NameCensus.

UK surname

Leask

A surname of Scottish origin meaning 'grassy meadow'.

In the 1881 census there were 1,232 people recorded with the Leask surname, ranking it #3,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,614, ranked #3,859, down from #3,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lerwick, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lerwick North, Central Shetland and Lerwick South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leask is 1,618 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.0%.

1881 census count

1,232

Ranked #3,288

Modern count

1,614

2016, ranked #3,859

Peak year

2014

1,618 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leask had 1,232 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,614 in 2016, ranked #3,859.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,327 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Leask surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leask surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leask 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 938 #2,957
1861 historical 910 #3,043
1881 historical 1,232 #3,288
1891 historical 1,279 #3,380
1901 historical 1,327 #3,774
1911 historical 308 #11,230
1997 modern 1,384 #4,179
1998 modern 1,470 #4,119
1999 modern 1,479 #4,133
2000 modern 1,516 #4,022
2001 modern 1,404 #4,208
2002 modern 1,464 #4,146
2003 modern 1,411 #4,199
2004 modern 1,438 #4,134
2005 modern 1,418 #4,148
2006 modern 1,440 #4,105
2007 modern 1,464 #4,085
2008 modern 1,482 #4,075
2009 modern 1,506 #4,105
2010 modern 1,545 #4,094
2011 modern 1,519 #4,114
2012 modern 1,544 #3,977
2013 modern 1,581 #3,953
2014 modern 1,618 #3,901
2015 modern 1,606 #3,891
2016 modern 1,614 #3,859

Geography

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Where Leasks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lerwick, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Tingwall and Firth and Stenness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lerwick North, Central Shetland, Lerwick South, East and West Mainland and North and East Isles. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lerwick Shetland
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Tingwall Shetland
5 Firth and Stenness Orkney

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lerwick North Shetland Islands
2 Central Shetland Shetland Islands
3 Lerwick South Shetland Islands
4 East and West Mainland Shetland Islands
5 North and East Isles Shetland Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leask

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leask

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Leask, 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 Leask surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Leask 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Leask 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

Leask is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leask falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Leask

The surname Leask is believed to have originated in Scotland, specifically in the Shetland Islands. It is thought to have derived from the Old Norse word "ljostr," which means "creek" or "inlet." The name was likely given to those who lived near a small body of water or a coastal inlet.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Leask can be found in the Orkneyinga Saga, a historical narrative of the Orkney and Shetland islands written in the early 13th century. This suggests that the name had already been established in the region by that time.

In the 16th century, the Leask family was known to have been landowners in the parish of Delting, located in the Shetland Islands. One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was John Leask, who was born in Delting around 1550.

The name Leask has also been associated with the village of Laxfirth, which was formerly known as Leaskfirth or Leaskquoy. This village is situated in the Shetland Islands, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the local geography.

Over the centuries, the surname Leask has been subject to variations in spelling, including Lesk, Lesque, and Lask. These variations can be found in historical records and documents from different regions of Scotland.

Notable individuals with the surname Leask include:

1. James Leask (1808-1888), a Scottish minister and author from the Shetland Islands. 2. William Leask (1834-1897), a Scottish-Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. 3. Mary Leask (1860-1940), a Scottish artist and painter known for her portraits and landscapes. 4. John Leask (1887-1965), a Scottish footballer who played as a forward for several clubs in the early 20th century. 5. Alexander Leask (1901-1981), a Scottish trade unionist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom.

These examples highlight the diverse backgrounds and contributions of individuals bearing the surname Leask throughout history, reflecting its Scottish origins and the enduring legacy of this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leask families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leask 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. Shetland leads with 479 Leasks recorded in 1881 and an index of 390.57x.

