NameCensus.

UK surname

Lecky

A surname of Irish origin meaning "of the flagstones".

In the 1881 census there were 37 people recorded with the Lecky surname, ranking it #28,418 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 155, ranked #23,197, up from #28,418 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lewisham, Hackney and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lecky is 174 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 318.9%.

1881 census count

37

Ranked #28,418

Modern count

155

2016, ranked #23,197

Peak year

2009

174 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lecky had 37 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,418 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016, ranked #23,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 54 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Lecky surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lecky surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lecky 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 6 #32,278
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 37 #28,418
1891 historical 45 #30,747
1901 historical 54 #28,178
1911 historical 49 #27,894
1997 modern 150 #21,119
1998 modern 156 #21,144
1999 modern 145 #22,305
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 134 #23,037
2002 modern 152 #21,723
2003 modern 145 #22,172
2004 modern 149 #21,905
2005 modern 154 #21,396
2006 modern 156 #21,399
2007 modern 160 #21,296
2008 modern 169 #20,745
2009 modern 174 #20,782
2010 modern 170 #21,560
2011 modern 167 #21,642
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 162 #22,433
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 158 #22,913
2016 modern 155 #23,197

Geography

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Where Leckys 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 Lewisham, Hackney, Wiltshire, Ealing and Lambeth. 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 Lewisham 028 Lewisham
2 Hackney 013 Hackney
3 Wiltshire 012 Wiltshire
4 Ealing 028 Ealing
5 Lambeth 030 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lecky

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lecky

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Lecky surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Lecky household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Lecky is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lecky 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

Lecky falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lecky is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Lecky

The surname Lecky has its origins in Ireland, where it first emerged in the early medieval period, likely in the 12th or 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old Irish Gaelic word "lecc," meaning a flat stone or flagstone, suggesting that the original bearers of the name may have lived near or worked with stone.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The Annals mention a "Muircheartach Ó Lecáin," or Murtagh O'Lecky, who was a notable chieftain in County Donegal in the late 15th century.

The Lecky surname is predominantly associated with County Donegal, particularly the Inishowen Peninsula and the surrounding areas. It is thought that the name may have originated in this region, as evidenced by the presence of several townlands and place names containing variations of the name, such as Lecky, Lackey, and Lacken.

Throughout the centuries, the Lecky family played a significant role in the history and politics of Donegal. One notable figure was Sir Thomas Lecky, born in 1707, who served as a member of the Irish Parliament and was a prominent landowner in the region.

Another prominent individual bearing the Lecky surname was William Edward Hartpole Lecky, a renowned historian and philosopher born in 1838. He is best known for his influential works, such as "A History of European Morals" and "A History of England in the Eighteenth Century."

In the 19th century, the Lecky family also produced several notable clergymen and academics, including Reverend James Lecky, born in 1807, who was a prominent figure in the Church of Ireland and served as the Dean of Emly.

While the Lecky surname has its roots firmly planted in Ireland, particularly in County Donegal, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and migration. The name can now be found in various countries, including the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia, where descendants of the original Irish Lecky families have established themselves.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lecky families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lecky 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 10 Leckys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.34x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 10 2.34x
Middlesex 9 2.49x
Lanarkshire 7 6.00x
Surrey 5 2.84x
Kent 4 3.25x
Aberdeenshire 1 2.99x
Devon 1 1.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 6 Leckys recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.66x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 6 20.66x
Govan 5 17.33x
Liverpool 5 19.23x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 117.65x
Putney 4 243.90x
Bothwell 2 63.29x
Gillingham 2 78.74x
Kensington London 2 9.97x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 14.33x
Broughton In Salford 1 25.58x
Isleworth 1 62.50x
Reigate Borough 1 243.90x
Stoke Damerel 1 19.01x
Swanscombe 1 181.82x
Woolwich 1 21.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 3
William 3
Henry 2
Robert 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
George 1
Halton 1
Squire 1

FAQ

Lecky surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lecky surname in 1881?

In 1881, 37 people were recorded with the Lecky surname. That placed it at #28,418 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lecky surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016. That gives Lecky a modern rank of #23,197.

What does the Lecky surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin meaning "of the flagstones".

What does the Lecky map show?

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