NameCensus.

UK surname

Leedham

A locative surname likely derived from a place name meaning "clearing or meadow by the stream".

In the 1881 census there were 804 people recorded with the Leedham surname, ranking it #4,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,318, ranked #4,552, up from #4,636 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Burton-on-Trent, London parishes and Seal. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Tamworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leedham is 1,453 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.9%.

1881 census count

804

Ranked #4,636

Modern count

1,318

2016, ranked #4,552

Peak year

1999

1,453 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leedham had 804 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,636 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,318 in 2016, ranked #4,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,365 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Leedham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leedham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leedham 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 518 #4,834
1861 historical 494 #5,287
1881 historical 804 #4,636
1891 historical 949 #4,361
1901 historical 1,209 #4,078
1911 historical 1,365 #3,517
1997 modern 1,375 #4,198
1998 modern 1,430 #4,210
1999 modern 1,453 #4,188
2000 modern 1,418 #4,246
2001 modern 1,396 #4,231
2002 modern 1,397 #4,303
2003 modern 1,347 #4,355
2004 modern 1,345 #4,368
2005 modern 1,313 #4,403
2006 modern 1,307 #4,425
2007 modern 1,311 #4,453
2008 modern 1,306 #4,494
2009 modern 1,336 #4,501
2010 modern 1,378 #4,465
2011 modern 1,363 #4,455
2012 modern 1,312 #4,535
2013 modern 1,336 #4,540
2014 modern 1,339 #4,552
2015 modern 1,340 #4,511
2016 modern 1,318 #4,552

Geography

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Where Leedhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Burton-on-Trent, London parishes, Seal and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Tamworth, North Warwickshire and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Seal Leicestershire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 011 South Derbyshire
2 Nuneaton and Bedworth 010 Nuneaton and Bedworth
3 Tamworth 001 Tamworth
4 North Warwickshire 005 North Warwickshire
5 Kingston upon Hull 017 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leedham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leedham

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Leedham is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Leedham is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leedham falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Leedham

The surname LEEDHAM is of English origin, deriving from a locational name for someone who lived in the area of Leeds, a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.

The name LEEDHAM is derived from the Old English words "lede" meaning "people" or "nation," and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "settlement." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone residing in a homestead or settlement associated with the people or nation of Leeds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LEEDHAM can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1166, where it appears as "Ledes ham." This document provides evidence of the name's existence during the 12th century in the region of Yorkshire.

In the 13th century, the name LEEDHAM appeared in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire, dated 1246, as "Ledisham." This record demonstrates the name's prevalence in the neighboring county of Lancashire during this period.

Notable individuals with the surname LEEDHAM include John Leedham (born circa 1570), a merchant and landowner from Leeds, who was recorded in the parish registers of St. Peter's Church in Leeds in the late 16th century.

Another prominent figure was Sir Edward Leedham (1617-1701), an English politician and baronet who served as a Member of Parliament for Leeds from 1661 to 1679. He played a significant role in the governance of Leeds during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Robert Leedham (1741-1816) was a notable English clergyman and author who served as the Vicar of Egglescliffe in County Durham. He published several works on theology and religious subjects during his lifetime.

Moving into the 19th century, John Leedham (1803-1875) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings in the city of Leeds, including the Leeds Corn Exchange and the Leeds Town Hall.

Finally, in the early 20th century, William Leedham (1891-1958) was a British trade unionist and politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Huddersfield from 1945 to 1951, representing the Labour Party.

These examples illustrate the historical presence and significance of the surname LEEDHAM, originating from the area of Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, and spanning several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leedham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leedham 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. Staffordshire leads with 176 Leedhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.66x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 176 6.66x
Yorkshire 126 1.62x
Warwickshire 108 5.47x
Derbyshire 70 5.71x
Lancashire 54 0.58x
Leicestershire 53 6.10x
Middlesex 53 0.68x
Lincolnshire 37 2.95x
Surrey 37 0.97x
Worcestershire 31 3.03x
Nottinghamshire 18 1.70x
Shropshire 17 2.51x
Northamptonshire 9 1.22x
Cheshire 3 0.17x
Gloucestershire 3 0.20x
Hampshire 3 0.19x
Durham 2 0.09x
Hertfordshire 2 0.37x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burton Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 34 Leedhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.96x.

