NameCensus.

UK surname

Leacock

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "the brook between the meadows".

In the 1881 census there were 56 people recorded with the Leacock surname, ranking it #25,733 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 273, ranked #15,800, up from #25,733 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, St James Clerkenwell and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Monmouthshire, North Dorset and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leacock is 288 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 387.5%.

1881 census count

56

Ranked #25,733

Modern count

273

2016, ranked #15,800

Peak year

2014

288 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leacock had 56 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,733 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 273 in 2016, ranked #15,800.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 119 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Leacock surname distribution map

The map shows where the Leacock surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Leacock surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leacock over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 85 #18,940
1861 historical 119 #18,393
1881 historical 56 #25,733
1891 historical 109 #22,701
1901 historical 52 #28,377
1911 historical 39 #29,025
1997 modern 228 #16,211
1998 modern 228 #16,706
1999 modern 241 #16,179
2000 modern 247 #15,864
2001 modern 231 #16,365
2002 modern 250 #15,819
2003 modern 241 #16,013
2004 modern 227 #16,778
2005 modern 227 #16,730
2006 modern 231 #16,636
2007 modern 243 #16,243
2008 modern 246 #16,247
2009 modern 256 #16,145
2010 modern 274 #15,705
2011 modern 267 #15,892
2012 modern 272 #15,586
2013 modern 287 #15,224
2014 modern 288 #15,285
2015 modern 280 #15,485
2016 modern 273 #15,800

Geography

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Where Leacocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, St James Clerkenwell, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Whorlton and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Monmouthshire, North Dorset, South Lakeland, Croydon and Lambeth. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Pancras London (North Districts)
2 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Whorlton Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Monmouthshire 005 Monmouthshire
2 North Dorset 008 North Dorset
3 South Lakeland 003 South Lakeland
4 Croydon 008 Croydon
5 Lambeth 007 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leacock

These lists show first names that appear often with the Leacock surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leacock

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Leacock, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Leacock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Leacock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Leacock is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leacock is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leacock falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Leacock is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Leacock, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Leacock

The surname Leacock originated in England, specifically in the county of Lancashire. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "lea" meaning a meadow or clearing, and "coc" meaning a hill or mound, thus suggesting a connection to a specific geographical feature or location.

The earliest recorded instances of the Leacock name can be traced back to the 12th century, with references found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from around 1190. The name is thought to have initially referred to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing on a hill.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several mentions of places that may have contributed to the formation of the Leacock surname, such as Leacok in Cheshire and Lecok in Staffordshire.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Leacock surname was Richard de Leacock, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332. Another notable early bearer of the name was John Leacock, born around 1450, who was a landowner in the village of Leacock near Chorley, Lancashire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Leacock family established themselves as prominent landowners and gentry in Lancashire. Sir Roger Leacock (1565-1635) was a respected Member of Parliament for the borough of Newton in Lancashire.

In the 18th century, Stephen Leacock (1701-1784) was a renowned English author and playwright, best known for his satirical works.

As the Leacock family spread across England and beyond, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Laycock, Leycok, and Leycock.

Other notable individuals with the Leacock surname include:

1. Peter Leacock (1609-1670), an English royalist officer during the English Civil War. 2. John Leacock (1778-1865), a British naval officer and explorer. 3. Stephen Butler Leacock (1869-1944), a celebrated Canadian writer and humorist. 4. Philip Leacock (1917-1990), a British film director known for his work in Hollywood. 5. Eleanor Robertson Leacock (1922-1987), an American anthropologist and author.

Throughout its history, the Leacock surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, from landowners and gentry to writers, artists, and academics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who bear this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leacock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leacock surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 17 Leacocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.11x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 17 3.11x
Cornwall 11 17.80x
Lanarkshire 8 4.53x
Warwickshire 7 5.08x
Hampshire 3 2.68x
Kent 2 1.07x
Surrey 2 0.75x
Devon 1 0.88x
Durham 1 0.62x
Gloucestershire 1 0.93x
Lancashire 1 0.15x
Lincolnshire 1 1.15x
Norfolk 1 1.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Germans in Cornwall leads with 10 Leacocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2325.58x.

Place Total Index
St Germans 10 2325.58x
Barony 8 17.90x
Birmingham 7 15.25x
Islington London 7 13.23x
Clerkenwell London 5 38.79x
Littleton 3 7500.00x
Margate St John Baptist 2 58.65x
Paddington London 2 9.96x
St George Bloomsbury 2 63.90x
Brancepeth 1 333.33x
Camberwell 1 2.87x
Cheltenham 1 12.11x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 9.72x
Hammersmith London 1 7.43x
Lambeth 1 2.10x
Liskeard 1 97.09x
Swanton Abbott 1 1111.11x
Uffculme 1 294.12x
Waddington 1 625.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Leacock surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Louisa 2
Mary 2
Anna 1
Annie 1
Augusta 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Constance 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizh. 1
Emily 1
Fannie 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1
Theadora 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Leacock surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 4
Francis 2
Henry 2
Thomas 2
Alexr.E. 1
Alfred 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
John 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Saml.Wm. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Leacock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leacock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 56 people were recorded with the Leacock surname. That placed it at #25,733 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leacock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 273 in 2016. That gives Leacock a modern rank of #15,800.

What does the Leacock surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "the brook between the meadows".

What does the Leacock map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Leacock bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.