NameCensus.

UK surname

Leafe

An English surname derived from the Old English word "leafe" meaning a meadow or clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Leafe surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 311, ranked #14,376, up from #18,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Woodborough, Lambley and Darlington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gedling, Wakefield and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leafe is 342 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 180.2%.

1881 census count

111

Ranked #18,597

Modern count

311

2016, ranked #14,376

Peak year

2009

342 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leafe had 111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 311 in 2016, ranked #14,376.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 235 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Leafe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leafe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leafe 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 96 #17,594
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 111 #18,597
1891 historical 153 #18,078
1901 historical 211 #14,647
1911 historical 235 #13,484
1997 modern 308 #13,297
1998 modern 313 #13,504
1999 modern 315 #13,524
2000 modern 317 #13,439
2001 modern 307 #13,539
2002 modern 317 #13,506
2003 modern 327 #13,046
2004 modern 314 #13,473
2005 modern 321 #13,195
2006 modern 319 #13,318
2007 modern 322 #13,382
2008 modern 325 #13,406
2009 modern 342 #13,193
2010 modern 340 #13,498
2011 modern 339 #13,404
2012 modern 330 #13,571
2013 modern 328 #13,842
2014 modern 323 #14,081
2015 modern 312 #14,347
2016 modern 311 #14,376

Geography

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Where Leafes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Woodborough, Lambley, Darlington, Boston (incl. Boston allotments) and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gedling, Wakefield, High Peak, Darlington and Doncaster. 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 Woodborough Nottinghamshire
2 Lambley Nottinghamshire
3 Darlington Durham
4 Boston (incl. Boston allotments) Lincolnshire
5 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gedling 002 Gedling
2 Wakefield 045 Wakefield
3 High Peak 013 High Peak
4 Darlington 005 Darlington
5 Doncaster 016 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leafe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leafe

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Leafe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Leafe 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 predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Leafe 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

Leafe is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leafe falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Leafe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Leafe

The surname Leafe, primarily of English origin, dates back to the medieval period. Derived from the Old English word "leaf," which means "a leaf or foliage," the surname likely originated as a nickname for someone who was either associated with leaves or trees in some manner, perhaps as a forester, gardener, or someone who lived near a notable tree or forest. The regions in England where the name was first recorded include Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

In historical references, the surname Leafe appears in several medieval documents. For instance, the name is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301, where a Richard Leafe is mentioned. These rolls were a type of taxation record, indicating that individuals with the surname were taxpayers, thereby providing evidence of their existence and the use of the name during that time. Another early reference appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1324, where a Thomas Leafe is listed.

One notable bearer of the surname from the 15th century is Geoffrey Leafe, recorded in the Poll Tax Records of Derbyshire in 1379. During the 16th century, the name appears in various parish records in the Midlands. For example, John Leafe was baptized on March 16, 1572, in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. This continued use and documentation in parish records throughout the centuries highlight the enduring presence of the surname in England.

In terms of notable individuals, William Leafe (1620-1681), a prominent merchant in London, was known for his extensive trade networks and contributions to the city's commerce. Another figure, Alice Leafe, born in 1698, was one of the early documented women to own land in her own right in Derbyshire. Henry Leafe, a 19th-century industrialist born in 1834, played a significant role in the development of Sheffield's steel industry. His work helped transform the city into a major industrial hub during the Industrial Revolution.

The surname also shows slight variations in spelling throughout history, including Leif and Leaf. These variations were due in part to regional dialects and the phonetic spelling practices of the time. Regardless of spelling, the name's association with nature and foliage remained a constant theme.

Overall, the Leafe surname has deep historical roots in England, with documented use dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Its association with nature, consistent recording in historical documents, and the notable contributions of its bearers to various fields highlight its significance in English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leafe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leafe 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. Derbyshire leads with 37 Leafes recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.83x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 37 21.83x
Nottinghamshire 37 25.35x
Lincolnshire 14 8.09x
Yorkshire 13 1.21x
Middlesex 5 0.46x
Durham 3 0.93x
Cumberland 1 1.07x
Surrey 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crich in Derbyshire leads with 17 Leafes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1531.53x.

Place Total Index
Crich 17 1531.53x
Lambley 14 4666.67x
Claylane 11 466.10x
Woodborough 11 3333.33x
Boston 9 171.43x
Lenton 6 174.42x
Great Grimsby 5 45.50x
Hornsea 5 735.29x
Islington London 4 3.81x
Arnold 3 140.85x
Darlington 3 24.12x
Derby St Werburgh 3 30.64x
Holloway 3 1428.57x
Holy Trinity 3 11.62x
Smalley 3 1000.00x
Etton 2 1111.11x
Nottingham St Mary 2 5.30x
Appleton Roebuck 1 625.00x
Bingley 1 14.64x
Calverton 1 217.39x
Doncaster 1 12.76x
St Cuthbert Within 1 92.59x
Wandsworth 1 9.60x
Westminster St James 1 8.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Fanny 4
Sarah 4
Ann 3
Elizabeth 3
Hannah 3
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Elsie 1
Florence 1
James 1
Katerine 1
Lizzie 1
Lizzy 1
Lois 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
May 1
Milicent 1
Priscilla 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Leafe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leafe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Leafe surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leafe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 311 in 2016. That gives Leafe a modern rank of #14,376.

What does the Leafe surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "leafe" meaning a meadow or clearing.

What does the Leafe map show?

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