NameCensus.

UK surname

Leader

An occupational surname for someone who leads or guides others, such as a military commander or civic official.

In the 1881 census there were 1,359 people recorded with the Leader surname, ranking it #3,016 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,814, ranked #3,493, down from #3,016 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Charnwood and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leader is 1,914 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.5%.

1881 census count

1,359

Ranked #3,016

Modern count

1,814

2016, ranked #3,493

Peak year

2011

1,914 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leader had 1,359 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,016 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,814 in 2016, ranked #3,493.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,702 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Leader surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leader surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leader 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 853 #3,188
1861 historical 1,036 #2,708
1881 historical 1,359 #3,016
1891 historical 1,401 #3,107
1901 historical 1,686 #3,062
1911 historical 1,702 #2,886
1997 modern 1,843 #3,267
1998 modern 1,883 #3,324
1999 modern 1,870 #3,369
2000 modern 1,846 #3,387
2001 modern 1,796 #3,394
2002 modern 1,823 #3,417
2003 modern 1,796 #3,401
2004 modern 1,799 #3,392
2005 modern 1,775 #3,410
2006 modern 1,785 #3,398
2007 modern 1,801 #3,402
2008 modern 1,844 #3,360
2009 modern 1,884 #3,370
2010 modern 1,903 #3,414
2011 modern 1,914 #3,355
2012 modern 1,867 #3,378
2013 modern 1,866 #3,426
2014 modern 1,873 #3,442
2015 modern 1,854 #3,440
2016 modern 1,814 #3,493

Geography

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Where Leaders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras 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 Caerphilly, Charnwood, Bristol, Middlesbrough and Leicester. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 006 Caerphilly
2 Charnwood 013 Charnwood
3 Bristol 002 Bristol, City of
4 Middlesbrough 020 Middlesbrough
5 Leicester 007 Leicester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leader

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leader

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Leader, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Leader surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Leader 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Leader is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leader is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leader falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Leader 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 Leader, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Leader

The surname Leader originates from England, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word 'laedere,' meaning 'leader' or 'guide.' The name likely originated as an occupational surname for someone who held a position of authority or leadership within their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leader can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the Leader surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. Some early spellings of the name included Leadere, Ledere, and Leder, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common in those times.

Notable individuals with the surname Leader throughout history include Sir Robert Leader (1532-1616), an English landowner and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Richard Leader (1756-1836), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 19th century, John Leader (1828-1893) was a successful businessman and founder of the Leader & Sons brewery in Yorkshire, England. The company's notable beer brands, such as Leader's Premium and Leader's Smooth, remain popular to this day.

Across the Atlantic, William Leader (1843-1923) was a prominent American businessman and politician who served as the 23rd Governor of Colorado from 1915 to 1919. He played a significant role in the development of the state's mining and agricultural industries.

