3,007 #2,240
2001 modern 2,955 #2,230
2002 modern 2,987 #2,250
2003 modern 2,890 #2,276
2004 modern 2,944 #2,226
2005 modern 2,907 #2,228
2006 modern 2,889 #2,243
2007 modern 2,944 #2,225
2008 modern 2,948 #2,233
2009 modern 3,041 #2,217
2010 modern 3,124 #2,207
2011 modern 3,067 #2,217
2012 modern 2,985 #2,235
2013 modern 3,023 #2,252
2014 modern 3,070 #2,227
2015 modern 3,008 #2,250
2016 modern 2,989 #2,255

Geography

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Where Longstaffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Darlington, Gateshead, Auckland St Andrew 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 County Durham. 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 Darlington Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Auckland St Andrew Durham
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 059 County Durham
2 County Durham 018 County Durham
3 County Durham 045 County Durham
4 County Durham 058 County Durham
5 County Durham 064 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Longstaff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Longstaff

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Longstaff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Longstaff 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 predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Longstaff is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Longstaff 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

Longstaff falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Longstaff

The surname Longstaff is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "lang" meaning long and "stæf" meaning staff or pole, likely referring to a long boundary marker or signpost.

The name is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Durham, where records show early variants such as Langstafe and Langstaffe. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines for 1202, which mentions a Johannes de Langstaf.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which lists a William de Langestaf. The Longstaff name is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, indicating its presence in the region during that period.

Notable individuals bearing the Longstaff surname include Sir John Longstaff (1549-1630), an English lawyer and member of the Middle Temple in London. Another prominent figure was Thomas Longstaff (1675-1762), a merchant and landowner from Durham who served as the High Sheriff of Durham in 1738.

In the 19th century, George Blundell Longstaff (1822-1904) was a renowned English geologist and explorer who made significant contributions to the study of glaciers and mountaineering. He was also a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Other notable Longstaffs include Thomas Longstaff (1844-1911), an English botanist and entomologist who studied the flora and fauna of the Himalayan region, and Walter Longstaff (1876-1955), a British amateur golfer who competed in the early 20th century and won the French Amateur Championship in 1904.

While the name Longstaff has its roots in northern England, it has since spread to other parts of the country and beyond, with various spellings and variations emerging over time, such as Longstaffe, Longstaff, and Langstaff.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Longstaff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Longstaff 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 866 Longstaffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.12x.

County Total Index
Durham 866 14.12x
Yorkshire 442 2.16x
Northumberland 153 4.99x
Middlesex 143 0.69x
Westmorland 92 20.31x
Lancashire 91 0.37x
Lincolnshire 58 1.76x
Cambridgeshire 39 2.99x
Cumberland 38 2.14x
Staffordshire 29 0.42x
Hertfordshire 20 1.41x
Surrey 20 0.20x
Cheshire 14 0.31x
Herefordshire 12 1.42x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.43x
Warwickshire 12 0.23x
Bedfordshire 10 0.94x
Lanarkshire 10 0.15x
Sussex 10 0.29x
Kent 8 0.11x
Hampshire 7 0.17x
Wiltshire 7 0.38x
Northamptonshire 5 0.26x
Essex 3 0.07x
Devon 2 0.05x
Midlothian 2 0.07x
Royal Navy 2 0.81x
Shropshire 2 0.11x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Derbyshire 1 0.03x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Gloucestershire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishop Auckland in Durham leads with 82 Longstaffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 99.67x.

