Linville
A surname most likely derived from a place name, probably meaning “the settlement by the lime trees” or “lime-tree town.”
The #4,717 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 41,073 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Linville is best understood as an English locational surname, formed from a place-name rather than a personal characteristic. The first element is probably Old English lind or linn, referring to a lime tree or linden, while the second element is the common place-name ending -ville/-vil, from Old French and ultimately Latin villa, meaning a farm, estate, or settlement. In practice, surnames of this shape often arose from someone who came from a place with a similar name, or from a settlement whose name described its setting.
History
As with many locational surnames, Linville would originally have identified a person by where they came from, and the name later became hereditary. It is now most familiar in the United States, where it may also reflect spelling variation from similar English or continental names. Because the surname is relatively uncommon, its history is less well documented than major English surnames.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The ending -ville looks very French, but in English surnames it often points back to medieval place-naming habits rather than a direct modern French connection.