NameCensus.

UK surname

Leet

A surname derived from the Old English word "laet" meaning "courteous" or "humble".

In the 1881 census there were 141 people recorded with the Leet surname, ranking it #16,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 136, ranked #25,377, down from #16,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Landbeach and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leet is 143 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.5%.

1881 census count

141

Ranked #16,091

Modern count

136

2016, ranked #25,377

Peak year

2002

143 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leet had 141 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016, ranked #25,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 141 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Leet surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leet surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leet 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 69 #21,148
1861 historical 77 #23,975
1881 historical 141 #16,091
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 124 #20,163
1911 historical 92 #23,580
1997 modern 131 #22,927
1998 modern 127 #23,940
1999 modern 124 #24,508
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 131 #23,343
2002 modern 143 #22,595
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 139 #22,887
2006 modern 132 #23,834
2007 modern 132 #24,166
2008 modern 126 #25,131
2009 modern 123 #26,098
2010 modern 127 #26,176
2011 modern 129 #25,673
2012 modern 131 #25,439
2013 modern 126 #26,585
2014 modern 131 #26,089
2015 modern 137 #25,226
2016 modern 136 #25,377

Geography

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Where Leets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Landbeach, Sheffield, Elm and Bergholt, East. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Fenland. 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 Landbeach Cambridgeshire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Elm Cambridgeshire
5 Bergholt, East Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 013 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Fenland 002 Fenland
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 019 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Fenland 003 Fenland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leet

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leet

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Leet, 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 Leet surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Leet 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Leet is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leet is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leet falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Leet

The surname LEET has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "hlyt," which means "lot" or "portion," suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with someone who held a particular allotment of land or property.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lyte" and "Lite." This historical record, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames across various regions of England during that era.

Throughout the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Leet, Leete, Lyte, and Lite. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects, scribal errors, or personal preferences of the individuals bearing the name.

The village of Leet, located in the county of Yorkshire, is believed to have played a significant role in the establishment of the surname. Records from the 13th century mention individuals identified as "de Leet," indicating their association with this geographic location.

One notable figure bearing the LEET surname was Sir John Leet (1564-1637), an English merchant and Member of Parliament who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1615. His contributions to the city's governance and trade during the early 17th century solidified the LEET name in historical records.

Another prominent individual was William Leet (1688-1748), an American colonial leader and one of the founders of the city of Norwalk, Connecticut. He served as a lieutenant governor of the Connecticut Colony and played a crucial role in shaping the early development of the region.

In the literary realm, Harriet Underwood Leet (1857-1934), an American poet and writer, gained recognition for her works, including the collection "The Gift and Other Poems" published in 1899.

The LEET surname also found its way into the military ranks, with General James Leet (1842-1925), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War, earning distinction for his service and leadership on the battlefield.

Lastly, Gunther Leet (1885-1969), a German architect and urban planner, left a lasting impact on the built environment through his innovative designs and contributions to city planning in the early 20th century.

These examples highlight the widespread presence of the LEET surname throughout history, reflecting its enduring legacy across various fields and geographical regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leet 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. Middlesex leads with 33 Leets recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.40x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 33 2.40x
Cambridgeshire 30 34.44x
Suffolk 12 7.16x
Gloucestershire 11 4.08x
Devon 8 2.79x
Norfolk 8 3.78x
Hampshire 7 2.48x
Durham 6 1.47x
Yorkshire 6 0.44x
Lanarkshire 5 1.12x
Kent 3 0.64x
Surrey 3 0.45x
Cheshire 2 0.66x
Lancashire 2 0.12x
Herefordshire 1 1.77x
Hertfordshire 1 1.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 3.66x
Royal Navy 1 6.10x
Warwickshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. East Bergholt in Suffolk leads with 12 Leets recorded in 1881 and an index of 2142.86x.

Place Total Index
East Bergholt 12 2142.86x
Histon 8 1739.13x
Kensington London 8 10.46x
St George Bloomsbury 8 101.39x
Wiggenhall St Mary Virgin 8 5333.33x
Landbeach 7 2916.67x
Bishopwearmouth 6 17.08x
Shoreditch London 6 10.06x
South Hamlet 6 359.28x
Stoke Damerel 6 29.94x
Barony 5 4.44x
Chesterton 5 185.87x
Ecclesfield 5 50.05x
Painswick 5 261.78x
Wisbech St Mary 5 500.00x
Hampstead London 4 18.67x
Bethnal Green London 3 5.02x
Christchurch 3 49.10x
Cottenham 3 258.62x
St Luke London 3 13.60x
Chester St Mary On Hill 2 76.92x
Croydon 2 5.38x
Impington 2 1052.63x
Oldham 2 3.80x
Portsea 2 3.62x
Birmingham 1 0.87x
Buckworth 1 1000.00x
Feniton 1 588.24x
Hawes 1 112.36x
Hitchin 1 23.36x
Hornsey 1 5.75x
Lee 1 14.68x
Manaton 1 625.00x
North Stoneham 1 156.25x
Otford 1 153.85x
Royal Navy 1 7.14x
Sevenoaks 1 26.32x
Southwark St Olave 1 95.24x
St Thomas Winchester 1 50.25x
Walford 1 178.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 9
Charles 8
John 6
Thomas 6
Alfred 4
Frank 3
Henry 3
Albert 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
George 2
Walter 2
Aleck 1
Arthur 1
Bertie 1
Frederick 1
Gifford 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Jacob 1
Jonathan 1
Newman 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Roderick 1
Shadrack 1
Simeon 1
Thos. 1
W.Knok 1

FAQ

Leet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 141 people were recorded with the Leet surname. That placed it at #16,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016. That gives Leet a modern rank of #25,377.

What does the Leet surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "laet" meaning "courteous" or "humble".

What does the Leet map show?

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