Another notable figure was Sir Willoughby Clark Leader (1889-1967), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of Victoria, Australia, from 1949 to 1954.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leader families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leader 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 274 Leaders recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.07x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 274 2.07x
Surrey 113 1.75x
Cambridgeshire 88 10.47x
Yorkshire 87 0.66x
Essex 74 2.83x
Berkshire 73 7.33x
Gloucestershire 64 2.46x
Somerset 53 2.48x
Leicestershire 52 3.54x
Kent 49 1.08x
Wiltshire 43 3.67x
Devon 37 1.34x
Suffolk 36 2.23x
Hampshire 34 1.25x
Norfolk 33 1.62x
Buckinghamshire 27 3.37x
Warwickshire 25 0.75x
Lancashire 22 0.14x
Staffordshire 21 0.47x
Sussex 19 0.85x
Shropshire 17 1.48x
Lincolnshire 13 0.61x
Monmouthshire 13 1.36x
Northamptonshire 13 1.04x
Hertfordshire 11 1.20x
Oxfordshire 11 1.34x
Worcestershire 10 0.58x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.45x
Durham 6 0.15x
Midlothian 5 0.28x
Dorset 4 0.46x
Herefordshire 4 0.74x
Brecknockshire 3 1.13x
Cumberland 3 0.26x
Bedfordshire 2 0.29x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.68x
Flintshire 2 0.56x
Glamorgan 2 0.09x
Royal Navy 2 1.27x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Derbyshire 1 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.28x
Northumberland 1 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 39 Leaders recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.03x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 39 3.03x
Lambeth 32 2.77x
Leicester St Margaret 26 7.25x
St Pancras London 26 2.43x
Upton Cum Chalvey 22 68.84x
Bermondsey 18 4.56x
Bourn 18 487.80x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 18 7.35x
Paddington London 18 3.69x
Deptford St Paul 17 4.87x
St Anne Soho London 16 21.12x
St Andrewthe Less 15 15.63x
Street 15 129.87x
Eye 14 134.10x
Toppesfield 14 358.06x
Bristol St James In 13 33.98x
Great Eversden 13 1065.57x
Peterborough 13 14.39x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 4.87x
St George In East London 13 10.42x
St Marylebone London 12 1.69x
Bethnal Green London 11 1.91x
Cottenham 11 98.48x
Hendon 11 23.05x
Nether Hallam 11 6.18x
West Ham 11 1.90x
Badgworth 10 781.25x
Chudleigh 10 113.90x
Gaywood 10 273.22x
Kensington London 10 1.36x
Norwich St Clement 10 42.28x
Reading St Giles 10 10.24x
Wroughton 10 98.43x
Birmingham 9 0.81x
Bocking 9 57.14x
Chesterton 9 34.74x
Isleworth 9 15.26x
Marlborough St Peter St 9 149.01x
St Martin In Fields 9 11.33x
Aberystruth 8 9.46x
Belgrave 8 24.10x
Bradford 8 2.51x
Burnham 8 49.14x
Clerkenwell London 8 2.55x
Collingbourne Ducis 8 408.16x
Erith 8 17.94x
Horsham 8 18.41x
Mansfield 8 12.93x
Portsea 8 1.50x
Pudsey 8 11.38x
Rotherhithe 8 4.88x
Tormoham 8 6.85x
Westbury On Trym 8 9.08x
Whitchurch 8 92.70x
Barking 7 9.14x
Chaddleworth 7 374.33x
Clewer 7 17.16x
Gorleston 7 17.05x
Hulme 7 2.13x
Kintbury 7 91.03x
Plumstead 7 4.64x
Rotherfield Greys 7 80.74x
Seamer In Scarborough 7 165.09x
Stondon Massey 7 588.24x
Wakefield 7 6.94x
Bray 6 20.51x
Ealing 6 5.06x
East Hoathly 6 154.24x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 2.24x
Fisherton Anger 6 27.62x
Much Wenlock 6 56.76x
Plymouth Charles The 6 4.93x
Scarborough 6 5.02x
St George Hanover Square 6 2.57x
Streatham 6 6.10x
Sudbury St Peter 6 67.72x
Whittington 6 355.03x
Winkfield 6 36.30x
Great Dunmow 5 36.63x
Mile End Old Town London 5 1.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 108
Elizabeth 63
Sarah 56
Jane 28
Emma 27
Annie 26
Ann 21
Eliza 21
Florence 16
Louisa 14
Martha 14
Alice 13
Ellen 12
Charlotte 11
Edith 11
Emily 11
Harriet 11
Maria 11
Rose 11
Clara 10
Catherine 9
Kate 9
Ada 8
Frances 8
Fanny 7
Susan 7
Anne 6
Caroline 6
Anna 4
Harriett 4
Jessie 4
Laura 4
Margaret 4
Nellie 4
Bridget 3
Ethel 3
Flora 3
Gertrude 3
Hannah 3
Helen 3
Maud 3
Agness 2
Amelia 2
Beatrice 2
Elizth. 2
Janet 2
Lavinia 2
Lilian 2
Lily 2
Lucy 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 86
John 66
Thomas 47
George 42
James 41
Charles 37
Henry 30
Robert 22
Alfred 16
Walter 15
Edward 13
Frederick 12
Albert 11
Arthur 11
Frank 9
Joseph 9
Benjamin 8
Ernest 7
Samuel 7
Harry 6
Richard 6
Edwin 5
Francis 5
David 4
Fred 4
Alexander 3
Amos 3
J. 3
Mark 3
Michael 3
Patrick 3
Sydney 3
Abraham 2
Anderson 2
Andrew 2
Bridges 2
Earnest 2
Elijah 2
Ephraim 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Giles 2
Herbert 2
Joshua 2
Lawrence 2
Leonard 2
Peter 2
Robt. 2
Sidney 2

FAQ

Leader surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leader surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,359 people were recorded with the Leader surname. That placed it at #3,016 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leader surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,814 in 2016. That gives Leader a modern rank of #3,493.

What does the Leader surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who leads or guides others, such as a military commander or civic official.

What does the Leader map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Leader 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.