History of your Surname
Get access to Lincoln family records.Start a free trial

Lincoln Family History

Lincoln Name Meaning

English: habitational name from the city of Lincoln so named from an original British name Lindo- ‘lake’ + Latin colonia ‘settlement colony’. The place was an important administrative center during the Roman occupation of Britain and in the Middle Ages it was a center for the manufacture of cloth including the famous ‘Lincoln green’. African American: adoption of the surname in 1 above in honor of Abraham Lincoln the 16th president of the US who abolished slavery.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Linton, Clinton, Minton, London, Lindon, Sinton, Litton, Hinton

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Lincoln family from?

You can see how Lincoln families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lincoln family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lincoln families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 35 Lincoln families living in Alberta. This was about 34% of all the recorded Lincoln's in Canada. Alberta had the highest population of Lincoln families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lincoln surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Lincoln ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Lincoln. 46% of Lincoln men worked as a Farmer and 100% of Lincoln women worked as a Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Lincoln | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    46%
  • Labourer
    13%
  • Laborer
    10%
  • Carpenter
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housekeeper
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Lincoln family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 177,000 census records available for the last name Lincoln. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lincoln census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Lincoln

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Lincoln. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Lincoln immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 44,000 military records available for the last name Lincoln. For the veterans among your Lincoln ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lincoln military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lincoln family history

Discover More

What is the average Lincoln lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Lincoln life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1949, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Lincoln in 1940 was 46, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lincoln

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lincoln family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Lincoln last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial