NameCensus.

UK surname

Leaver

A surname derived from the Old English word "lefer" meaning a person who stayed behind or remained.

In the 1881 census there were 1,935 people recorded with the Leaver surname, ranking it #2,255 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,090, ranked #3,094, down from #2,255 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Blackburn and Whalley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chichester and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leaver is 2,561 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.0%.

1881 census count

1,935

Ranked #2,255

Modern count

2,090

2016, ranked #3,094

Peak year

1911

2,561 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leaver had 1,935 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,255 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,090 in 2016, ranked #3,094.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,561 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Leaver surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leaver surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leaver 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 1,350 #2,131
1861 historical 1,174 #2,408
1881 historical 1,935 #2,255
1891 historical 1,951 #2,364
1901 historical 2,280 #2,385
1911 historical 2,561 #1,999
1997 modern 2,233 #2,776
1998 modern 2,343 #2,760
1999 modern 2,345 #2,778
2000 modern 2,340 #2,770
2001 modern 2,266 #2,789
2002 modern 2,276 #2,833
2003 modern 2,218 #2,846
2004 modern 2,233 #2,832
2005 modern 2,160 #2,879
2006 modern 2,157 #2,881
2007 modern 2,145 #2,919
2008 modern 2,154 #2,938
2009 modern 2,178 #2,976
2010 modern 2,214 #2,993
2011 modern 2,157 #3,035
2012 modern 2,095 #3,051
2013 modern 2,134 #3,053
2014 modern 2,152 #3,054
2015 modern 2,103 #3,088
2016 modern 2,090 #3,094

Geography

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Where Leavers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Blackburn and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chichester and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chichester 013 Chichester
2 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Blackburn with Darwen 010 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Blackburn with Darwen 013 Blackburn with Darwen
5 Blackburn with Darwen 015 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leaver

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leaver

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

Leaver is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leaver falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Leaver

The surname Leaver is of English origin, derived from an occupational name for someone who worked as a loader or unloader of goods, particularly on ships or boats. The name is believed to have originated in the 14th century, from the Middle English word "levour" or "lever," meaning "one who lifts or carries."

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records. One such example is John le Levour, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. Another early reference is William Levour, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1381.

While the surname Leaver is predominantly found in England, it also has a presence in other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and Wales. In Scotland, the name can be traced back to the 16th century, with records showing a John Levair in Peebles in 1546.

Historically, the Leaver surname has been associated with certain regions of England, particularly the counties of Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. The name was also present in the city of Bristol, a major port city, which likely contributed to its occupational origins.

Notable individuals who have borne the surname Leaver throughout history include:

1. John Leaver (c. 1550 - 1616), an English musician and composer who served as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I.

2. William Leaver (1625 - 1677), an English theologian and clergyman who served as the Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

3. Richard Leaver (1756 - 1835), an English engraver and painter known for his topographical views and landscapes.

4. Thomas Leaver (1820 - 1892), a British engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to agricultural machinery, including a reaping machine.

5. Charles Leaver (1828 - 1900), an English actor and playwright who wrote numerous popular farces and comedies in the late 19th century.

