Show ContentsLincolns History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Lincolns arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Lincolns family lived in the city of Lincoln in Lincolnshire. The place-name is derived from the British name Lindo, which means lake, and the Latin word, colonia, which means settlement or colony. During the Roman occupation of England, the town was an important administrative center. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was a center for cloth manufacturing and is famous for the "Lincoln Green."

Another source claims the "name is derived from Lin in the Gaelic, Welsh, and Cornish-British, which signifies a pool, pond, or lake, and coln, the ridge or neck of a hill, so called from its situation, as it occupies the top and side of a steep hill on the river Witham, which here divides into three streams." 1

Early Origins of the Lincolns family

The surname Lincolns was first found in Lincolnshire. One of the first record of the family was Alured de Lincoln, who came from Normandy with the Conqueror. He witnessed a charter in Normandy 1080 and just six years later in 1086 held a great barony in Lincolnshire and Bedfordshire. In 1130, Robert de Lincoln was listed in the Pipe Rolls, and in 1165 Alured de Lincoln held a barony of thirty fees. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: Robert de Linccolne in Nottinghamshire; and Richard de Linccolne in Huntingdonshire. Hugh de Lyncoln, fiscatar, was a Freemen of York, 3 Edward II (during the third year's reign of Edward II.) Daniel de Lyncoln was listed in the Writs of Parliament of 1324 and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Adam de Lincoln. 3

Early History of the Lincolns family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lincolns research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1622, 1637 and 1690 are included under the topic Early Lincolns History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lincolns Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Lincoln, Lincolne, Lincorne and others.

Early Notables of the Lincolns family

Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lincolns Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Lincolns family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Lincolns or a variant listed above: Elizabeth Lincoln, who settled in Virginia in 1635; Daniel Lincoln, who came to Hingham, MA in 1645; Robert Lincoln, who arrived in Boston in 1663; Ed Lincoln, who settled in Virginia in 1684.



  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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