NameCensus.

UK surname

Leckey

A locational surname derived from a place name in Northern Ireland.

In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Leckey surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 251, ranked #16,744, up from #30,872 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Manchester and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leckey is 253 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1221.1%.

1881 census count

19

Ranked #30,872

Modern count

251

2016, ranked #16,744

Peak year

2014

253 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leckey had 19 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,872 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016, ranked #16,744.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 43 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Leckey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leckey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leckey 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 33 #29,814
1881 historical 19 #30,872
1891 historical 19 #32,642
1901 historical 32 #30,501
1911 historical 43 #28,581
1997 modern 218 #16,704
1998 modern 226 #16,800
1999 modern 220 #17,160
2000 modern 208 #17,772
2001 modern 208 #17,513
2002 modern 236 #16,455
2003 modern 228 #16,663
2004 modern 234 #16,416
2005 modern 224 #16,876
2006 modern 228 #16,789
2007 modern 234 #16,706
2008 modern 240 #16,535
2009 modern 239 #16,951
2010 modern 240 #17,230
2011 modern 240 #17,093
2012 modern 239 #17,027
2013 modern 246 #16,979
2014 modern 253 #16,774
2015 modern 251 #16,756
2016 modern 251 #16,744

Geography

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Where Leckeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Manchester and Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 018 North Lincolnshire
2 North Lincolnshire 009 North Lincolnshire
3 Manchester 049 Manchester
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 015 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 Manchester 003 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leckey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leckey

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Leckey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Leckey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Leckey 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

Leckey 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

Leckey 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 Leckey 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Leckey

The surname Leckey is of Anglo-Norman origin, with roots tracing back to the ancient Brittonic Celtic language. It is believed to have originated in Scotland and Northern Ireland during the 12th century, when the Norman conquest of Britain brought an influx of French and Norman settlers to these regions.

The name Leckey is thought to be derived from the Old French word "lachie," which means "slack" or "neglectful." This could indicate that the original bearer of the name was someone who was perceived as lazy or careless. Alternatively, it may have been a descriptive nickname referring to a person's physical appearance or demeanor.

In its earliest recorded forms, the name appeared as "Lachkey," "Lakkye," and "Lackye" in various medieval records and documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert Lakkye, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document that recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

The Leckey surname is also associated with several place names in Scotland and Ireland, such as Leckey Hill in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and Leckey Farm in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Leckey throughout history include:

1. John Leckey (1590-1670), a Scottish merchant and landowner who established trade routes between Scotland and the American colonies. 2. Elizabeth Leckey (1714-1789), an Irish poet and playwright known for her satirical works criticizing the social and political conditions of her time. 3. William Leckey (1838-1924), a British engineer and inventor who patented several innovations in the field of steam engine design. 4. Robert Leckey (1891-1975), a Canadian soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration awarded for valor in the British Empire. 5. Margaret Leckey (1920-2003), an American author and historian who wrote extensively about the colonial era in New England.

While the surname Leckey may have evolved over time and taken on various spellings, its origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic languages and the Norman influence on the British Isles, making it a fascinating example of the rich cultural heritage embedded in many surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leckey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leckey 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. Durham leads with 7 Leckeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.70x.

County Total Index
Durham 7 12.70x
Kent 5 7.91x
Warwickshire 3 6.42x
Lanarkshire 2 3.34x
Yorkshire 2 1.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 5 Leckeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 105.71x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 5 105.71x
Woolwich 5 214.59x
Aston 3 23.33x
Bothwell 2 123.46x
Gateshead 2 48.43x
Wakefield 2 141.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Martha 2
Mary 2
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Sarah 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alex. 1
Charles 1
Gabriel 1
Geo 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Thomas 1
William 1

FAQ

Leckey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leckey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Leckey surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leckey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016. That gives Leckey a modern rank of #16,744.

What does the Leckey surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Northern Ireland.

What does the Leckey map show?

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