Find out how popular the last name Line is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Line.

Line, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Line surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Line in America

Line is the 9983rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Line surname appeared 3,231 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Line.

We can also compare 2010 data for Line to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Line

The surname LINE is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'lin' meaning a flax-plant or linen cloth. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name for a maker or seller of linen cloth or ropes made from flax fibers.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname LINE can be traced back to the 13th century in various counties across England, such as Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk, where the flax industry was prevalent. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 contain entries for individuals with the surname LINE, including William Line from Lincolnshire.

In the 14th century, the LINE surname appears in several historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 and the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, indicating its widespread use during this period. One notable example is John Line, who was recorded as a resident of Scarborough, Yorkshire, in the 1379 Poll Tax Returns.

The surname LINE also has connections to various place names in England, such as Line Hill in Buckinghamshire and Line House in Staffordshire, suggesting that some LINE families may have derived their surname from these locations.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals bore the surname LINE, including:

1. John Line (c. 1525-1584), an English Protestant reformer and Church of England clergyman.
2. Tobias Line (fl. 1617-1623), an English merchant and explorer who voyaged to the Caribbean and New England.
3. Ralph Line (1612-1670), an English Puritan minister and author.
4. Francis Line (1595-1675), an English mathematician and astronomer.
5. Samuel Line (1659-1718), an English engraver and print publisher.

As the centuries progressed, the LINE surname continued to be found across various parts of England, with families establishing themselves in different regions and contributing to various professions and endeavors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Line

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Line.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Line was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Line has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Line was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Line, please contact us.

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