Place Total Index
Burton Upon Trent 34 54.96x
Yoxall 34 974.21x
Birmingham 23 3.49x
Islington London 20 2.63x
Aston 18 3.31x
Lye 16 94.01x
Rowley Regis 16 21.72x
Church Gresley 15 76.88x
Leicester St Margaret 15 7.08x
Scawby 14 338.16x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 13 17.98x
Nottingham St Mary 13 4.76x
Draycott In Clay 12 991.74x
Lullington 12 600.00x
Rosliston 12 975.61x
Bingley 11 22.25x
Leicester St Nicholas 11 223.58x
Nuneaton 11 48.08x
West Derby 11 4.05x
Burton Extra 10 65.96x
Hammersmith London 10 5.18x
Newington 10 3.46x
Seals 10 326.80x
Bowling 9 11.71x
Brightside Bierlow 9 5.91x
Clayton 9 47.37x
Derby St Alkmund 9 24.49x
Elsham 9 666.67x
Oldbury 9 17.88x
Shuttington 9 1607.14x
Ashby De La Zouch 8 39.74x
Bethnal Green London 8 2.35x
Holy Trinity 8 4.28x
Horton In Bradford 8 6.60x
Peterborough 8 15.00x
Amington Stonydelph 7 406.98x
Bermondsey 7 3.00x
Bolehall Glascote 7 83.63x
Burnley 7 8.94x
Curdworth 7 386.74x
Hessle In Sculcoates 7 102.19x
Lilleshall 7 67.70x
Sheffield 7 2.83x
Stallingborough 7 538.46x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 2.50x
West Bromwich 7 4.62x
Wolstanton Knutton 7 43.37x
Wortley In Bramley 7 11.39x
Barrow In Furness 6 4.75x
Barton Under Needwood 6 125.00x
Camberwell 6 1.20x
Catton 6 2727.27x
Donington 6 566.04x
Fradley 6 588.24x
Heeley 6 25.43x
Padiham 6 26.71x
Rotherhithe 6 6.20x
Shenton 6 1016.95x
Shustoke 6 340.91x
Solihull 6 42.25x
Tipton 6 7.41x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 5 18.83x
Burnage 5 219.30x
Burton Dassett 5 285.71x
Gorton 5 5.72x
Hornsey 5 5.05x
Southwark Christchurch 5 13.62x
Basford 4 8.22x
Butterworth 4 17.66x
Heage 4 61.63x
Horninglow 4 32.13x
Nether Hallam 4 3.81x
Paddington London 4 1.39x
Sheriff Hales 4 147.60x
Southcoates 4 9.28x
Titteworth 4 98.52x
Wardleworth 4 7.53x
Abbots Bromley 3 76.53x
Blymhill 3 222.22x
Tutbury 3 46.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 58
John 45
Thomas 39
George 24
Joseph 17
Charles 16
Henry 16
James 15
Edward 11
Arthur 10
Walter 10
Alfred 9
Frederick 9
Harry 9
Frank 8
Ernest 6
Richard 6
Samuel 6
Albert 5
Herbert 5
Isaac 5
Robert 5
Thos. 5
Tom 4
Christopher 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Hugh 3
Wm. 3
Aaron 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Geo. 2
Jabez 2
Saml. 2
Stephen 2
Willm. 2
Wm.Hy. 2
Andrew 1
Fredk. 1
Geoge 1
Harold 1
Harriet 1
Josh. 1
Lenard 1
Lewis 1
Oliver 1
Ralph 1
Rebbecca 1
Richd. 1

FAQ

Leedham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leedham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 804 people were recorded with the Leedham surname. That placed it at #4,636 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leedham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,318 in 2016. That gives Leedham a modern rank of #4,552.

What does the Leedham surname mean?

A locative surname likely derived from a place name meaning "clearing or meadow by the stream".

What does the Leedham map show?

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