NameCensus.

UK surname

Leadley

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "clearing with a lead mine".

In the 1881 census there were 399 people recorded with the Leadley surname, ranking it #7,984 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 527, ranked #9,622, down from #7,984 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, Brafferton and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, Kingston upon Hull and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leadley is 563 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.1%.

1881 census count

399

Ranked #7,984

Modern count

527

2016, ranked #9,622

Peak year

1999

563 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leadley had 399 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,984 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 527 in 2016, ranked #9,622.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 532 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Leadley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leadley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Leadley 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 329 #7,079
1861 historical 327 #7,788
1881 historical 399 #7,984
1891 historical 384 #9,166
1901 historical 446 #8,767
1911 historical 532 #7,480
1997 modern 534 #8,864
1998 modern 560 #8,793
1999 modern 563 #8,812
2000 modern 555 #8,883
2001 modern 544 #8,875
2002 modern 544 #9,049
2003 modern 524 #9,181
2004 modern 517 #9,288
2005 modern 515 #9,251
2006 modern 529 #9,084
2007 modern 526 #9,205
2008 modern 521 #9,342
2009 modern 525 #9,501
2010 modern 528 #9,651
2011 modern 536 #9,468
2012 modern 526 #9,513
2013 modern 526 #9,664
2014 modern 532 #9,648
2015 modern 534 #9,543
2016 modern 527 #9,622

Geography

Back to top

Where Leadleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, Brafferton, Gateshead, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles and Scarborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, Kingston upon Hull and Chichester. 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 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Brafferton Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Gateshead Durham
4 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 001 Scarborough
2 Scarborough 003 Scarborough
3 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Chichester 014 Chichester
5 Kingston upon Hull 029 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Leadley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Leadley

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Leadley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Leadley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Leadley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leadley is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leadley 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 Leadley 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 Leadley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Leadley

The surname Leadley is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire during the late medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "lead," meaning a path or road, and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing. Therefore, the name Leadley likely referred to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing along a path or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leadley can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, where a person named Robert de Ledlay is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have been derived from a place name, possibly a town or village called Leadley or something similar.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records with different spellings, such as Leadley, Leadeley, and Leadlay. This was a common occurrence during this period, as spelling conventions were not standardized. One notable individual from this time was William Leadley, a merchant from York who was recorded in 1568.

During the 17th century, the Leadley family seemed to have established themselves in the West Riding of Yorkshire, particularly in the areas around Wakefield and Leeds. In 1642, a John Leadley was mentioned in the Parish Registers of Wakefield, indicating the presence of the family in the region.

In the 18th century, the name Leadley continued to be found in Yorkshire, with several individuals bearing the name appearing in various records. One notable person was Robert Leadley, a prominent landowner in the village of Esholt near Bradford, who lived from 1724 to 1798.

As the centuries progressed, some members of the Leadley family migrated to other parts of England and even abroad. For example, in the 19th century, a Charles Leadley (1799-1871) was born in Yorkshire but later became a successful businessman in London.

Other notable individuals with the surname Leadley include:

1. Thomas Leadley (1801-1868), an English landscape painter from Yorkshire. 2. John Leadley (1843-1912), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire from 1885 to 1892. 3. George Leadley (1865-1945), an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. 4. Ethel Leadley (1890-1976), an English author and playwright known for her novels set in Yorkshire. 5. William Leadley (1909-1998), a British historian and academic who specialized in the study of medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Leadley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leadley 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. Yorkshire leads with 270 Leadleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.00x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 270 7.00x
Lancashire 26 0.56x
Durham 19 1.64x
Surrey 18 0.95x
Middlesex 15 0.39x
Warwickshire 15 1.53x
Wiltshire 8 2.32x
Staffordshire 7 0.53x
Kent 5 0.38x
Northumberland 4 0.69x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.76x
Norfolk 2 0.33x
Denbighshire 1 0.68x
Devon 1 0.12x
Dorset 1 0.39x
Lincolnshire 1 0.16x
Midlothian 1 0.19x
Somerset 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sculcoates in Yorkshire leads with 40 Leadleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.41x.

