NameCensus.

UK surname

Leaton

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "town on the river Lea".

In the 1881 census there were 136 people recorded with the Leaton surname, ranking it #16,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 76, ranked #33,304, down from #16,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellingborough, Nottingham St Mary and Kettering. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Poole, South Kesteven and Bexley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leaton is 276 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 44.1%.

1881 census count

136

Ranked #16,433

Modern count

76

2016, ranked #33,304

Peak year

1891

276 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Leaton had 136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 76 in 2016, ranked #33,304.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 276 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Leaton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leaton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leaton 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 187 #10,978
1861 historical 231 #10,572
1881 historical 136 #16,433
1891 historical 276 #11,810
1901 historical 224 #14,091
1911 historical 217 #14,214
1997 modern 116 #24,688
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 112 #25,978
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 103 #27,443
2003 modern 100 #27,722
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 90 #29,527
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 89 #30,383
2008 modern 86 #31,114
2009 modern 86 #31,612
2010 modern 88 #31,875
2011 modern 75 #33,071
2012 modern 88 #32,064
2013 modern 81 #32,996
2014 modern 80 #33,133
2015 modern 78 #33,210
2016 modern 76 #33,304

Geography

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Where Leatons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellingborough, Nottingham St Mary, Kettering, Benefield and Kimbolton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Poole, South Kesteven and Bexley. 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 Wellingborough Northamptonshire
2 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
3 Kettering Northamptonshire
4 Benefield Northamptonshire
5 Kimbolton Huntingdonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Poole 016 Poole
2 South Kesteven 013 South Kesteven
3 Poole 014 Poole
4 Bexley 026 Bexley
5 South Kesteven 014 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leaton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leaton

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Leaton is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Leaton is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leaton falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Leaton

The surname LEATON is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name such as Leaton or Leatown. These place names are likely to have meant "the tun or town by the lea or meadow" in Old English.

The earliest recorded instance of the LEATON surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1195, where a Robert de Leaton is mentioned. This suggests the name was already well-established by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a William de Leiton from Oxfordshire. This variant spelling provides further evidence of the name's early origins and evolution.

Notable bearers of the LEATON surname include John Leaton, a wealthy merchant from Coventry who was recorded in the city's Guild Rolls in 1389. Another prominent figure was Sir Richard Leaton (c.1505-1573), an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1563.

The LEATON surname can also be found in various historical records from across England, such as the Hearth Tax Rolls of the 17th century and parish registers. For example, the baptism of Jane Leaton is recorded in the parish of St. Mary's, Nottingham, in 1611.

In the 18th century, the famous English poet William Cowper (1731-1800) had a close friend named John Leaton, who was a fellow student at Westminster School. Cowper fondly referred to Leaton in his letters and writings.

Another notable bearer of the LEATON surname was Robert Leaton (1783-1865), an English architect who designed several churches and other buildings in the Gothic Revival style. His most famous work is the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Tonbridge, Kent, completed in 1833.

While the LEATON surname is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the English countryside and medieval settlements. The name's longevity and various recorded spellings over the centuries serve as a testament to its enduring legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leaton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leaton 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. Northamptonshire leads with 20 Leatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.03x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 20 16.03x
Lincolnshire 16 7.54x
Surrey 16 2.48x
Rutland 13 133.47x
Middlesex 11 0.83x
Huntingdonshire 10 37.97x
Staffordshire 9 2.01x
Nottinghamshire 7 3.91x
Cambridgeshire 6 7.14x
Lancashire 6 0.38x
Warwickshire 6 1.79x
Norfolk 5 2.45x
Leicestershire 4 2.72x
Yorkshire 3 0.23x
Worcestershire 2 1.15x
Cheshire 1 0.34x
Essex 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Casterton in Rutland leads with 11 Leatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7333.33x.

Place Total Index
Great Casterton 11 7333.33x
Newington 10 20.40x
Sutton St Mary 9 447.76x
Benefield 7 3333.33x
Stibbington 7 2800.00x
Fulham London 6 31.19x
Nottingham St Mary 6 12.97x
Wednesfield 6 91.05x
Barnes 5 183.15x
Nuneaton 5 128.87x
Thorney 5 537.63x
Leicester St Margaret 4 11.15x
Sutton St Mary St James 4 1600.00x
Toxteth Park 4 7.50x
Upwell 4 421.05x
Woodford 4 579.71x
Hipperholme Cum 3 51.90x
Oundle 3 215.83x
Wellingborough 3 47.85x
Cakemore 2 714.29x
Kimbolton 2 363.64x
St Pancras London 2 1.87x
Stone 2 34.90x
Uppingham 2 172.41x
Abberton 1 909.09x
Barnack 1 370.37x
Blyth 1 357.14x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 4.00x
Clerkenwell London 1 3.19x
Deeping St James 1 133.33x
Harborne 1 6.97x
Higher Booths 1 35.21x
Lambeth 1 0.86x
Maxey 1 357.14x
Norwich St Peter Hungate 1 555.56x
Peterborough 1 11.07x
Rugby 1 22.08x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.28x
St Nicholas Lincoln 1 49.26x
Sutton St James 1 384.62x
Tilston 1 588.24x
Twickenham 1 17.57x
Whittlesey St Mary St 1 34.13x
Yaxley 1 161.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 9
George 8
Charles 4
Henry 4
James 4
Thomas 4
Robert 3
Agther 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Bartholomew 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Newport 1
Valentine 1

FAQ

Leaton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leaton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 136 people were recorded with the Leaton surname. That placed it at #16,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leaton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 76 in 2016. That gives Leaton a modern rank of #33,304.

What does the Leaton surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "town on the river Lea".

What does the Leaton map show?

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