NameCensus.

UK surname

Lynas

A surname derived from a place name, likely of Scottish or Manx origin.

In the 1881 census there were 240 people recorded with the Lynas surname, ranking it #11,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,033, ranked #5,649, up from #11,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft), Kirk Leatham and Wakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redcar and Cleveland, Chesterfield and Riddrie and Hogganfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lynas is 1,051 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 330.4%.

1881 census count

240

Ranked #11,410

Modern count

1,033

2016, ranked #5,649

Peak year

2010

1,051 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lynas had 240 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,033 in 2016, ranked #5,649.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 344 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lynas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lynas surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lynas 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 89 #18,446
1861 historical 145 #15,715
1881 historical 240 #11,410
1891 historical 310 #10,812
1901 historical 344 #10,569
1911 historical 337 #10,547
1997 modern 890 #6,012
1998 modern 916 #6,064
1999 modern 961 #5,900
2000 modern 955 #5,904
2001 modern 932 #5,905
2002 modern 925 #6,069
2003 modern 925 #5,955
2004 modern 928 #5,936
2005 modern 939 #5,833
2006 modern 959 #5,748
2007 modern 975 #5,723
2008 modern 986 #5,715
2009 modern 1,017 #5,686
2010 modern 1,051 #5,645
2011 modern 1,031 #5,678
2012 modern 989 #5,791
2013 modern 1,016 #5,750
2014 modern 1,032 #5,710
2015 modern 1,036 #5,647
2016 modern 1,033 #5,649

Geography

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Where Lynas' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft), Kirk Leatham, Wakefield, Glasgow and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redcar and Cleveland, Chesterfield and Riddrie and Hogganfield. 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 Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Kirk Leatham Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redcar and Cleveland 007 Redcar and Cleveland
2 Redcar and Cleveland 016 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Chesterfield 005 Chesterfield
4 Riddrie and Hogganfield Glasgow City
5 Redcar and Cleveland 022 Redcar and Cleveland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lynas

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lynas

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

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Lynas surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lynas household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lynas 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

Lynas is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Lynas

The surname LYNAS is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the Lancashire region of England, possibly stemming from the Old English words "lin" meaning flax or linen, and "æs" meaning ridge or hill. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived on a ridge or hill where flax was grown.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Lancashire Inquests of 1311, where a Robert del Lynas is mentioned. The "del" prefix indicates a place of origin, suggesting the name was already established as a locational surname by this time.

The LYNAS surname is also documented in the Wills and Inventories of the Archdeaconry of Richmond, Yorkshire, from the 16th century, with entries for individuals such as John Lyneys (1553) and Richard Lynnas (1592). These variations in spelling were common during that period.

In the 17th century, the name appears in the Parish Registers of Saddleworth, Yorkshire, with the baptism of James Lynas in 1686. This area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, further indicating the name's northern English roots.

Notable individuals bearing the LYNAS surname include:

1. Sir Robert Lynas (1789-1860), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a rear admiral. 2. Robert Lynas (1892-1970), a British civil engineer and entrepreneur who founded the construction company Lynas Bros. 3. Mary Lynas (1878-1964), a British suffragette and campaigner for women's rights, active in the early 20th century. 4. John Lynas (1916-1999), a British artist and painter known for his landscapes and portraiture. 5. Michael Lynas (born 1964), a British writer and environmental activist, author of books such as "The God Species" and "Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet."

The LYNAS surname has also been found in historical records from other parts of the British Isles, such as Scotland and Ireland, suggesting that the name may have spread beyond its initial Lancashire origins over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lynas families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lynas 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. Yorkshire leads with 106 Lynas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.61x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 106 4.61x
Lanarkshire 43 5.73x
Lancashire 27 0.98x
Durham 21 3.04x
Renfrewshire 9 5.00x
Cumberland 7 3.50x
Hampshire 5 1.05x
Midlothian 4 1.29x
Warwickshire 3 0.51x
Cheshire 2 0.39x
Middlesex 2 0.09x
Staffordshire 2 0.26x
Surrey 2 0.18x
Fife 1 0.73x
Glamorgan 1 0.25x
Perthshire 1 0.96x
Royal Navy 1 3.61x
Wigtownshire 1 3.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkleatham in Yorkshire leads with 17 Lynas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 546.62x.

Place Total Index
Kirkleatham 17 546.62x
Middlesbrough 15 50.07x
Stockton On Tees 15 45.06x
Govan 14 7.54x
Linthorpe 10 72.83x
Skelton In Guisbrough 10 160.77x
Barony 9 4.74x
Thorne 9 315.79x
Guisbrough 7 139.17x
Northallerton 7 238.10x
Redcar 7 382.51x
Eastwood 6 54.15x
Glasgow 6 4.50x
Liverpool 6 3.59x
Maryhill 6 40.82x
Workington 6 52.45x
Hamilton 5 23.88x
Ormesby 5 80.91x
Toxteth Park 5 5.36x
Alverstoke 4 23.23x
Ardwick 4 16.10x
Everton 4 4.56x
North Bedburn 4 207.25x
Thornaby 4 46.51x
Whorlton 4 740.74x
Abbey 3 10.93x
Birmingham 3 1.54x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 2.40x
Manchester 3 2.42x
Old Monkland 3 10.07x
Upsall In Guisbrough 3 2727.27x
Anslow 2 666.67x
Bawtry 2 277.78x
Bermondsey 2 2.89x
Walton On Hill 2 13.40x
Ballingry 1 117.65x
Bilsdale Midcable 1 185.19x
Birkenhead 1 2.45x
Cockpen 1 27.55x
Darlington 1 3.75x
Glaisdale 1 113.64x
Great Busby 1 1250.00x
Habergham Eaves 1 3.97x
Harrington 1 41.49x
Helmington Row 1 31.06x
Holbeck 1 6.56x
Islington London 1 0.44x
Kinnoull Scone 1 2500.00x
Leeds 1 0.77x
Llandaff 1 7.43x
Penninghame 1 31.85x
Portsmouth 1 9.12x
Royal Navy 1 4.23x
Sale 1 15.90x
Upleatham 1 256.41x
West Derby 1 1.24x
Westminster St John 1 3.54x
Whittingham 1 82.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 7
Jane 6
Hannah 4
Ann 3
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Annie 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Alicia 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Arabella 1
Catherine 1
Charlote 1
Christeiner 1
Dahlia 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Hephzibah 1
Isabell 1
Isabella 1
Jennie 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1
Susana 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 12
James 8
Joseph 7
Thomas 7
George 5
Arthur 3
Francis 3
Robert 3
Andrew 2
Michael 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Samuel 2
Bertram 1
Charles 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Johnson 1
Joshua 1
Ralph 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Thos.M. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lynas surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lynas surname in 1881?

In 1881, 240 people were recorded with the Lynas surname. That placed it at #11,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lynas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,033 in 2016. That gives Lynas a modern rank of #5,649.

What does the Lynas surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, likely of Scottish or Manx origin.

What does the Lynas map show?

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