County Total Index
Shetland 479 390.57x
Orkney 190 143.82x
Aberdeenshire 180 16.19x
Midlothian 84 5.22x
Durham 77 2.16x
Lanarkshire 35 0.90x
Angus 25 2.25x
Middlesex 20 0.17x
Banffshire 14 5.62x
Fife 14 1.97x
Lancashire 12 0.08x
Northumberland 9 0.50x
Morayshire 8 4.29x
Renfrewshire 8 0.86x
Ross-shire 8 2.43x
Caithness 7 4.26x
Kincardineshire 7 4.79x
Sussex 7 0.35x
Suffolk 6 0.41x
Surrey 6 0.10x
Royal Navy 5 3.49x
Devon 4 0.16x
West Lothian 4 2.21x
Ayrshire 3 0.33x
Inverness-shire 3 0.84x
Kent 3 0.07x
Stirlingshire 3 0.68x
Yorkshire 3 0.03x
Cheshire 2 0.08x
Berwickshire 1 0.69x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.01x
Essex 1 0.04x
Hampshire 1 0.04x
Perthshire 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. Nesting Lunnas Whalsay in Shetland leads with 99 Leasks recorded in 1881 and an index of 915.82x.

Place Total Index
Nesting Lunnas Whalsay 99 915.82x
Lerwick Gulberwick 98 516.33x
Sandsting Aitsting 69 621.06x
Dunrossness 54 334.37x
Firth Stenness 50 883.39x
Tingwall 45 734.09x
Westoe 41 20.24x
Kirkwall St Ola 35 176.86x
North Leith 33 44.33x
Stromness 32 322.91x
Evie Rendall 28 501.79x
Whiteness Weisdale 28 756.76x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 25 12.01x
Delting 25 362.32x
Peterhead 22 37.41x
South Leith 20 11.05x
Aberdeen Old Machar 19 8.18x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 18 2.78x
Yell Mid 18 444.44x
Dundee 15 3.61x
Bressay Burra Quarff 13 242.99x
Govan 13 1.35x
Chapel Of Garioch 11 139.06x
Fraserburgh 11 35.13x
Heworth 11 15.63x
Northmavine 11 117.77x
Orphir 11 262.53x
St Andrews 10 30.91x
Yell South 10 335.57x
Birsay Harray 9 93.85x
Ellon 9 58.82x
Fyvie 9 49.59x
Glasgow 9 1.31x
Maryhill 9 11.84x
Bressay 8 414.51x
Forres 8 40.80x
Hoy Graemsay 8 322.58x
Methlick 8 89.89x
Paddington London 8 1.81x
Turriff 8 44.57x
West Greenock 8 4.79x
Banff 7 32.36x
New Deer 7 34.77x
Toxteth Park 7 1.45x
Bishopwearmouth 6 1.96x
Hackney London 6 0.89x
Hellingly 6 88.50x
Ipswich St Clement 6 16.14x
Lonmay 6 59.41x
South Shields 6 18.86x
Tarbat 6 77.02x
Tarves 6 57.03x
Blackburn 5 1.32x
Chirton 5 12.37x
Hartlepool 5 9.85x
Kincardine O Neil 5 62.97x
Lambeth 5 0.48x
Newhills 5 21.96x
Old Deer 5 23.73x
Strichen 5 51.76x
Stronsay Eday 5 57.87x
Canisbay 4 37.07x
Logie Buchan 4 125.39x
Plymstock 4 30.56x
Rathven 4 8.55x
Uphall 4 20.11x
Auckinleck 3 10.78x
Barony 3 0.31x
Burntisland 3 15.10x
Edinburgh Greenside S 3 51.46x
Gamrie 3 10.79x
Gateshead 3 1.12x
Inverness 3 3.33x
Longside 3 22.59x
Nigg 3 24.79x
Shapinshay 3 74.81x
Stirling 3 5.37x
Udny 3 44.51x
Wick 3 5.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Jane 6
Margaret 6
Annie 4
Catherine 4
Ellen 4
Ann 3
Jessie 3
Sarah 3
Elizabeth 2
Isabella 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Anamaria 1
Christina 1
E. 1
E.Ellen 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Janet 1
Jeanie 1
M.A. 1
Margarett 1
Margarreta 1
Margt. 1
Marria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Polly 1
Rebecca 1
Susanna 1
Ursula 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
James 9
William 9
Robert 6
Andrew 5
George 5
Thomas 4
Alexander 3
Henry 3
Benjamin 2
Alexandra 1
Alexr.R. 1
Charles 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Erminst 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Laurance 1
Ralph 1
Samuel 1
Sinclair 1

FAQ

Leask surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leask surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,232 people were recorded with the Leask surname. That placed it at #3,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leask surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,614 in 2016. That gives Leask a modern rank of #3,859.

What does the Leask surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin meaning 'grassy meadow'.

What does the Leask map show?

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