Place Total Index
Sculcoates 40 65.41x
Cloughton 23 3150.68x
Westoe 17 25.90x
Scarborough 14 39.94x
Upper Poppleton 13 3421.05x
Helperby 10 1176.47x
Holy Trinity 10 10.78x
Shoreditch London 9 5.33x
Whitby 9 69.23x
Birmingham 8 2.45x
Bradford 8 8.57x
Caytn Deepdal Kilrby 8 975.61x
Lambeth 8 2.36x
Marlborough St Peter St 8 451.98x
York St Lawrence 8 199.01x
Foleshill 7 67.76x
Norton In Malton 7 149.57x
Royton 7 49.54x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 5.02x
York St Giles In 7 192.31x
Leavening 6 1153.85x
Skelton In Guisbrough 6 57.53x
Burniston 5 1063.83x
Cheetham 5 14.51x
Croydon 5 4.75x
Eskdaleside 5 263.16x
Falsgrave 5 88.03x
Great Mongeham 5 806.45x
Potter Newton 5 73.53x
Southcoates 5 23.35x
Windle 5 19.24x
York St Maurice 5 68.87x
Askham Richard 4 1290.32x
Cottingham 4 48.13x
Great Driffield 4 50.51x
Harworth 4 547.95x
Rievaulx 4 1333.33x
York St George 4 131.58x
Chapel Allerton 3 51.99x
Ewell 3 75.00x
Over Darwen 3 8.13x
Sutton Under Whitstone 3 750.00x
Wallsend 3 16.33x
Warthill Copyhold 3 1200.00x
Acomb 2 99.01x
Brotton 2 39.76x
Camberwell 2 0.80x
Drypool 2 33.90x
Easingwold 2 73.53x
Everton 2 1.36x
Gateshead 2 2.31x
Hammersmith London 2 2.09x
Helmsley 2 96.62x
Holbeck 2 7.83x
Kilham 2 123.46x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 11.13x
Lastingham 2 800.00x
Little Bolton 2 3.37x
Newington 2 18.83x
Silpho 2 1818.18x
Toxteth Park 2 1.28x
Angram 1 1428.57x
Bridlington 1 11.33x
Chelsea London 1 0.85x
Copt Hewick 1 312.50x
East Heslerton 1 243.90x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 7.54x
Heworth 1 100.00x
High Low Catton 1 217.39x
Horncastle 1 15.58x
Langtoft 1 121.95x
Little Busby 1 2500.00x
Montacute 1 86.96x
Nether Poppleton 1 256.41x
North Shields 1 8.65x
Ripon 1 11.17x
Sinnington 1 238.10x
St George Martyr London 1 12.69x
St Luke London 1 1.60x
York Holy Trinity 1 30.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Sarah 19
Elizabeth 15
Ann 11
Jane 11
Hannah 10
Eliza 9
Emma 7
Harriet 6
Margaret 6
Alice 5
Annie 5
Florence 4
Frances 4
Betsy 3
Isabella 3
Julia 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Rebecca 3
Amelia 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Eliz. 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Helena 2
Kate 2
Rachel 2
Alace 1
Amy 1
Anabella 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Cecilia 1
Constance 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizth. 1
Eva 1
Jessie 1
Lea 1
Lora 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Margaritta 1
Margrett 1
Marian 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 30
George 17
Thomas 17
William 17
Charles 10
Robert 10
Edward 7
Henry 6
Francis 4
Frederick 4
James 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Joseph 3
Albert 2
Christopher 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Lawrence 2
Ralph 2
Willm. 2
Alice 1
Baby 1
Danby 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Ernest 1
Frederic 1
Gibson 1
Harrison 1
Harry 1
Hodgson 1
Horace 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Jasper 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Laurence 1
Laylowin 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Prenn 1
Richard 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Leadley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leadley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 399 people were recorded with the Leadley surname. That placed it at #7,984 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leadley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 527 in 2016. That gives Leadley a modern rank of #9,622.

What does the Leadley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "clearing with a lead mine".

What does the Leadley map show?

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