NameCensus.

UK surname

Leckenby

A locational surname derived from a place name in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 164 people recorded with the Leckenby surname, ranking it #14,624 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 386, ranked #12,202, up from #14,624 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Byland, Old, Warsill, Ripon (Newby-with-Mulwith, Ripon) and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Ryedale and Harrogate.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leckenby is 442 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 135.4%.

1881 census count

164

Ranked #14,624

Modern count

386

2016, ranked #12,202

Peak year

2011

442 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leckenby had 164 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,624 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 386 in 2016, ranked #12,202.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 294 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Leckenby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leckenby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leckenby 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 108 #16,308
1861 historical 148 #15,452
1881 historical 164 #14,624
1891 historical 227 #13,629
1901 historical 262 #12,740
1911 historical 294 #11,622
1997 modern 363 #11,849
1998 modern 384 #11,727
1999 modern 369 #12,147
2000 modern 381 #11,814
2001 modern 379 #11,676
2002 modern 391 #11,627
2003 modern 382 #11,642
2004 modern 389 #11,516
2005 modern 398 #11,231
2006 modern 397 #11,317
2007 modern 396 #11,459
2008 modern 414 #11,160
2009 modern 424 #11,179
2010 modern 438 #11,140
2011 modern 442 #10,942
2012 modern 416 #11,372
2013 modern 405 #11,813
2014 modern 410 #11,788
2015 modern 397 #11,973
2016 modern 386 #12,202

Geography

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Where Leckenbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Byland, Old, Warsill, Ripon (Newby-with-Mulwith, Ripon), Glasgow, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Ryedale, Harrogate and Hambleton. 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 Byland, Old Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Warsill, Ripon (Newby-with-Mulwith, Ripon) Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 026 County Durham
2 Ryedale 003 Ryedale
3 Harrogate 004 Harrogate
4 Hambleton 010 Hambleton
5 Ryedale 004 Ryedale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leckenby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leckenby

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Leckenby is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Leckenby 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

Leckenby falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Leckenby 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.

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Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Leckenby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Leckenby

The surname Leckenby has its origins in the Yorkshire region of England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "lecca" meaning "stream" or "brook" and "by" meaning a farmstead or village, likely referring to a settlement near a small stream or brook.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where it appears as "Leckingby." This suggests that the name was well-established in the region by the 12th century. Over time, various spelling variations emerged, including Leckenby, Leckonby, and Leckingby.

The Leckenby surname is closely tied to the village of Leckonfield, near Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire. This place name, formerly known as Leckingfeld or Leckingby, is believed to be the source of the surname. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Lechinefelt," providing further evidence of the name's long-standing presence in the area.

Notable individuals with the surname Leckenby include William Leckenby (1620-1701), an English merchant and philanthropist who made significant donations to educational institutions in York. John Leckenby (1772-1852) was a prominent British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Yorkshire, including the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum in Wakefield.

Alice Leckenby (1855-1935) was a pioneering English educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded the Leckenby School for Girls in Scarborough, which was known for its progressive approach to education. Sir John Leckenby (1875-1960) was a distinguished British naval officer who served during World War I and later became a Member of Parliament.

Another notable figure was George Leckenby (1892-1968), a British trade unionist and Labour Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Batley and Morley from 1945 to 1959. He played a significant role in advocating for workers' rights and improving working conditions in the textile industry.

While the Leckenby surname has its roots in Yorkshire, it has since spread to other parts of England and beyond. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient settlements along the streams and brooks of the Yorkshire countryside, where the name first emerged and gained prominence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leckenby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leckenby 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 112 Leckenbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.06x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 112 7.06x
Durham 14 2.94x
Lanarkshire 9 1.74x
Lincolnshire 8 3.13x
Devon 7 2.10x
Lancashire 6 0.32x
Warwickshire 4 0.99x
Suffolk 3 1.54x
Cumberland 1 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 14 Leckenbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.64x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 14 15.64x
Middlesbrough 12 58.14x
Roundhay 12 2727.27x
Ripon 11 298.91x
Old Byland 10 11111.11x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 91.74x
Middleton In Pickering 7 4375.00x
Barony 6 4.58x
Great Grimsby 6 36.97x
Holbeck 6 57.14x
Sunderland 6 71.34x
Earswick 5 6250.00x
Birmingham 4 2.97x
Brandon Byshottles 4 67.11x
Skircoat 4 64.00x
Stranton 4 24.97x
Chediston 3 1500.00x
Fawdington 3 30000.00x
Glasgow 3 3.27x
Skinningrove 3 309.28x
Thirsk 3 163.93x
Aldborough In Great 2 714.29x
Barton Le Willows 2 1428.57x
Boroughbridge 2 377.36x
Castleton 2 10.55x
Cleethorpes 2 133.33x
Ganthorpe 2 2857.14x
Ilkley 2 77.22x
Lower Dunsforth 2 3333.33x
Micklethwaite 2 3333.33x
Spotland 2 9.48x
Stretford 2 19.16x
York St Lawrence 2 121.21x
York St Nicholas In 2 224.72x
Bulmer Stittenham 1 555.56x
Flaxton 1 500.00x
New Malton 1 52.63x
St Cuthbert W O 1 14.90x
York St Martin Mklgt W 1 277.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 12
Thomas 12
William 8
George 5
Joseph 5
James 4
Robert 4
Thos. 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Henry 2
Anthony 1
Archibald 1
Arrosmith 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Little 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Leckenby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leckenby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 164 people were recorded with the Leckenby surname. That placed it at #14,624 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leckenby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 386 in 2016. That gives Leckenby a modern rank of #12,202.

What does the Leckenby surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Leckenby map show?

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