Linward
A masculine name derived from the Old English "lind" meaning lime tree wood.
Name Census estimates that about 25 living Americans carry the first name Linward. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Linward today is around 77 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Linward births was 1928 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Linward. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Linward is about 77 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Linwards were born before 1959.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Linward. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
25
~ 1 in 13,710,174 Americans
Peak year
1928
11 babies that year
Average age
77
years old
1959 SSA rank
#3,468
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Linward: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Linward from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 19 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Linward by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Linward during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Linwards live
Origin
Meaning and history of Linward
The name Linward is an Old English given name that originated in the 7th century AD. It is derived from the Old English words "lind" meaning "lime tree" and "weard" meaning "guardian" or "protector." The name can be interpreted to mean "the guardian of the lime tree" or "the protector of the lime forest."
In ancient Anglo-Saxon culture, the lime tree held great significance as it was considered a sacred tree, and its wood was used for various purposes, including constructing shields and other instruments of war. The name Linward may have been bestowed upon individuals who were tasked with guarding or overseeing the lime forests, which were vital resources for the community.
The earliest recorded usage of the name Linward dates back to the 8th century, when it appeared in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, an ancient manuscript that recorded the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The name is mentioned in reference to a nobleman named Linward of Wessex, who played a role in the conflicts between the kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia during that period.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Linward remained relatively obscure, with only a few notable individuals bearing the name. One such individual was Linward the Scribe, a 12th-century monk from the monastery of Bury St. Edmunds, who is credited with transcribing several important religious texts and chronicles.
In the 15th century, a legendary figure named Linward the Fearless emerged in the annals of English folklore. He was said to be a brave warrior who fought alongside King Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, and his exploits were recounted in ballads and stories passed down through generations.
Another notable bearer of the name was Linward Farnsworth (1630-1705), an English explorer and adventurer who is believed to have been one of the first Europeans to set foot on the islands of the South Pacific. His travels and discoveries were documented in a journal that has become a valuable historical source for understanding the region during that era.
While the name Linward has faded into obscurity in modern times, it remains a unique and intriguing name with a rich historical background, rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture and language.
People
Linward + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Linward as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Linward: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Linward?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 25 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Linward going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 13,710,174 US residents.
Is Linward a common name?
We classify Linward as "Very Rare". It ranks above 43.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 59 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Linward most popular?
The single biggest year for Linward was 1928, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Linward is about 77 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Linward in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Linward a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Linward in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Linward still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Linward in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Linward can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Linward?
Want to know how many Americans are named Linward? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.