NameCensus.

UK surname

Leakey

An English surname likely derived from a place name or referring to someone who lived near a leaky stream.

In the 1881 census there were 290 people recorded with the Leakey surname, ranking it #9,946 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 319, ranked #14,121, down from #9,946 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bath and North East Somerset, Ealing and Uttlesford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leakey is 378 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.0%.

1881 census count

290

Ranked #9,946

Modern count

319

2016, ranked #14,121

Peak year

2000

378 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leakey had 290 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,946 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 319 in 2016, ranked #14,121.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 371 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Leakey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leakey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leakey 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 124 #14,792
1861 historical 149 #15,373
1881 historical 290 #9,946
1891 historical 281 #11,630
1901 historical 351 #10,415
1911 historical 371 #9,830
1997 modern 338 #12,489
1998 modern 374 #11,963
1999 modern 375 #12,004
2000 modern 378 #11,882
2001 modern 359 #12,153
2002 modern 353 #12,512
2003 modern 348 #12,452
2004 modern 347 #12,516
2005 modern 319 #13,275
2006 modern 321 #13,258
2007 modern 317 #13,532
2008 modern 312 #13,764
2009 modern 328 #13,574
2010 modern 337 #13,580
2011 modern 338 #13,435
2012 modern 336 #13,376
2013 modern 335 #13,604
2014 modern 332 #13,807
2015 modern 321 #14,062
2016 modern 319 #14,121

Geography

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Where Leakeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Timsbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bath and North East Somerset, Ealing, Uttlesford, Hillingdon and East Northamptonshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Timsbury Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bath and North East Somerset 005 Bath and North East Somerset
2 Ealing 025 Ealing
3 Uttlesford 009 Uttlesford
4 Hillingdon 019 Hillingdon
5 East Northamptonshire 002 East Northamptonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leakey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leakey

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

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Leakey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Leakey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Leakey is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leakey 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

Leakey falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Leakey

The surname Leakey has its origins in England, specifically in the northern counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is believed to have emerged during the late 12th century or early 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "leac," meaning a vegetable garden or field, and the suffix "-ey," which denotes a location or place. Thus, the name Leakey likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a vegetable garden or field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leakey can be found in the records of the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379, where a John de Lekey is mentioned. The prefix "de" in this case indicates the place of origin or residence. The name also appears in various medieval records and documents, such as the Lancashire Inquisitions of the 16th century, where a William Leakey is mentioned.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Leakey was particularly prevalent in the areas around Rochdale and Oldham in Lancashire. Several notable individuals with this surname emerged during this time, including John Leakey (1541-1611), a wealthy landowner and justice of the peace in Rochdale, and Richard Leakey (1593-1667), a clergyman and rector of Middleton in Lancashire.

As the name spread across England, different spelling variations arose, such as Leaky, Leckey, and Leckie. One prominent individual with this surname was William Leakey (1792-1865), a renowned British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge.

Another significant figure bearing the Leakey name was the renowned family of paleoanthropologists and archaeologists, most notably Louis Leakey (1903-1972), a Kenyan-born British archaeologist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the understanding of human evolution through his work in the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. His wife, Mary Leakey (1913-1996), and their son, Richard Leakey (1944-2022), also gained international recognition for their pioneering work in paleoanthropology and their discoveries of important fossil remains.

Throughout history, the Leakey surname has been associated with various professions and fields, from landowners and clergymen to architects and renowned scientists. While the name's origins can be traced back to the northern counties of England, it has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals and families who have made significant contributions to their respective fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leakey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leakey 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. Somerset leads with 87 Leakeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.51x.

County Total Index
Somerset 87 19.51x
Middlesex 40 1.44x
Surrey 27 2.00x
Kent 18 1.90x
Gloucestershire 17 3.13x
Devon 12 2.08x
Lancashire 11 0.33x
Essex 10 1.83x
Cornwall 9 2.87x
Glamorgan 9 1.87x
Carmarthenshire 7 6.00x
Cumberland 6 2.52x
Wiltshire 6 2.45x
Hampshire 5 0.88x
Lincolnshire 5 1.13x
Northamptonshire 4 1.54x
Yorkshire 3 0.11x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.14x
Hertfordshire 2 1.05x
Monmouthshire 2 1.00x
Royal Navy 1 3.03x
Warwickshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Timsbury in Somerset leads with 25 Leakeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1851.85x.

