NameCensus.

UK surname

Leathley

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from the town of Leathley.

In the 1881 census there were 324 people recorded with the Leathley surname, ranking it #9,214 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 407, ranked #11,735, down from #9,214 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkby Malzeard, Masham and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, Richmondshire and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leathley is 427 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.6%.

1881 census count

324

Ranked #9,214

Modern count

407

2016, ranked #11,735

Peak year

1998

427 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leathley had 324 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,214 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 407 in 2016, ranked #11,735.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 412 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Leathley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leathley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leathley 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 200 #10,403
1861 historical 231 #10,572
1881 historical 324 #9,214
1891 historical 375 #9,331
1901 historical 402 #9,463
1911 historical 412 #9,097
1997 modern 408 #10,844
1998 modern 427 #10,825
1999 modern 422 #10,999
2000 modern 405 #11,290
2001 modern 396 #11,307
2002 modern 402 #11,405
2003 modern 386 #11,544
2004 modern 379 #11,740
2005 modern 358 #12,176
2006 modern 361 #12,178
2007 modern 376 #11,925
2008 modern 376 #12,039
2009 modern 380 #12,198
2010 modern 392 #12,186
2011 modern 398 #11,907
2012 modern 401 #11,699
2013 modern 407 #11,766
2014 modern 421 #11,544
2015 modern 408 #11,737
2016 modern 407 #11,735

Geography

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Where Leathleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkby Malzeard, Masham, Leeds, Batley and Sculcoates. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, Richmondshire, Hambleton, Cambusbarron and Leeds. 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 Kirkby Malzeard Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Masham Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sculcoates Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 001 Harrogate
2 Richmondshire 006 Richmondshire
3 Hambleton 006 Hambleton
4 Cambusbarron Stirling
5 Leeds 106 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leathley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leathley

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Leathley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Leathley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Leathley is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Leathley is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Leathley

The surname Leathley originated in Yorkshire, England, during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "leá" meaning a meadow or field, and "ley" meaning a clearing or pasture. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name lived near a meadow or pasture land.

The Leathley surname can be traced back to the village of Leathley in West Yorkshire, where it is believed to have originated. Records from the 13th century mention individuals with the surname Leathley, indicating that the name was already well-established by that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Leathley name appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a William de Letheley is mentioned. This document provides valuable insight into the prevalence of the name in the region during the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the Leathley surname appeared in various records, including parish registers and court rolls. Notable individuals from this period include John Leathley, who was born in 1543 in Yorkshire and served as a member of the local gentry.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Leathley surname. However, it does mention the village of Leathley, which lends credence to the theory that the name originated from this location.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Leathley surname continued to be found primarily in Yorkshire and the surrounding areas. One notable individual from this period was Robert Leathley (1628-1694), a clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Bardsey.

Other notable individuals with the Leathley surname include:

1. Sir Harington Leathley (1701-1786), a British landowner and Member of Parliament for Yorkshire. 2. Reverend Thomas Leathley (1719-1789), an English clergyman and author who wrote on theological subjects. 3. William Leathley (1772-1845), a British lawyer and legal writer who published works on property law. 4. Audrey Leathley (1901-1983), a British actress and singer who appeared in several films and stage productions in the early 20th century. 5. John Leathley (1915-2000), a British army officer who served in World War II and later became a prominent businessman.

While the Leathley surname has its roots in Yorkshire, it has since spread to other parts of England and beyond, with various spellings and variations emerging over time. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval era and the village of Leathley in West Yorkshire, where the name first emerged as a locational descriptor.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leathley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leathley 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 245 Leathleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.87x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 245 7.87x
Lancashire 29 0.78x
Stirlingshire 9 7.77x
Cheshire 8 1.15x
Durham 7 0.75x
Denbighshire 5 4.21x
Surrey 4 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.58x
Brecknockshire 2 3.18x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.01x
Middlesex 2 0.06x
Sussex 2 0.38x
Warwickshire 2 0.25x
Kent 1 0.09x
Monmouthshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Morley in Yorkshire leads with 30 Leathleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 185.41x.

Place Total Index
Morley 30 185.41x
Gildersome 26 695.19x
Holbeck 24 116.39x
Leeds 22 12.52x
Wortley In Bramley 18 73.02x
Masham 16 1391.30x
Grewelthorpe 11 2000.00x
Bradford 9 11.94x
Stirling 9 61.60x
Armley 8 58.27x
Broughton In Salford 8 23.47x
Birkenhead 7 12.67x
Cleckheaton 7 61.03x
Cottingham 7 104.32x
East Ardsley 7 259.26x
Holy Trinity 7 9.35x
Manchester 7 4.18x
Rothwell 7 111.29x
Shildon 7 93.21x
Skipton 7 71.43x
Stretford 7 34.13x
Aismunderby Cum 6 681.82x
Beeston 6 190.48x
Azerley 5 675.68x
Llanddulas 5 781.25x
Sculcoates 5 10.13x
Little Bolton 4 8.35x
Altofts 3 87.21x
Bowling 3 9.73x
Camberwell 3 1.50x
Datchet 3 230.77x
Kirkby Malzeard 3 441.18x
Ripon 3 41.55x
Coventry St Michael 2 7.86x
Llanddewir Cum 2 465.12x
Midhurst 2 114.94x
Oldham 2 1.66x
St Andrewthe Less 2 8.80x
St Sepulchre London 2 43.48x
Sutton Stoneferry 2 22.45x
Calverley Cum Farsley 1 11.31x
Everton 1 0.84x
Llanthewy Rhytherch 1 263.16x
Long Marston 1 256.41x
Margate St John Baptist 1 5.10x
Merrow 1 156.25x
Oxton 1 25.51x
Rainton Cum Newby 1 238.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Sarah 13
Ann 12
Annie 10
Elizabeth 10
Emma 6
Hannah 6
Emily 5
Margaret 5
Eliza 4
Maria 4
Ellen 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Ruth 3
Alice 2
Helen 2
Henrietta 2
Isabel 2
Lilian 2
Lily 2
Louisa 2
Susan 2
Annis 1
Bertha 1
Charlotte 1
E.Malinda 1
Elenda 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
F. 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Helena 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Margrett 1
Marie 1
Maud 1
Melita 1
Minnie 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
William 14
Samuel 12
George 10
Joseph 8
Thomas 8
James 6
Harry 5
Henry 5
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Fred 3
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Charles 2
Dennis 2
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Walter 2
Arnnie 1
Benj. 1
Benjh. 1
David 1
Dudley 1
Edgar 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
J. 1
Jessie 1
Joe 1
Johnson 1
Jonah 1
Jonathan 1
Llewellyn 1
Marmaduke 1
Mary 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Milton 1
Rowland 1
Sam 1
Saml. 1
Scarth 1
Stead 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Leathley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leathley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 324 people were recorded with the Leathley surname. That placed it at #9,214 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leathley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 407 in 2016. That gives Leathley a modern rank of #11,735.

What does the Leathley surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone from the town of Leathley.

What does the Leathley map show?

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