Place Total Index
Bishop Auckland 82 99.67x
Darlington 61 25.76x
Gateshead 39 8.49x
Middlesbrough 35 13.16x
Stanhope 34 53.70x
Barnard Castle 33 108.88x
Stockton On Tees 33 11.16x
Bishopwearmouth 31 5.89x
Byker 28 18.47x
Leeds 27 2.34x
Willington 25 70.56x
Witton Le Wear 25 143.76x
West Auckland 24 107.05x
Warcop 22 433.07x
Arkengarthdale 21 295.77x
Shildon 21 42.61x
Thornaby 20 26.21x
Workington 20 19.68x
Normanby In 19 34.80x
St Pancras London 18 1.08x
East Thickley 17 136.77x
Haswell 17 38.68x
North Bedburn 17 99.18x
Pudsey 16 14.65x
Woodland 16 393.12x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 2.81x
Eggleston 15 284.63x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 15 8.19x
Crook Billy Row 14 17.83x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 14 5.27x
Holy Trinity 14 2.85x
North Mimms 14 156.42x
Shoreditch London 14 1.57x
Wingate 14 33.30x
Dawdon 13 17.24x
Hunslet 13 4.08x
Monkwearmouth 13 22.15x
Slaley 13 431.89x
St Luke London 13 3.93x
Crosscanonby 12 20.45x
Hardwick 12 857.14x
Hereford All Sts 12 30.99x
Auckland St Helen 11 170.54x
Cannock 11 9.06x
Newfield 11 135.14x
Otley 11 22.18x
Streatlam Stainton 11 456.43x
Bellerby 10 454.55x
Collierley 10 36.60x
Coundon Grange 10 74.29x
Escomb 10 35.49x
Kempston 10 41.27x
Sawston 10 79.43x
Smardale 10 3225.81x
South Shields 10 18.31x
St George Hanover Square 10 2.75x
Westgate 10 5.27x
Whitworth 10 22.28x
Horton In Bradford 9 2.82x
Islington London 9 0.45x
Monkwearmouth Shore 9 7.52x
Paddington London 9 1.19x
Penshaw 9 48.86x
Reeth Healaugh 9 454.55x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 9 19.41x
Whittingham 9 83.57x
Bedlington 8 7.81x
Benwell 8 23.87x
Chollerton 8 92.92x
Coxlodge 8 34.31x
Dewsbury 8 3.82x
Hexham 8 16.86x
High Toynton 8 842.11x
Kaber 8 567.38x
Lynesack Softley 8 48.28x
Orton 8 59.08x
Rugby 8 11.38x
Spalding 8 12.23x
Tanshelf 8 49.05x
Walsall Foreign 8 2.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 166
Elizabeth 99
Jane 81
Margaret 72
Sarah 70
Ann 44
Hannah 32
Ellen 29
Annie 26
Isabella 25
Eliza 20
Alice 19
Emma 15
Harriet 14
Emily 13
Eleanor 12
Anne 10
Edith 10
Maria 10
Louisa 9
Caroline 8
Dorothy 8
Frances 8
Clara 7
Martha 7
Rebecca 7
Ada 6
Fanny 6
Charlotte 5
Esther 5
Grace 5
Margret 5
Ruth 5
Sophia 5
Susan 5
Amelia 4
Catherine 4
Elizth. 4
Ethel 4
Florence 4
Jessie 4
Lucy 4
Rachel 4
Susannah 4
Eliz. 3
Francis 3
Kate 3
Rose 3
Dinah 2
Lily 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 192
William 131
Thomas 102
George 91
Joseph 70
James 64
Robert 48
Henry 36
Charles 26
Richard 24
Edward 22
Frederick 15
Alfred 11
Francis 11
Matthew 10
Wm. 10
Christopher 9
Ralph 9
Benjamin 7
David 7
Arthur 6
Harry 6
Frank 5
Geo. 5
Ernest 4
Jonathan 4
Mathew 4
Thos. 4
Albert 3
Alexander 3
Anthony 3
Fred 3
Jas. 3
Jno. 3
Peter 3
Robt. 3
Andrew 2
Archibald 2
Ashwood 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Fredk. 2
Harrison 2
Johnson 2
Jos. 2
Mark 2
Michael 2
Owen 2
Samuel 2
Thom. 2

FAQ

Longstaff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Longstaff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,110 people were recorded with the Longstaff surname. That placed it at #2,094 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Longstaff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,989 in 2016. That gives Longstaff a modern rank of #2,255.

What does the Longstaff surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who carried a long staff or pole.

What does the Longstaff map show?

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