This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Lindsey.' Lindsey, a parish in Suffolk; no doubt it means the 'linden-isle.' Probably other spots are so called. A division of Lincolnshire is still called the 'Parts of Lindsey.' The instances below are widely separated, and point to more than one spot so called.

Walter de Lyndesay, 56 Henry III: Nicolson and Burn's History Westm. and Cumb.

Thomas de Lyndesey, Derbyshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Henry de Lindeseye, Kent, ibid.

Robert de Lindesay, Nottinghamshire, ibid.

William de Lyndeseye, Northamptonshire, 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

William de Lyndesaie, 11 Edward I: Nicolson and Burn's History Westm. and Cumb.

Willelmus de Lyndesay, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Jacobus de Lyndesay, 1379: ibid.

1546. Ralph Brooke and Elizabeth Lynseye: Marriage Lic. (London).

1793. Married — William Ball and Margaret Lindsey: St. George, Hanover Square.

The name is territorial. Said to be of Norman origin, from De Limesay, Pays de Caux near Pavilly, north of Rouen. It is also said to be from Lindsay, a division of Lincolnshire (in AS. Chron.: Lindisse, A.D. 627; Lindissi, 678; Lindesse, 838; Lindesige, 993). Wyntoun (V. 5, p. 259, S.T.S. ed.) referring to the origin of the family expresses a prudent uncertainty:

"Off Inglande coyme be Lynddissay

Mare of J'aim I can noucht say."

The first of the name in Scotland is Sir Walter de Lindeseya, who appears as one of the witnesses in the Inquisitio of Earl David concerning the possessions and rights of the see of Glasgow, a. 1124 (REG., 1). His great-grandson, Sir William de Lindeseia, was one of the hostages for King William the Lion, 1174 (Annals, p. 194). There have been nearly 200 variations in the spelling of the name (Sc. Peer., III, p. 1), and Lord Lindsay (Family of Lindsay, v. I, p. 3) gives eighty-four spellings. See under Maclintock.

Belonging to 1 Lindsey (a div. of Lincs), occurring in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as Lindessi, Lindesse, Lindes-ig = (apparently) the ‘Isle of Lind-um,’ the Roman name of Lincoln (v. Lincoln), which is embraced in Lindsey: alternatively, Lind may be the Old Teutonic pers. name = ‘serpent' (it cannot refer to Old English lind, ‘lime-tree,’ because lind is a fem. noun with genit. in -e (not -es).

2 Lindsey (Suffolk) = Lind’s Island [Old Teutonic pers. name Lind (m.), serpent, genit. Lindes + Old English íg = Old Norse ey, island, waterside]

(Scottish, Irish) The man from Limesay or Lindesey (lime tree or linden isle), in Normandy; grandson of the sailor.

The modern form of Limesay, given as Linnebey in Holinshed’s list.

This distinguished family, who boasted of twenty Earls of Crawford, extending from the year 1398 to 1808, and whose deeds have been recorded by a noble member of the house, in his "Lives of the Lindsays," were in all probability of English origin, and the name appears to have been derived from the division of the county of Lincoln still called the "Parts of Lindsey," though some genealogists deduce it from the manor of Lindsey in Essex.

Local: from the manor of Lindsay in Essex. The family settled in Scotland, temp. Malcolm Canmore.

Local. Sir William Dugdale says this surname is local, and was first assumed by the proprietors of the lands and manor of Lindsay, in the county of Essex, England. One of the Lindsays having contracted a friendship with Malcom Canmore, when in England, went with him to Scotland, and was the progenitor of the Lindsays in that country. The eastern part of Lincolnshire was originally called Lindsey, from the place abounding with linden—trees.