NameCensus.

UK surname

Leaper

A surname possibly derived from someone who was an athletic dancer or leaper.

In the 1881 census there were 349 people recorded with the Leaper surname, ranking it #8,778 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 539, ranked #9,438, down from #8,778 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gedling, Selby and Bedford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leaper is 562 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.4%.

1881 census count

349

Ranked #8,778

Modern count

539

2016, ranked #9,438

Peak year

1999

562 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leaper had 349 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,778 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 539 in 2016, ranked #9,438.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 499 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Leaper surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leaper surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leaper 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 264 #8,419
1861 historical 306 #8,296
1881 historical 349 #8,778
1891 historical 409 #8,712
1901 historical 492 #8,149
1911 historical 499 #7,846
1997 modern 555 #8,600
1998 modern 548 #8,960
1999 modern 562 #8,825
2000 modern 557 #8,860
2001 modern 536 #8,979
2002 modern 547 #9,017
2003 modern 530 #9,093
2004 modern 530 #9,117
2005 modern 520 #9,187
2006 modern 516 #9,258
2007 modern 511 #9,422
2008 modern 518 #9,388
2009 modern 534 #9,377
2010 modern 534 #9,581
2011 modern 533 #9,500
2012 modern 524 #9,541
2013 modern 535 #9,549
2014 modern 529 #9,683
2015 modern 539 #9,477
2016 modern 539 #9,438

Geography

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Where Leapers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Rickmansworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gedling, Selby, Bedford and East Dorset. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Rickmansworth Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gedling 014 Gedling
2 Selby 003 Selby
3 Gedling 008 Gedling
4 Bedford 002 Bedford
5 East Dorset 011 East Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leaper

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leaper

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Leaper is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leaper 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

Leaper falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Leaper

The surname LEAPER is an English occupational name that originated in the medieval period. It derives from the Old English word 'leapere', meaning a dancer or an entertainer who leaped and tumbled. The name first appeared in records in the early 13th century.

LEAPER is thought to have originated in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, where many early bearers of the name were found. It is possible that some of the earliest LEAPERs were performers who traveled from town to town entertaining crowds with their acrobatic skills.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire, dated 1208, which mentions a Robert le Lepere. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a William le Lepere from Lincolnshire.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as Lepere, Lepor, and Leper. A notable bearer from this time was John Lepere, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1327.

By the 15th century, the spelling had evolved closer to its modern form, with examples like William Leaper appearing in the Calendarium Genealogicum for Bedfordshire in 1459.

One of the earliest known bearers of the LEAPER surname was John Leaper, who was born in Staffordshire around 1520 and served as a member of the Yeomen of the Guard during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Sir Jasper Leaper (1590-1651), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Suffolk who served as Sheriff of London in 1641.

In the 17th century, the LEAPER name was found in various parts of England, including William Leaper (1612-1678), a Puritan minister from Gloucestershire, and John Leaper (1630-1709), a wealthy merchant and alderman from Yorkshire.

Other historical figures with the LEAPER surname include Thomas Leaper (1705-1778), a prominent attorney and landowner from Warwickshire, and Sir Charles Leaper (1780-1854), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leaper families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leaper 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 105 Leapers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.16x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 105 3.16x
Nottinghamshire 56 12.38x
Middlesex 46 1.37x
Hertfordshire 25 10.81x
Norfolk 19 3.68x
Surrey 17 1.04x
Essex 13 1.96x
Kent 12 1.05x
Lincolnshire 12 2.24x
Dumfriesshire 11 14.84x
Hampshire 9 1.31x
Herefordshire 7 5.09x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.48x
Derbyshire 2 0.38x
Devon 2 0.29x
Kincardineshire 2 4.89x
Leicestershire 1 0.27x
Suffolk 1 0.24x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Carlton in Nottinghamshire leads with 28 Leapers recorded in 1881 and an index of 542.64x.

Place Total Index
Carlton 28 542.64x
Rickmansworth 21 329.67x
Basford 15 71.94x
Hackney London 14 7.44x
Brockdish 10 2000.00x
Holy Trinity 10 12.50x
Lambeth 10 3.42x
Chelsea London 9 8.90x
Kelfield 9 2307.69x
North Duffield 9 2093.02x
Starston 8 1355.93x
Torthorwald 8 701.75x
Deptford St Paul 7 7.93x
Woodmansey Cum Beverley 7 1129.03x
Brightside Bierlow 6 9.20x
Cliff Cum Lund 6 810.81x
Mansell Gamage 6 3529.41x
Spalding 6 56.34x
Beverley St Nicholas 5 183.15x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 7.39x
Faxfleet 5 1724.14x
Gedling 5 666.67x
Minster In Sheppey 5 26.36x
North Hyckeham 5 961.54x
South Cave 5 454.55x
Stillington 5 724.64x
Aldenham 4 190.48x
Carisbrooke 4 41.88x
Great Coggeshall 4 116.28x
Marske In Guisbrough 4 67.80x
Nottingham St Mary 4 3.42x
Paddington London 4 3.24x
Penge 4 18.67x
Scarborough 4 13.24x
St Pancras London 4 1.48x
Tollesbury 4 240.96x
York St Michael 4 833.33x
Barton Le Willows 3 1000.00x
Bingham 3 156.25x
Camberwell 3 1.40x
Dumfries 3 41.04x
Hammersmith London 3 3.63x
Isleworth 3 20.11x
Kingsclere 3 95.54x
Laxton 3 1111.11x
St Marylebone London 3 1.67x
Aldershot 2 8.68x
Chesham 2 26.74x
Clifford Cum Boston 2 66.89x
Harrow On The Hill 2 29.85x
Nigg 2 59.17x
North Cave Drewton 2 152.67x
Sculcoates 2 3.79x
Sledmere Cum Croom 2 344.83x
Staines 2 37.66x
Strensall 2 392.16x
West Ham 2 1.37x
Derby St Alkmund 1 6.35x
Devonport 1 12.45x
Ecclesfield 1 4.10x
Edgbaston 1 3.81x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 6.25x
Framlingham 1 34.48x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 96.15x
Heanor 1 12.72x
Hereford All Sts 1 15.87x
High Low Catton 1 256.41x
Leicester Forest West 1 1428.57x
Mistley 1 56.18x
Nether Hallam 1 2.22x
Nottingham St Nicholas 1 16.23x
Redenhall 1 50.00x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 25.97x
St Martin In Fields 1 4.98x
Ulrome 1 434.78x
West Bergholt 1 80.65x
Weston Turville 1 105.26x
Whaplode 1 54.64x
York St Giles In 1 31.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 21
John 17
George 15
Thomas 11
Henry 9
James 9
Robert 9
Charles 8
Alfred 5
Joseph 5
Arthur 4
Frederick 4
Samuel 3
Tom 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Joshua 2
Leonard 2
Mark 2
Richard 2
Aurther 1
Blanshed 1
Chas. 1
Clarence 1
Edward 1
Ephraim 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Isac 1
Jas. 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Lewis 1
Matthew 1
Newlove 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Theadore 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Leaper surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leaper surname in 1881?

In 1881, 349 people were recorded with the Leaper surname. That placed it at #8,778 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leaper surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 539 in 2016. That gives Leaper a modern rank of #9,438.

What does the Leaper surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from someone who was an athletic dancer or leaper.

What does the Leaper map show?

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