NameCensus.

UK surname

Ledgard

An English surname derived from the Old English words "hledu" (slope) and "geard" (enclosure), suggesting someone who lived near a slope or hill.

In the 1881 census there were 459 people recorded with the Ledgard surname, ranking it #7,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 306, ranked #14,543, down from #7,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mirfield, Birstall and Thornhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ledgard is 614 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 33.3%.

1881 census count

459

Ranked #7,225

Modern count

306

2016, ranked #14,543

Peak year

1911

614 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ledgard had 459 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016, ranked #14,543.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 614 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Ledgard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ledgard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ledgard 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 261 #8,490
1861 historical 281 #8,921
1881 historical 459 #7,225
1891 historical 520 #7,194
1901 historical 573 #7,321
1911 historical 614 #6,717
1997 modern 365 #11,804
1998 modern 376 #11,918
1999 modern 374 #12,026
2000 modern 369 #12,106
2001 modern 363 #12,057
2002 modern 354 #12,490
2003 modern 329 #13,001
2004 modern 327 #13,094
2005 modern 311 #13,490
2006 modern 311 #13,577
2007 modern 317 #13,532
2008 modern 318 #13,604
2009 modern 330 #13,513
2010 modern 334 #13,690
2011 modern 325 #13,808
2012 modern 304 #14,388
2013 modern 308 #14,482
2014 modern 313 #14,406
2015 modern 311 #14,369
2016 modern 306 #14,543

Geography

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Where Ledgards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mirfield, Birstall, Thornhill, Batley and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees and Bradford. 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 Mirfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Thornhill Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 021 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 028 Kirklees
3 Kirklees 009 Kirklees
4 Kirklees 011 Kirklees
5 Bradford 058 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ledgard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ledgard

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Ledgard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Ledgard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ledgard is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ledgard is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ledgard falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ledgard 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ledgard

The surname LEDGARD has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a place name that likely referred to a ledge or ridge of land. The name may have evolved from words in Old English or Old Norse, such as "hleđ" or "hliđ," meaning a slope or hillside.

One of the earliest documented references to the LEDGARD name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1199, where it appears as "Legard." This suggests that the name was already established in the region during the late 12th or early 13th century.

The LEDGARD surname has been present in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 13th century, where it appears as "Legard." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the late 16th century, a notable figure bearing the LEDGARD name was Sir John Ledgard (c. 1550-1616), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Yorkshire in 1593 and 1604.

Another prominent individual with the LEDGARD surname was William Ledgard (1635-1704), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1679 to 1689.

During the 18th century, Thomas Ledgard (1714-1797) was a notable English clockmaker and inventor from Yorkshire. He is credited with developing improvements to timepieces, including the invention of a detached escapement mechanism for clocks.

In the 19th century, Sir Edward Ledgard (1810-1885) was a British lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 1874 to 1880.

Furthermore, the LEDGARD surname has been associated with various place names in England, such as Ledgard Bridge in Yorkshire, which derives its name from the nearby Ledgard family estate or landholdings.

While the LEDGARD surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history and can be traced back to the medieval period, with its roots likely originating from Old English or Old Norse words describing geographical features such as ledges or ridges.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ledgard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ledgard 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 392 Ledgards recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.82x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 392 8.82x
Lancashire 32 0.60x
Middlesex 11 0.25x
Kent 8 0.52x
Cheshire 7 0.71x
Hampshire 2 0.22x
Lincolnshire 2 0.28x
Monmouthshire 2 0.62x
Norfolk 2 0.29x
Staffordshire 1 0.07x
Sussex 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mirfield in Yorkshire leads with 169 Ledgards recorded in 1881 and an index of 692.34x.

Place Total Index
Mirfield 169 692.34x
Dewsbury 29 63.60x
Manningham 21 38.34x
Batley 14 33.13x
Thornhill 14 107.94x
Heaton 11 230.13x
Leeds 11 4.38x
Templenewsam Thorpe 11 1182.80x
Morley 10 43.25x
York All Sts North 10 454.55x
Hipperholme Cum 9 46.06x
Shipley 9 38.99x
Walton On Hill 9 31.21x
Charlton Next Woolwich 8 50.09x
Headingley Cum Burley 8 27.95x
Liversedge 8 40.42x
Castleton 7 13.16x
Hammersmith London 6 5.43x
Sale 6 49.38x
Selby 6 64.59x
Heckmondwike 5 34.97x
Wortley In Bramley 5 14.20x
Barton Upon Irwell 4 9.98x
Cleckheaton 4 24.42x
Gomersal 4 19.28x
Kensington London 4 1.60x
Langfield 4 51.41x
Broughton In Salford 3 6.16x
Knottingley 3 38.36x
Toxteth Park 3 1.66x
Armley 2 10.20x
Bradford 2 1.86x
Gorton 2 4.00x
Great Grimsby 2 4.39x
Kirkby Malzeard 2 206.19x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 2 36.90x
Norton Subcourse 2 357.14x
Reedley Hallows 2 194.17x
Roundhay 2 160.00x
Scarborough 2 4.95x
Southcoates 2 8.10x
St Mary 2 67.34x
Trevethin 2 6.53x
Warley 2 15.56x
Altrincham 1 5.78x
Bramley In Bramley 1 5.88x
Burnley 1 2.23x
Holdenhurst 1 4.15x
Horsforth 1 10.26x
Hunslet 1 1.44x
Hurstpierpoint 1 23.75x
Moss Side 1 3.57x
Pannal 1 23.42x
Soothill 1 6.23x
St Bartholomew Hyde 1 45.45x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 7.86x
Teddington London 1 9.83x
Thurstonland 1 64.94x
Whitwell On The Hill 1 322.58x
Wolstanton 1 2.17x
York St Nicholas In 1 40.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 21
Joseph 18
William 18
George 13
Henry 11
James 9
Samuel 9
Charles 7
Harry 7
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
Walter 6
Benjamin 5
Daniel 5
Frank 5
Frederick 5
Herbert 5
Thomas 5
Albert 4
David 4
Adam 3
Fred 3
Jno. 3
Richard 3
Armitage 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Harrison 2
Jeremiah 2
Robert 2
Robt. 2
Sam 2
Anthony 1
Benjn. 1
Bingley 1
C. 1
Charley 1
Ernest 1
Fisher 1
Fred. 1
Furgus 1
Geo.Hy. 1
Halles 1
Jack 1
Jos. 1
Josh. 1
Joshua 1
Matthew 1
Noah 1
Wm.B. 1

FAQ

Ledgard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ledgard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 459 people were recorded with the Ledgard surname. That placed it at #7,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ledgard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 306 in 2016. That gives Ledgard a modern rank of #14,543.

What does the Ledgard surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English words "hledu" (slope) and "geard" (enclosure), suggesting someone who lived near a slope or hill.

What does the Ledgard map show?

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