Lien
A surname with several possible origins, most likely from a place name or a shortened form of a personal name in northern Europe.
The #5,127 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 45,224 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Lien is found in several European naming traditions, and the spelling alone does not point to one single origin. In Dutch and related continental usage, it can be a surname formed from a place name, while in English records it may also reflect a shortened or altered form of an older personal name. Because the same spelling appears in more than one language family, the safest explanation is that Lien is a convergent surname with multiple independent origins.
History
The historical dictionaries consulted mention Lien in passing as a name found in Dutch/German contexts, but not as a fully developed English surname entry. In modern use it is known in several countries, especially where Dutch, German, or Scandinavian naming traditions have influenced family names. In the United States it is relatively uncommon and may reflect immigrant ancestry rather than a single national origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same simple spelling can arise in more than one language, so two families named Lien are not necessarily related at all.
From the historical record
“'Y0A.5. Ijoonard, liaonarde, lien- nturd, Iieii«rd.--Bapt. ' the son of Leonard.' For history of the name, v. Miss Yonge's Chris^n Names, i. 180. SL Leonard was a popular saint both in England”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances