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

Lines, 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 Lines surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lines in America

Lines is the 9368th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lines surname appeared 3,472 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 Lines.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lines 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 Lines

The surname "Lines" is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "line," which referred to a boundary or line between properties or territories. This name likely originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a boundary line or border.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several entries for people with the surname "Lines" or similar spellings, such as "de la Lyne" or "atte Lyne." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in various parts of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Lines" is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mentions a "William de la Line." This spelling variation further reinforces the connection to the Old English word for boundary or line.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname appeared in various records across England, often associated with specific place names. For example, in 1327, a "John de la Lyne" is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, while a "William atte Lyne" is recorded in the Court Rolls of Essex in 1369.

One notable historical figure with the surname "Lines" was Sir Robert Lines (c. 1560-1634), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1617. He was also a member of the Virginia Company, which established the first permanent English settlement in North America at Jamestown.

Another prominent individual was John Lines (1629-1681), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the pastor of the Church of St. Mary in Nottingham. He was a vocal critic of the Restoration of the monarchy and was imprisoned for his nonconformist views.

In the 18th century, Joseph Lines (1701-1748) was a notable English engraver and illustrator known for his work on various publications, including editions of the works of William Shakespeare.

In the field of art, Henry Lines (1801-1876) was a British landscape painter and etcher who specialized in depictions of rural scenes and coastal views. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prominent galleries during the Victorian era.

Additionally, Samuel Lines (1778-1863) was an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. James in Bermondsey and the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in Old Kent Road.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lines

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

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 Lines 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 Lines 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 Lines was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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