NameCensus.

UK surname

Leeson

From the Old English leeswe "meadow", referring to someone who lived near a meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 1,740 people recorded with the Leeson surname, ranking it #2,483 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,338, ranked #2,790, down from #2,483 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Werburgh and Harpole. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, East Riding of Yorkshire and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leeson is 2,551 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.4%.

1881 census count

1,740

Ranked #2,483

Modern count

2,338

2016, ranked #2,790

Peak year

1998

2,551 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leeson had 1,740 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,483 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,338 in 2016, ranked #2,790.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,521 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Leeson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leeson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leeson 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 1,081 #2,600
1861 historical 909 #3,048
1881 historical 1,740 #2,483
1891 historical 1,874 #2,460
1901 historical 2,394 #2,274
1911 historical 2,521 #2,029
1997 modern 2,488 #2,520
1998 modern 2,551 #2,559
1999 modern 2,533 #2,600
2000 modern 2,464 #2,649
2001 modern 2,405 #2,652
2002 modern 2,437 #2,681
2003 modern 2,397 #2,667
2004 modern 2,377 #2,681
2005 modern 2,323 #2,701
2006 modern 2,294 #2,729
2007 modern 2,288 #2,755
2008 modern 2,305 #2,761
2009 modern 2,362 #2,770
2010 modern 2,404 #2,782
2011 modern 2,373 #2,785
2012 modern 2,346 #2,767
2013 modern 2,386 #2,769
2014 modern 2,387 #2,782
2015 modern 2,354 #2,786
2016 modern 2,338 #2,790

Geography

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Where Leesons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Werburgh, Harpole, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, East Riding of Yorkshire, Wakefield and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Harpole Northamptonshire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 007 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 008 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Wakefield 039 Wakefield
4 Stockton-on-Tees 020 Stockton-on-Tees
5 Hinckley and Bosworth 010 Hinckley and Bosworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leeson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leeson

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

Leeson is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leeson falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Leeson

The surname Leeson is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "lees", which means a meadow or pasture land. This surname is believed to have originated in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it was common for people to be known by their place of residence or work.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leeson can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "William de Lees". This suggests that the name was initially used as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near or worked on a meadow or pasture land.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms such as "de Lees", "atte Lees", and "del Lees", indicating its evolution over time. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, also mentions several place names that could be related to the Leeson surname, such as "Lees" in Cheshire and "Leys" in Leicestershire.

One notable person with the surname Leeson was Sir John Leeson (1587-1636), an English businessman and member of the East India Company. He played a significant role in establishing trade relations between England and India.

Another prominent figure was Michael Leeson (1629-1679), an English theologian and author who wrote extensively on religious topics. He served as the Rector of Woolwich and was highly respected in his field.

In the 19th century, Richard Leeson (1809-1892) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Natural History Museum in London.

During World War II, John Leeson (1920-1999) was a British Royal Air Force pilot who took part in the Battle of Britain. He later became a successful businessman and author, writing about his wartime experiences.

Additionally, the name Leeson is associated with various place names across England, such as Leeson Park in Dublin, Ireland, and Leeson Street in London, which were likely named after individuals with this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leeson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leeson 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. Warwickshire leads with 234 Leesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.48x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 234 5.48x
Lancashire 203 1.01x
Northamptonshire 196 12.31x
Lincolnshire 168 6.20x
Yorkshire 168 1.00x
Middlesex 135 0.80x
Nottinghamshire 115 5.04x
Surrey 90 1.09x
Leicestershire 87 4.63x
Staffordshire 64 1.12x
Derbyshire 63 2.38x
Cheshire 46 1.23x
Hampshire 24 0.69x
Worcestershire 24 1.09x
Cumberland 18 1.23x
Sussex 18 0.63x
Kent 17 0.29x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.78x
Devon 5 0.14x
Durham 5 0.10x
Essex 5 0.15x
Glamorgan 4 0.14x
Herefordshire 4 0.58x
Anglesey 3 1.00x
Berkshire 3 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.28x
Gloucestershire 3 0.09x
Bedfordshire 2 0.23x
Cornwall 2 0.10x
Lanarkshire 2 0.04x
Northumberland 2 0.08x
Rutland 2 1.61x
Shropshire 2 0.14x
Somerset 2 0.07x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.06x
Ayrshire 1 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.15x
Channel Islands 1 0.20x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.30x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.19x
Roxburghshire 1 0.33x
Royal Navy 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 62 Leesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.27x.