Place Total Index
Timsbury 25 1851.85x
Farmborough 22 2750.00x
Tottenham 11 24.93x
Windle 11 59.46x
Rotherhithe 10 29.21x
Clevedon 9 193.97x
St Giles In Fields London 9 66.23x
Bishops Lydeard 8 701.75x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 15.64x
Gerrans 8 941.18x
Newington 8 7.82x
Walthamstow 8 40.65x
Cothelstone 7 5384.62x
Llangunnor 7 673.08x
Woolwich 7 20.05x
Gillingham 6 30.79x
Islington London 6 2.23x
Swindon 6 31.58x
Arlecdon 5 78.86x
Bourn 5 139.66x
Cheltenham 5 11.93x
Croydon 5 6.67x
Deptford St Paul 5 6.86x
Paracombe 5 1351.35x
Kensington London 4 2.60x
Pucklechurch 4 325.20x
Ravensthorpe 4 851.06x
Ystradyfodwg 4 9.45x
Hornsey 3 8.56x
Kingston 3 333.33x
North Petherton 3 83.33x
Swansea Town 3 7.59x
Taunton St Mary 3 36.63x
Westminster St James 3 10.53x
Bedminster 2 4.77x
Brook 2 1111.11x
Bruton 2 114.29x
Camberwell 2 1.13x
Chesterton 2 36.97x
Chigwell 2 38.76x
East Barnet 2 52.77x
Exeter St Sidwell 2 15.14x
Merthyr Tydfil 2 4.31x
Sculcoates 2 4.60x
St Bartholomew Hyde 2 147.06x
Topsham 2 73.53x
Trevethin 2 10.58x
Axminster 1 37.04x
Bilton 1 62.11x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.53x
Crosthwaite 1 344.83x
Exeter Heavitree 1 23.26x
Exeter Holy Trinity 1 44.25x
Halifax 1 2.48x
Leatherhead 1 29.59x
Portishead 1 30.21x
Portsea 1 0.90x
Probus 1 77.52x
Royal Navy 1 3.54x
Southwark Christchurch 1 7.70x
St George Bloomsbury 1 6.29x
St Marylebone London 1 0.68x
St Pancras London 1 0.45x
Stringston 1 909.09x
Winscombe 1 83.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 10
Emma 9
Sarah 9
Eliza 8
Alice 7
Emily 7
Louisa 6
Annie 4
Julia 4
Caroline 3
Florence 3
Ada 2
Clara 2
Constance 2
Gertrude 2
Kate 2
Sophia 2
Beatrice 1
Carolina 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emeline 1
Emly 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Florans 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Hanah 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Hester 1
Jane 1
Joan 1
Josephine 1
Lottie 1
Louise 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Marry 1
Martha 1
Mathilda 1
Matild 1
Matilda 1
Zelia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 17
John 13
Henry 12
Charles 9
Joseph 9
Thomas 9
James 8
Albert 6
Arthur 5
Frederick 4
Samuel 4
Edward 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Edmond 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Jno. 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
Albt.Edwd. 1
Alexander 1
Alfd. 1
Andrew 1
Bertram 1
Elijah 1
Elizabeth 1
Eustace 1
George 1
Henery 1
Leslie 1
Mark 1
Oscar 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Samuell 1
Shirley 1
Sydney 1
Wm.Alfd. 1

FAQ

Leakey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leakey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 290 people were recorded with the Leakey surname. That placed it at #9,946 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leakey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 319 in 2016. That gives Leakey a modern rank of #14,121.

What does the Leakey surname mean?

An English surname likely derived from a place name or referring to someone who lived near a leaky stream.

What does the Leakey map show?

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