LONGDEN
Longden is a locational surname of English origin, denoting a person who dwelt in a long valley or near a long hill.
The name derives from the Old English words lang, meaning “long”, and denu, meaning “valley”. In some medieval manuscripts the second element appears as dun, describing a hill or slope; in both cases the composite signifies “dweller in the long valley” or “dweller on the long hill”.
Recorded variants include Langden, Longden and Longdon. The placenames from which the surname arose are found in the counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Essex, Kent and Warwickshire. Entries for these places are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Langedune, Langenduna and Longedun, confirming the shared etymology and underlying meaning.
The earliest documented use of the name is that of Aelfward aet Langadune, dated 1050, found in the “Old English Bynames” list for Worcestershire during the reign of King Edward the Confessor. The name appears again in later records, for example George Longden, noted in the Register of the University of Oxford in 1599. A distinguished bearer of the name was Sir Henry Errington Longden (1819‑1890), who achieved the military rank of lieutenant‑general following a long and notable service in India.
In contemporary times the surname remains chiefly within the United Kingdom, with concentrations still observable in the historic counties mentioned above. Genealogical research into the name relies on parish registers, civil registration indices and surviving estate papers, as the spelling of the surname has varied historically.
Typical given names associated with the Longden surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Steven
Female
- Catherine
- Christina
- Christine
- Claire
- Diana
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Janet
- Karen
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Nicola
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Longden in...
Braille
⠇⠕⠝⠛⠙⠑⠝
Morse
.-..----.--.-...-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 3,063 people named Longden in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,941st most common surname in Britain. Around 47 in a million people in Britain are named Longden.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Longden
- John Longden - 1900–1971; West Indian-born English film actor (1900 to 1971)
- Deric Longden - Writer (1936 to 2013)
- Johnny Longden - American horse trainer and jockey (1907 to 2003)
- Gilbert Longden - Politician (1902 to 1997)
- Paul Longden - Football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.