The name Leaver has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Leaver's Wood in Kent and Leaver's Lane in Gloucestershire, further indicating its historical presence in these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leaver families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leaver 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. Lancashire leads with 817 Leavers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 817 3.66x
Middlesex 255 1.35x
Surrey 100 1.09x
Berkshire 92 6.51x
Kent 73 1.14x
Warwickshire 72 1.52x
Oxfordshire 59 5.07x
Hampshire 57 1.48x
Somerset 53 1.75x
Wiltshire 53 3.18x
Buckinghamshire 47 4.13x
Sussex 45 1.42x
Yorkshire 38 0.20x
Gloucestershire 26 0.70x
Staffordshire 24 0.38x
Glamorgan 17 0.52x
Durham 13 0.23x
Lincolnshire 12 0.40x
Essex 11 0.30x
Worcestershire 11 0.45x
Dorset 7 0.57x
Shropshire 7 0.43x
Suffolk 7 0.31x
Monmouthshire 6 0.44x
Devon 5 0.13x
Derbyshire 4 0.14x
Hertfordshire 4 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.16x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.25x
Cheshire 3 0.07x
Cornwall 2 0.09x
Channel Islands 1 0.18x
Inverness-shire 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 360 Leavers recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.53x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 360 60.53x
Briercliffe Cum 44 593.79x
Over Darwen 44 24.64x
Burnley 42 22.31x
Preston 38 6.35x
Great Little Marsden 35 34.18x
Islington London 34 1.86x
Aston 32 2.45x
Battersea 30 4.33x
Reading St Giles 30 21.63x
Birmingham 28 1.77x
Chilmark 27 756.30x
Salford 23 3.50x
St Marylebone London 23 2.29x
Bromley London 21 5.07x
Lambeth 21 1.28x
Witton 21 74.68x
Hayes 18 93.65x
Paddington London 18 2.60x
Bray 16 38.52x
Portsea 16 2.11x
St Pancras London 16 1.06x
Atherton 15 18.44x
Kensington London 15 1.43x
Accrington 14 6.89x
Brighton 14 2.19x
Chorley 14 11.16x
Hambleden 13 133.47x
Livesey 13 33.14x
Worsthorne Cum 13 182.84x
Chislehurst 12 34.82x
Yeovil 12 19.48x
Barrow In Furness 11 3.62x
Chippenham 11 31.49x
Clerkenwell London 10 2.25x
Clifton 10 5.35x
Habergham Eaves 10 4.89x
Lower Darwen 10 34.08x
Aldershot 9 6.96x
Hammersmith London 9 1.94x
Churchdown 8 108.84x
Clayton Le Moors 8 18.45x
Cookham 8 18.15x
Hitcham 8 308.88x
Maidstone 8 4.18x
Soyland 8 35.73x
St George Martyr London 8 20.97x
Swansea Lower 8 47.82x
Upton Cum Chalvey 8 17.63x
West Ham 8 0.97x
Bedminster 7 2.46x
Charlton Next Woolwich 7 10.44x
Mile End Old Town London 7 1.75x
Newhaven 7 27.13x
Ormskirk 7 16.37x
Reading St Mary 7 6.18x
Rolvenden 7 84.13x
Rotherfield Greys 7 56.82x
Rotherhithe 7 3.01x
Rotherwick 7 236.49x
Shabbington 7 307.02x
Shildon 7 15.55x
Southwark St Saviour 7 7.23x
St George In East London 7 3.95x
Walsall Foreign 7 2.13x
Deptford St Paul 6 1.21x
Eltham 6 15.93x
Great Harwood 6 14.85x
Limehouse London 6 2.90x
Lyncombe Widcombe 6 7.56x
Newbury 6 13.25x
Newton 6 3.48x
Oxford St Mary Magdalen 6 43.51x
Oxford St Thomas 6 11.05x
Royton 6 8.78x
Sedgefield 6 30.03x
Stratford On Avon 6 22.77x
Stratton Audley 6 257.51x
Thame 6 28.36x
Woolwich 6 2.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 125
Elizabeth 84
Sarah 67
Alice 56
Ann 45
Jane 32
Ellen 31
Eliza 29
Margaret 27
Martha 25
Annie 20
Emily 20
Emma 19
Hannah 18
Harriet 17
Kate 14
Betty 13
Louisa 13
Maria 11
Caroline 10
Edith 10
Florence 10
Ada 9
Betsy 9
Nancy 9
Esther 8
Fanny 8
Rose 8
Clara 7
Harriett 7
Rebecca 7
Susan 7
Catherine 6
Charlotte 6
Frances 6
Grace 6
Lucy 6
Matilda 6
Susannah 6
Agnes 5
Anne 5
Elizth. 5
Ethel 5
Isabella 5
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Julia 4
Minnie 4
Nanny 4
Ruth 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 117
William 116
James 91
Thomas 62
George 41
Henry 40
Charles 36
Joseph 29
Robert 29
Alfred 23
Frederick 20
Edward 19
Albert 18
Arthur 18
Richard 18
Walter 18
Harry 14
Benjamin 13
Francis 12
Frank 12
Samuel 9
Ernest 8
David 7
Fred 7
Ralph 6
Stephen 6
Alexander 5
Wm. 5
Edmund 4
Edwin 4
Abraham 3
Bannister 3
Daniel 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Jonathan 3
Mark 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Robt. 3
Allan 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Jas. 2
Lewis 2
Norman 2
Russell 2
Timothy 2
Willie 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Leaver surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leaver surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,935 people were recorded with the Leaver surname. That placed it at #2,255 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leaver surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,090 in 2016. That gives Leaver a modern rank of #3,094.

What does the Leaver surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "lefer" meaning a person who stayed behind or remained.

What does the Leaver map show?

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