What Is Link?
A link is an old unit used to measure length. It was mostly used by land surveyors to measure fields, farms, and town plots. Today it is not common in everyday life, but it is still useful when you read old maps, land records, or books that use this unit.
Definition
In traditional surveying, 1 link is defined as one hundredth of a chain.
- 1 chain = 100 links
- 1 chain = 66 feet = 20.1168 meters
From this, we get these values for a single link.
- 1 link = 0.66 foot
- 1 link = 7.92 inches
- 1 link ≈ 0.201168 meter
- 1 link ≈ 20.1168 centimeters
So a link is a small unit of length, about one fifth of a meter, a bit less than the length of an average adult forearm from wrist to elbow.
History / Origin
The link comes from early land surveying in England. In the early 1600s, a mathematician and clergyman named Edmund Gunter designed a special measuring chain for surveyors. This tool became known as Gunter chain.
Gunter chain was 66 feet long and was divided into 100 equal metal links joined together. Surveyors could quickly count links to measure land and then turn those counts into area for farms and towns. Because the chain was split into exactly 100 parts, it worked well with simple decimal numbers and also with older systems like acres and furlongs.
Over time, the chain and the link became standard tools in British and later imperial surveying. They were used in many parts of the world that were under British influence, for example in North America, India, Australia, and parts of Africa.
Later, as the metric system grew in use, many countries replaced the chain and link with meters and other SI units. However, old maps, deeds, and survey plans still show lengths in chains and links.
Symbol & Abbreviation
The link has a few common symbols and short forms.
- lnk is the most common abbreviation for link.
- li is sometimes used in older texts.
- The full word is written as link for one and links for more than one.
When you see numbers written like 25 lnk in a surveying document, that means 25 links.
Current Use Around the World
Today, the link is mostly a historical unit. It is not part of the modern SI system, and most school lessons and science subjects use meters and centimeters instead.
You may still see links in these places.
- Old land deeds and property records, especially in countries that once used British surveying methods.
- Historic maps of farms, towns, and railways.
- Surveying textbooks and tools that explain older methods.
- Some legal documents that keep the original measurements to avoid confusion.
Modern surveyors usually work in meters or feet, but they sometimes need to change old measurements in links into new ones so that land boundaries stay correct.
Example Conversions
These simple examples show how to turn links into feet and meters and back again.
Basic facts
- 1 link = 0.66 foot
- 1 link ≈ 0.201168 meter
- 1 foot ≈ 1.515151 links
- 1 meter ≈ 4.97097 links
Links to feet
- 10 links = 10 × 0.66 ft = 6.6 ft
- 25 links = 25 × 0.66 ft = 16.5 ft
- 50 links = 50 × 0.66 ft = 33 ft
- 100 links = 100 × 0.66 ft = 66 ft = 1 chain
Links to meters
- 1 link ≈ 0.201168 m
- 5 links ≈ 5 × 0.201168 m ≈ 1.00584 m
- 10 links ≈ 10 × 0.201168 m ≈ 2.01168 m
- 50 links ≈ 50 × 0.201168 m ≈ 10.0584 m
Meters to links
- 1 m ≈ 4.97 links
- 5 m ≈ 5 × 4.97 ≈ 24.85 links
- 10 m ≈ 10 × 4.97 ≈ 49.7 links
Feet to links
- 1 ft ≈ 1.52 links
- 10 ft ≈ 10 × 1.52 ≈ 15.2 links
- 33 ft ≈ 33 × 1.52 ≈ 50.0 links
When you do exact work, use more decimal places and a calculator. For simple school work, the rounded numbers above are usually enough.
Related Units
The link is closely connected to several other length units from traditional surveying.
- Chain The main surveying tool that holds 100 links. 1 chain = 66 feet ≈ 20.1168 meters.
- Rod or pole or perch An older unit used in land work. 1 rod = 16.5 feet. 1 chain = 4 rods.
- Foot A common imperial unit. 1 link = 0.66 foot.
- Yard 1 yard = 3 feet. So 1 yard ≈ 4.545 links.
- Mile 1 mile = 5280 feet = 80 chains = 8000 links.
- Meter The main SI length unit. 1 link ≈ 0.201168 meter.
- Centimeter 1 cm = 0.01 meter. 1 link ≈ 20.1168 centimeters.
Knowing how these units fit together helps you read and convert old survey data.
FAQs
What is a link in simple words?
A link is a small unit used long ago to measure length on the ground. One link is one hundredth of a chain and is a little longer than 7 and a half inches.
How long is one link in meters and feet?
One link is 0.66 foot, which is 7.92 inches. In the metric system, one link is about 0.201168 meter or about 20.1 centimeters.
Is a link still used today?
It is rarely used in new measurements. Modern surveyors mostly use meters or feet. However, the link still appears in old maps, farm records, and legal documents, so people sometimes convert links to newer units.
Why did surveyors use chains and links?
Chains and links made it easy to measure large pieces of land by hand. Because a chain has exactly 100 links, surveyors could use simple counting and easy math to work out distances and areas.
How many links are in a chain?
There are exactly 100 links in one Gunter chain. The full chain is 66 feet long, so each link is 66 divided by 100 feet, which is 0.66 foot.
Is a link the same as a web link on the internet?
No. In measurement, a link is a unit of length in surveying. On the internet, a link means a hyperlink, which is a clickable text or image that opens another page or file.
How do I convert links to meters quickly?
To convert links to meters, multiply the number of links by 0.201168. As a quick rough rule, you can say 1 link is about 0.2 meter to get an estimate.
Where might I see links in real life?
You may see links when someone studies local history, old town plans, or very old land sale papers. Museums, archives, and surveying history books also mention chains and links.