Lincoln Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Lincoln last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Lincoln last name
Meaning of the Lincoln last name: settlement by the pool. Lincoln is an English surname from the city of Lincoln, from Brittonic lindo, "pool", and Latin colonia, "Roman settlement". Samuel Lincoln, ancestor of President Abraham Lincoln, left Norfolk for Massachusetts in 1637. The last name later became a first name.
Arms associated with the Lincoln name
Heraldry associated with the Lincoln surname uses a few strong colours, and each coat of arms has its own blazon.
Get your full Lincoln family history
This is only a glimpse of the Lincoln story. The full Lincoln history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Lincoln coat of arms. Get the full Lincoln report.
Lincoln name FAQ
What does the Lincoln name mean?
settlement by the pool. Common variants include Lincolne, Linkin.
Where does the Lincoln surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Lincoln coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Lincoln coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).