NameCensus.

UK surname

Leaning

In the 1881 census there were 152 people recorded with the Leaning surname, ranking it #15,372 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 611, ranked #8,591, up from #15,372 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Clee, West Halton, Burton-on-Stather, Flixborough (Crosby) and Bottesford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leaning is 703 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 302.0%.

1881 census count

152

Ranked #15,372

Modern count

611

2016, ranked #8,591

Peak year

2010

703 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leaning had 152 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,372 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016, ranked #8,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 362 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Leaning surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leaning surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leaning 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 89 #18,446
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 152 #15,372
1891 historical 216 #14,107
1901 historical 288 #11,973
1911 historical 362 #10,020
1997 modern 652 #7,641
1998 modern 659 #7,830
1999 modern 659 #7,866
2000 modern 634 #8,086
2001 modern 627 #8,005
2002 modern 656 #7,890
2003 modern 656 #7,787
2004 modern 669 #7,682
2005 modern 678 #7,534
2006 modern 682 #7,525
2007 modern 681 #7,602
2008 modern 674 #7,695
2009 modern 689 #7,737
2010 modern 703 #7,753
2011 modern 667 #7,995
2012 modern 631 #8,266
2013 modern 626 #8,448
2014 modern 627 #8,500
2015 modern 613 #8,592
2016 modern 611 #8,591

Geography

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Where Leanings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Clee, West Halton, Burton-on-Stather, Flixborough (Crosby), Bottesford, Barton St Peter and St Mary and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire. 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 Clee Lincolnshire
2 West Halton, Burton-on-Stather, Flixborough (Crosby) Lincolnshire
3 Bottesford Lincolnshire
4 Barton St Peter and St Mary Lincolnshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 003 North Lincolnshire
2 North Lincolnshire 002 North Lincolnshire
3 North Lincolnshire 010 North Lincolnshire
4 North Lincolnshire 021 North Lincolnshire
5 North Lincolnshire 005 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leaning

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leaning

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Leaning, 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 Leaning surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Leaning 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Leaning is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Leaning 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

Leaning falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Leaning families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leaning 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. Lincolnshire leads with 105 Leanings recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.29x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 105 44.29x
Yorkshire 10 0.68x
Leicestershire 9 5.48x
Surrey 9 1.25x
Flintshire 5 12.55x
Middlesex 5 0.34x
Lancashire 4 0.23x
Denbighshire 3 5.36x
Kent 1 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashby in Lincolnshire leads with 23 Leanings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3108.11x.

Place Total Index
Ashby 23 3108.11x
Great Grimsby 16 106.31x
Barton St Peter 9 825.69x
Winterton 9 1111.11x
Cottesbach 8 8888.89x
East Halton 7 2121.21x
Scawby 7 897.44x
Appleby 6 2142.86x
Barrow On Humber 6 434.78x
Lambeth 6 4.64x
Holywell 5 100.00x
Barton St Mary 4 336.13x
Gainsborough 4 71.56x
Louth 4 73.66x
Scarborough 4 29.96x
Shoreditch London 4 6.22x
Barlby 3 1153.85x
Newton 3 22.12x
Ruabon 3 38.96x
Garthorpe 2 689.66x
Richmond 2 19.76x
Roxby Cum Risby 2 952.38x
Caterham 1 31.35x
Chatham 1 7.18x
Clee With Weelsby 1 19.27x
Elsham 1 400.00x
Glanford Brigg 1 117.65x
Goxhill 1 172.41x
Heckmondwike 1 21.14x
Holy Trinity 1 2.83x
Hornsea 1 107.53x
Newark Upon Trent 1 13.93x
Nocton 1 312.50x
Shawell 1 1000.00x
St Pancras London 1 0.84x
Swinhope 1 1428.57x
West Derby 1 1.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 8
Joseph 8
William 8
Charles 6
Arthur 5
Henry 5
Edward 4
Thomas 4
Herbert 3
Robert 3
Edwin 2
George 2
Ada 1
Albert 1
Ambrey 1
Chand 1
Charlie 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Elam 1
Emily 1
Foster 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Heathcote 1
James 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Moses 1
Robt.W. 1
T. 1
W.T. 1
Walter 1
Wilson 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Leaning surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leaning surname in 1881?

In 1881, 152 people were recorded with the Leaning surname. That placed it at #15,372 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leaning surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016. That gives Leaning a modern rank of #8,591.

What does the Leaning map show?

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