Place Total Index
Aston 62 5.27x
Camberwell 32 2.96x
Long Buckby 32 217.24x
Harpole 30 622.41x
Rugby 30 51.92x
Leicester St Margaret 28 6.12x
Coventry Holy Trinity 25 19.60x
Birmingham 23 1.62x
Edenham 22 674.85x
Wrawby 21 286.49x
Nottingham St Mary 20 3.39x
Doncaster 19 15.50x
Liverpool 17 1.39x
Sutton In Ashfield 17 34.32x
Everton 16 2.50x
Hammersmith London 15 3.60x
Nuneaton 15 30.32x
Odd Rode 15 81.04x
Windle 15 13.27x
Bilton 14 142.28x
Barrowby 13 277.78x
Coleshill 13 94.96x
Derby St Peter 13 15.39x
Handsworth 13 9.23x
Harborne 13 7.10x
Oldham 13 2.00x
Northampton Priory St 12 12.55x
Northampton St Giles 12 19.78x
Preston Quarter 12 29.37x
Birkenhead 11 3.69x
Coventry St Michael 11 8.02x
Irchester 11 111.22x
Islington London 11 0.67x
Manchester 11 1.22x
Mansfield 11 13.93x
St Pancras London 11 0.81x
Bermondsey 10 1.98x
Brightside Bierlow 10 3.04x
Hulme 10 2.38x
Kirkdale 10 2.96x
Mile End Old Town London 10 2.77x
Nether Heyford 10 212.77x
Newnham 10 416.67x
Nottingham St Nicholas 10 32.16x
Snenton 10 11.15x
Spalding 10 18.61x
Stourbridge 10 17.57x
Ardwick 9 4.97x
Charwelton 9 857.14x
Glanford Brigg 9 93.17x
Laceby 9 152.54x
Leeds 9 0.95x
Leicester St Mary 9 5.93x
Beswick 8 15.57x
Betchton 8 167.01x
Blaby 8 105.82x
Breedon On The Hill 8 141.34x
Bridlington 8 20.82x
Cheetham 8 5.34x
Garthorpe 8 245.40x
Great Gonerby 8 114.78x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 8 58.74x
Southwell 8 48.16x
Spittlegate 8 21.36x
Warrington 8 3.36x
Wellingborough 8 9.99x
Winwick In Daventry 8 761.90x
Castleton 7 3.49x
Croydon 7 1.53x
Hognaston 7 432.10x
Hollington 7 538.46x
Kelby 7 1228.07x
Kimberworth 7 7.52x
Newington 7 1.12x
South Witham 7 294.12x
Southampton All Sts 7 11.75x
St Marylebone London 7 0.77x
Streatham 7 5.57x
Walsall Foreign 7 2.37x
Worsbrough 7 14.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 128
Elizabeth 70
Sarah 64
Ann 42
Jane 31
Eliza 29
Ellen 24
Annie 23
Alice 20
Charlotte 19
Emma 19
Fanny 18
Hannah 17
Emily 16
Kate 16
Caroline 15
Catherine 15
Louisa 14
Martha 14
Clara 10
Ada 9
Florence 9
Harriet 9
Harriett 9
Maria 9
Anne 8
Edith 8
Matilda 8
Frances 7
Margaret 6
Susan 6
Ethel 5
Julia 5
Minnie 5
Rebecca 5
Rose 5
Sophia 5
Betsy 4
Elizth. 4
Gertrude 4
Helen 4
Laura 4
Lavinia 4
Lucy 4
Rosa 4
Susannah 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Henrietta 3
Ruth 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 117
John 95
Thomas 70
George 60
Henry 39
James 38
Joseph 37
Arthur 28
Charles 27
Robert 23
Harry 19
Frank 17
Samuel 17
Alfred 15
Edward 14
Walter 13
Albert 11
Francis 10
Richard 10
Edwin 8
Ernest 8
Frederick 8
Michael 8
Herbert 7
Wm. 6
David 5
Benjamin 4
Daniel 4
Fred 4
Andrew 3
Edgar 3
Martin 3
Saml. 3
Tom 3
Chas. 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Jesse 2
Jno. 2
Oscar 2
Patrick 2
Peter 2
Ralph 2
Reginald 2
Reuben 2
Willm. 2
Callet 1
Elias 1
Eliza 1
Wm.Tabit 1

FAQ

Leeson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leeson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,740 people were recorded with the Leeson surname. That placed it at #2,483 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leeson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,338 in 2016. That gives Leeson a modern rank of #2,790.

What does the Leeson surname mean?

From the Old English leeswe "meadow", referring to someone who lived near a meadow.

What does the Leeson map show?

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