Show ContentsLinden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Linden family

The surname Linden was first found in Linton, now West Linton, a village in the Scottish Borders, (formerly in Peeblesshire) not far from East Linton; Linton, a parish of Roxburghshire; or at East Linton, a small burgh in the parish of Prestonkirk, East Lothian. 1

One of the first records of the name was Gamel de Lintun who witnessed a charter by Ernaldus, bishop pf St. Andrews (c. 1160-62.) Magister Roberts de Linton was vicar of Kylelan (c. 1214.) 1

We would be remiss if we didn't take a moment to discuss the "Worm of Linton" or the "Linton Worm." Linton Hill at Linton in Roxburghshire on the Scottish borders was the home of this legendary beast which emerged from its lair at dusk and dawn to eats crops, livestock and people. "Wyrm" is an Old English/Scottish word for serpent which evolved to the more modern term "worm." After many fearful nights, a man of incredible courage, William or John de Somerville, the Laird of Laristin, attacked the worm in its hideout killing it. A stone carving above the door of Linton Church shows this heroic deed.

Further south in England, the earliest records were: Richard de Linton, London who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273; Hugh de Linton, Yorkshire, 20 Edward I (during the twentieth year of King Edward I's reign) and Laurencie de Lynton (of Linton) who was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2

In England, Linton is a market-town and parish in Cambridgeshire, a township in Derbyshire, a parish in Devon, a hamlet in Gloucestershire, a township in Herefordshire, a parish in Kent and there are two parish so named in Yorkshire. 3

Early History of the Linden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Linden research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1160, 1285, 1296, 1348, 1349, 1376, 1411, 1677, 1841, 1884, 1885, 1890 and 1894 are included under the topic Early Linden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Linden Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Linton, Lynton, Lintern and others.

Early Notables of the Linden family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Bishop Sydney Linton (1841-1894), the first Bishop of the Diocese of Riverina, Australia. He was consecrated on 1 May 1884 at St Paul's Cathedral, London, and on...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Linden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Linden Ranking

In the United States, the name Linden is the 6,431st most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 4

Ireland Migration of the Linden family to Ireland

Some of the Linden family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Linden migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Linden Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Andreas Linden, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 5
Linden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Abraham vanDer Linden, who settled in Philadelphia in 1806
  • John Linden, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 5
  • Daniel Linden, aged 32, who landed in Maryland in 1813 5
  • Ann Linden, who settled in Baltimore in 1831
  • Hugh, John, Joseph and Patrick Linden, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1840
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Linden Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Gustaf Aineo Linden, who arrived in Mississippi in 1905 5
  • Alexander Linden, who settled in New York in 1908

Canada Linden migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Linden Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Linden who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Ann" departing 16th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 30th June 1847 but he died on board 6
  • Carl Linden, who arrived in Quebec in 1854

Contemporary Notables of the name Linden (post 1700) +

  • Trevor John Linden C.M. O.B.C. (b. 1970), nicknamed "Captain Canuck", retired Canadian professional NHL ice hockey player, NHLPA President
  • Hal Linden (b. 1931), American seven-time Primetime Emmy Award and three-time Golden Globe Award nominated stage and screen actor, television director and musician, best known role in the television comedy series Barney Miller
  • Todd Anthony "Moose" Linden (b. 1980), American Major League Baseball outfielder
  • Eric Linden (1909-1994), American actor
  • Edwin Gilbert "Edward" Linden (1888-1956), American cinematographer, best known for his work on King Kong (1933) and Son of Kong (1933)
  • Brigadier-General Henning Linden (1892-1984), American Assistant Commanding General 42nd Division (1944-1945) 7
  • Joel A. Vander Linden, American politician, Candidate in primary for Mayor of Warren, Michigan, 2003 8
  • Edward Sean Linden (1935-2023), born John Edward Glackin, a Scottish poet, literary magazine editor and political activist
  • Stella Linden (b. 1919), born Stella M Marsden, English actress and writer
  • Michael Rory "Mickey" Linden, Irish Gaelic footballer
  • ... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  6. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 84)
  7. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, April 2) Henning Linden. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Linden/Henning/USA.html
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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