NameCensus.

UK surname

Leamy

Anglicized form of the Irish surname O'Laimhín, meaning "descendant of Laimhín" (a diminutive of lamb).

In the 1881 census there were 41 people recorded with the Leamy surname, ranking it #27,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #27,870 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, Plymouth and Bromsgrove.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leamy is 121 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 148.8%.

1881 census count

41

Ranked #27,870

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

2002

121 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leamy had 41 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,870 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 73 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Leamy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leamy surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leamy 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 31 #27,734
1861 historical 29 #30,287
1881 historical 41 #27,870
1891 historical 65 #28,660
1901 historical 73 #26,069
1911 historical 66 #26,249
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 111 #25,990
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 109 #26,059
2002 modern 121 #24,984
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 104 #27,646
2007 modern 108 #27,391
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 110 #28,478
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 106 #29,740
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 103 #30,444
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Leamys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, Plymouth, Bromsgrove and Lancaster. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 011 Harrogate
2 Plymouth 001 Plymouth
3 Bromsgrove 008 Bromsgrove
4 Bromsgrove 011 Bromsgrove
5 Lancaster 003 Lancaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leamy

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leamy

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Leamy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Leamy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Leamy is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leamy 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

Leamy falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Leamy 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Leamy

The surname LEAMY is believed to have originated in Ireland. It is thought to be an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "O'Laoghaire" or "O'Leathlobhair", which means "descendant of the calf-herder" or "descendant of the fork-wielder". The name may have evolved from an occupational title or a reference to someone's physical appearance.

The LEAMY name can be traced back to the 11th century in County Cork, Ireland, where it was prominent among families in the Muskerry region. The name appears in various early Irish annals and manuscripts, such as the Annals of the Four Masters and the Book of Lecan.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the LEAMY name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Cloyne from 1211, which mention a "William Leaymye". In the 14th century, the name appears in records from the region of Muskerry, where it was associated with landowners and local chieftains.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the LEAMY surname. In the 16th century, Teige LEAMY (c. 1530-1604) was a prominent Irish poet and scholar who composed works in both Irish and Latin. Another notable figure was John LEAMY (1615-1691), a Catholic priest and historian who wrote extensively about the Irish Confederate Wars.

During the 17th century, the LEAMY name was also found in the English county of Somerset, where it may have been introduced by Irish settlers or immigrants. One prominent individual from this period was William LEAMY (c. 1640-1701), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Bristol.

In the 18th century, Michael LEAMY (1720-1789) was a renowned Irish architect who designed several notable buildings in Dublin, including the Rotunda Hospital and the Catholic Church of St. Mary's.

Another notable figure was John LEAMY (1786-1864), an Irish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as the first mayor of Toronto from 1834 to 1835.

Over the centuries, the LEAMY surname has been subject to various spelling variations, including Leemy, Leamey, Leaymie, and Leamye, reflecting regional dialects and the evolution of the English language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leamy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leamy 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. Hampshire leads with 15 Leamys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.30x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 15 18.30x
Lancashire 9 1.90x
Middlesex 8 2.00x
Devon 6 7.21x
Surrey 2 1.03x
Sussex 1 1.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 15 Leamys recorded in 1881 and an index of 93.34x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 15 93.34x
Salford 9 64.47x
Dartmouth Townstall 6 1764.71x
Paddington London 6 40.79x
Brighton 1 7.35x
Croydon 1 9.24x
Hackney London 1 4.46x
Southwark St Olave 1 322.58x
St George Hanover Square 1 14.18x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 3
John 3
Alfred 2
James 2
Andrew 1
George 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
William 1

FAQ

Leamy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leamy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 41 people were recorded with the Leamy surname. That placed it at #27,870 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leamy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Leamy a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Leamy surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname O'Laimhín, meaning "descendant of Laimhín" (a diminutive of lamb).

What does the Leamy map show?

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