The earliest reference we could find to Linfield was in 1840 when there is a reference to C.B. Grimshaw (Linfield). Conway B. Grimshaw was involved in setting up Linfield Flax Spinning Mill. The name Linfield appears to mean 'field of flax'.
"Conway Grimshaw was a merchant in Belfast for some time, till he joined John and William Murphy in building Linfield Mill, in which they all realised fortunes" (George Benn, A History of the Town of Belfast, vol. ii, 1877, p. 214).
“At the junction of Sandy Row and Linfield Road is the 1810 Murray Tobacco Building, where, until recent times, high quality pipe tobacco was manufactured. Nearby is Weaver’s Court Business Park, which stands on the site of the old Linfield Mill of the Ulster Weaving Company. A hugely important linen company it was at its most prosperous during the First World War. Nearby, at the end of Linfield Street, is the building where a former Half-Day school operated. Here child mill workers would study in the morning before working in the afternoon.” (Linen Quarter Document)
In 1886 Linfield Athletic Club was formed from workers at the mill, and this developed into Linfield F.C.