NameCensus.

UK surname

Leathers

An occupational surname referring to a worker who produces or sells leather goods or works with leather.

In the 1881 census there were 265 people recorded with the Leathers surname, ranking it #10,612 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 415, ranked #11,550, down from #10,612 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, London parishes and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, County Durham and St Edmundsbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leathers is 456 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.6%.

1881 census count

265

Ranked #10,612

Modern count

415

2016, ranked #11,550

Peak year

1997

456 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leathers had 265 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,612 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 415 in 2016, ranked #11,550.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 381 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Leathers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leathers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leathers 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 150 #12,905
1861 historical 180 #13,057
1881 historical 265 #10,612
1891 historical 298 #11,167
1901 historical 305 #11,525
1911 historical 381 #9,635
1997 modern 456 #9,971
1998 modern 452 #10,384
1999 modern 455 #10,364
2000 modern 452 #10,394
2001 modern 433 #10,561
2002 modern 437 #10,693
2003 modern 437 #10,539
2004 modern 439 #10,516
2005 modern 429 #10,597
2006 modern 413 #10,959
2007 modern 416 #11,020
2008 modern 414 #11,160
2009 modern 413 #11,436
2010 modern 406 #11,847
2011 modern 400 #11,865
2012 modern 406 #11,606
2013 modern 410 #11,693
2014 modern 420 #11,567
2015 modern 411 #11,666
2016 modern 415 #11,550

Geography

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Where Leathers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, London parishes, Ipswich St Mary Stoke, Diss and Bramford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, County Durham, St Edmundsbury, Hart and Broadland. 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 St Bees Cumberland
2 London parishes London 3
3 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk
4 Diss Norfolk
5 Bramford Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 004 Babergh
2 County Durham 042 County Durham
3 St Edmundsbury 007 St Edmundsbury
4 Hart 008 Hart
5 Broadland 014 Broadland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leathers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leathers

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Leathers is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leathers is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leathers 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 Leathers 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 Leathers, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Leathers

The surname Leathers originated in England during the 12th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "lether," meaning leather. This surname was given to individuals who worked as tanners or leather workers, a vital trade in medieval times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leathers can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1170, where a person named Robert le Lethere was mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the surname over time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as William le Lethre, recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1285, and John le Lethyre, found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

The Leathers surname is also believed to have originated from place names like Leatherhead in Surrey, which was recorded as "Leddred" in the Domesday Book of 1086. This association suggests that some individuals may have taken their surname from the place where they resided or were born.

Notable individuals with the surname Leathers include:

1. John Leathers (c. 1554-1612), an English theologian and author born in Adwick-le-Street, Yorkshire. 2. Thomas Leathers (1624-1686), a prominent English Quaker minister from Wigan, Lancashire. 3. William Leathers (1789-1877), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Virginia. 4. John Leathers (1819-1892), an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. 5. Samuel Leathers (1839-1921), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Winnipeg from 1897 to 1899.

While the Leathers surname has its roots in the leather trade and place names in England, it has since spread worldwide, with individuals bearing this surname making contributions in various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leathers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leathers 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. Suffolk leads with 100 Leathers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.76x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 100 31.76x
Middlesex 42 1.62x
Norfolk 37 9.31x
Surrey 21 1.67x
Essex 15 2.94x
Cumberland 13 5.84x
Durham 9 1.17x
Yorkshire 9 0.35x
Kent 8 0.91x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.83x
Gloucestershire 3 0.59x
Leicestershire 3 1.05x
Lancashire 1 0.03x
Westmorland 1 1.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Diss in Norfolk leads with 23 Leathers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 674.49x.

Place Total Index
Diss 23 674.49x
Bury St Edmunds St James 14 166.47x
Whitehaven 13 109.61x
Ipswich St Mathew 10 113.38x
West Ham 10 8.88x
Ipswich St Clement 9 112.50x
Wingfield 9 2195.12x
Barking 8 490.80x
Dickleburgh 8 1095.89x
Bethnal Green London 7 6.23x
Ipswich St Margaret 7 65.54x
Stuston 7 4117.65x
Ratcliffe London 6 42.05x
S Elmham All Sts St 6 3157.89x
Wandsworth 6 24.12x
Bishop Auckland 5 48.45x
Camberwell 5 3.03x
Chelmsford 5 57.14x
Crayford 5 129.87x
Hackney London 5 3.45x
Hoyland Nether 5 79.62x
Mile End Old Town London 5 9.09x
Mutford 5 1428.57x
Rotherhithe 5 15.65x
Bramford 4 338.98x
Eldon 4 327.87x
Ipswich St Mary At Elms 4 400.00x
Ipswich St Nicholas 4 231.21x
Poplar London 4 8.20x
Westminster St John 4 12.71x
Barrow Upon Soar 3 126.58x
Batley 3 12.33x
Penge 3 18.17x
St George Hanover Square 3 6.59x
Stowmarket 3 82.42x
Thorney 3 164.84x
Westbury On Trym 3 17.47x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.28x
Deptford St Paul 2 2.94x
Huntingfield 2 625.00x
Old Newton 2 327.87x
Pulham St Mary Virgin 2 273.97x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.85x
St Martin In Fields 2 12.92x
Stonham Earl 2 357.14x
Sunbury 2 64.52x
Ardwick 1 3.61x
Gissing 1 250.00x
Great Yarmouth 1 3.04x
Hammersmith London 1 1.57x
Heversham With Milnthorpe 1 72.99x
Kirkley 1 38.02x
Lewisham 1 2.13x
Little Linstead 1 666.67x
Offton 1 322.58x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 1 100.00x
Redenhall 1 64.94x
Seaton Ross 1 238.10x
South Elmham St Cross 1 526.32x
St Bride London 1 66.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 16
John 11
Frederick 10
Robert 8
George 7
Henry 7
James 7
Charles 6
Frank 5
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Benjamin 3
Richard 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Chas. 2
Harry 2
Walter 2
Aaron 1
Ambross 1
Charlotte 1
Ed. 1
Edwd. 1
Emma 1
Ernest 1
F.H. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.F. 1
Hackney 1
Hedley 1
Herbert 1
Hy. 1
Jonathen 1
Leonard 1
Moreton 1
Nicholas 1
Orlando 1
Ricd. 1
Robt. 1
Willy 1

FAQ

Leathers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leathers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 265 people were recorded with the Leathers surname. That placed it at #10,612 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leathers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 415 in 2016. That gives Leathers a modern rank of #11,550.

What does the Leathers surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a worker who produces or sells leather goods or works with leather.

What does the Leathers map show?

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