NameCensus.

UK surname

Leete

An English surname derived from a place name referring to "little" or "small".

In the 1881 census there were 216 people recorded with the Leete surname, ranking it #12,222 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 297, ranked #14,839, down from #12,222 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Hitchin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leicester, Ryedale and East Hampshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leete is 363 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.5%.

1881 census count

216

Ranked #12,222

Modern count

297

2016, ranked #14,839

Peak year

1997

363 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leete had 216 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,222 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016, ranked #14,839.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 354 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Leete surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leete surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leete 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 223 #9,562
1861 historical 190 #12,520
1881 historical 216 #12,222
1891 historical 328 #10,348
1901 historical 350 #10,439
1911 historical 354 #10,192
1997 modern 363 #11,849
1998 modern 363 #12,228
1999 modern 356 #12,456
2000 modern 358 #12,356
2001 modern 346 #12,478
2002 modern 349 #12,652
2003 modern 351 #12,389
2004 modern 342 #12,645
2005 modern 333 #12,847
2006 modern 335 #12,883
2007 modern 335 #13,001
2008 modern 335 #13,115
2009 modern 343 #13,168
2010 modern 322 #14,034
2011 modern 321 #13,940
2012 modern 313 #14,095
2013 modern 321 #14,073
2014 modern 319 #14,216
2015 modern 305 #14,579
2016 modern 297 #14,839

Geography

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Where Leetes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Hitchin and Cottenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leicester, Ryedale, East Hampshire, Hambleton and North Hertfordshire. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Hitchin Hertfordshire
5 Cottenham Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leicester 037 Leicester
2 Ryedale 003 Ryedale
3 East Hampshire 017 East Hampshire
4 Hambleton 004 Hambleton
5 North Hertfordshire 005 North Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leete

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leete

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Leete is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leete 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

Leete falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Leete

The surname LEETE originated in England, with its earliest known origins dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from an Old English word meaning "little" or "small," potentially referring to a person's stature or status within a community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LEETE surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a census-like record compiled in 1273. This document lists individuals named John le Lyte and Walter le Lyte, both believed to be early variations of the modern LEETE spelling.

The LEETE surname has also been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Leat in Devon and Leaton in Shropshire. These place names may have influenced the surname's spelling and pronunciation over time.

During the 16th century, the LEETE surname gained prominence with the birth of William Leete (1552-1612), an English clergyman and writer who served as the rector of Woolwich and published several works on theology.

Another notable figure bearing the LEETE surname was William Leete (1604-1683), a colonial leader and one of the founders of the Connecticut Colony. He served as the governor of New Haven Colony from 1661 to 1665 and later as the governor of Connecticut Colony from 1676 to 1683.

In the 18th century, John Leete (1723-1804) was a notable American patriot and politician who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1784 to 1786, representing the state of Connecticut.

The LEETE surname also has ties to the literary world, with William Leete Stone (1792-1844), an American journalist and writer who co-founded and edited several newspapers, including the New York Commercial Advertiser and the Hartford Mirror.

Another prominent figure with the LEETE surname was Sir John Leete (1830-1906), a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Hong Kong from 1895 to 1899 and played a crucial role in the expansion of the colony's territory during the Second Convention of Peking.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leete families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leete 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. Northamptonshire leads with 33 Leetes recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.28x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 33 16.28x
Middlesex 27 1.25x
Cambridgeshire 26 19.04x
Hampshire 16 3.62x
Hertfordshire 16 10.77x
Lancashire 14 0.55x
Surrey 14 1.33x
Norfolk 12 3.62x
Cheshire 10 2.10x
Essex 10 2.35x
Staffordshire 7 0.96x
Bedfordshire 6 5.38x
Huntingdonshire 6 14.02x
Channel Islands 4 6.26x
Lincolnshire 4 1.16x
Berkshire 3 1.85x
Suffolk 3 1.14x
Sussex 3 0.83x
Kent 2 0.27x
Yorkshire 2 0.09x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 3.20x
Royal Navy 1 3.89x
Warwickshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thrapston in Northamptonshire leads with 11 Leetes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1078.43x.

Place Total Index
Thrapston 11 1078.43x
Hitchin 8 119.23x
West Ham 8 8.52x
Grantchester 7 823.53x
Harborne 7 30.02x
Toxteth Park 7 8.08x
Burnham Westgate 6 833.33x
Cottenham 6 331.49x
Ellington 6 2068.97x
Finedon 6 337.08x
Luton 6 31.06x
Wellingborough 6 58.88x
Fakenham Alethorpe 5 1219.51x
Harrow On The Hill 5 116.01x
Islip 5 1190.48x
Monks Coppenhall 5 27.84x
Chesterton 4 95.01x
Claughton With Grange 4 184.33x
Croydon 4 6.86x
Lambeth 4 2.13x
Layston 4 506.33x
Nately Scures 4 2222.22x
St Helier 4 19.23x
St Pancras London 4 2.31x
Sutton 4 52.63x
Sutton St Mary 4 122.70x
West Derby 4 5.34x
Yarmouth 4 689.66x
Barrington 3 652.17x
Bow London 3 10.93x
Chelsea London 3 4.62x
Crondall 3 126.58x
Eastbourne 3 17.94x
Hundon 3 461.54x
Lymington 3 92.31x
Orwell 3 508.47x
Westminster St James 3 13.54x
Clerkenwell London 2 3.93x
Eling 2 44.64x
Islington London 2 0.96x
Kelshall 2 1111.11x
Leeds 2 1.66x
Liverpool 2 1.29x
St Giles Cambridge 2 113.64x
Thorpe Achurch 2 1818.18x
Willesden 2 9.84x
Aldwinkle All Sts 1 400.00x
Broughton 1 153.85x
Chester St John Baptist 1 11.70x
Chigwell 1 24.88x
Chipping Barnet 1 38.46x
Cranford St Andrew 1 666.67x
Edgbaston 1 5.93x
Epsom 1 19.53x
Essendon 1 222.22x
Kensington London 1 0.83x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 10.05x
Newbury 1 19.31x
Penge 1 7.26x
Reading St Mary 1 7.72x
Royal Navy 1 4.55x
Sevenoaks 1 16.78x
St Alban Wood Street 1 769.23x
St Giles In Fields London 1 9.45x
St Marythe Great 1 227.27x
Tonbridge 1 3.77x
Troqueer 1 24.45x
Walton On Hill 1 7.22x
Wanstead 1 13.42x
Wokingham 1 27.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Emma 10
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 8
Eliza 5
Jane 5
Annie 4
Ellen 4
Agnes 3
Alice 3
Caroline 2
Daisy 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Jessie 2
Kezia 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Millicent 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Adelaide 1
Amelia 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eleonor 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Hariot 1
Heminione 1
Infant 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
May 1
Minnie 1
Sophia 1
Susanna 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 10
Thomas 9
Alfred 5
Benjamin 5
Joseph 5
James 4
Tempest 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Frederick 3
George 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Simeon 3
Alfd. 2
Benj. 2
Francis 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
David 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Levi 1
Percy 1
Richd. 1
Septimus 1
Simon 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Leete surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leete surname in 1881?

In 1881, 216 people were recorded with the Leete surname. That placed it at #12,222 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leete surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016. That gives Leete a modern rank of #14,839.

What does the Leete surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to "little" or "small".

What does the Leete map show?

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