NameCensus.

UK surname

Leetham

Of English origin, signifying a person from a locality sharing this name.

In the 1881 census there were 118 people recorded with the Leetham surname, ranking it #17,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 185, ranked #20,652, down from #17,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bubwith, St Mary Bishopshill Senior and Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Selby and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leetham is 194 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.8%.

1881 census count

118

Ranked #17,935

Modern count

185

2016, ranked #20,652

Peak year

2014

194 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leetham had 118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016, ranked #20,652.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 120 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Leetham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leetham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leetham 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 93 #17,946
1861 historical 100 #21,103
1881 historical 118 #17,935
1891 historical 98 #24,313
1901 historical 120 #20,545
1911 historical 114 #21,064
1997 modern 177 #19,018
1998 modern 177 #19,523
1999 modern 183 #19,248
2000 modern 177 #19,634
2001 modern 180 #19,161
2002 modern 185 #19,212
2003 modern 188 #18,810
2004 modern 187 #18,993
2005 modern 180 #19,395
2006 modern 184 #19,254
2007 modern 178 #19,887
2008 modern 175 #20,311
2009 modern 182 #20,201
2010 modern 184 #20,521
2011 modern 182 #20,495
2012 modern 175 #20,984
2013 modern 187 #20,436
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 184 #20,719
2016 modern 185 #20,652

Geography

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Where Leethams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bubwith, St Mary Bishopshill Senior, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, Goldsborough and Kirby, South. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Selby and Northumberland. 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 Bubwith Yorkshire, East Riding
2 St Mary Bishopshill Senior Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Goldsborough Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Kirby, South Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 037 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Selby 008 Selby
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 038 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 018 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leetham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leetham

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Leetham is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Leetham 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

Leetham 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 Leetham 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 Leetham, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Leetham

The surname Leetham has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "leac" meaning leek and "ham" referring to a homestead or village, indicating that the name may have originated from a place where leeks were grown or traded.

The name is closely associated with the county of Yorkshire, particularly the area around the town of Settle in the West Riding. One of the earliest known references to the surname can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which mentions a Thomas Letham residing in the village of Giggleswick, near Settle.

Historical records also suggest that the Leetham family had a presence in the nearby village of Long Preston, where a John Leetham was recorded as holding land in the 16th century. The Leetham name is linked to several other place names in the region, such as Leetham's Barn and Leetham's Farm, further indicating the family's deep roots in the area.

In the 17th century, the Leetham name gained prominence with the birth of John Leetham (1633-1708), a prominent Presbyterian minister and religious writer from Craven, Yorkshire. He was known for his theological works and for his role in the nonconformist movement during the English Restoration.

Another notable figure bearing the Leetham surname was William Leetham (1781-1836), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was commended for his bravery and skill in several naval engagements, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

The 19th century saw the emergence of Charles Leetham (1830-1902), a British businessman and philanthropist from Leeds. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was known for his generous contributions to various charitable causes, including the establishment of the Leetham Art Gallery in Leeds.

In the field of literature, Wilfred Leetham (1898-1977) was a well-known English poet and writer. He was particularly celebrated for his nature poetry and his works depicting the landscapes of his native Yorkshire.

Lastly, the Leetham name gained further recognition in the 20th century with the birth of Claude Leetham (1920-2008), a British actor and theatre director. He had a successful career on stage and in television, and was particularly known for his roles in Shakespearean productions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leetham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leetham 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 96 Leethams recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.35x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 96 8.35x
Kent 10 2.53x
Lancashire 5 0.36x
Cornwall 2 1.52x
Berkshire 1 1.15x
Hampshire 1 0.42x
Lanarkshire 1 0.27x
Leicestershire 1 0.78x
Lincolnshire 1 0.54x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Margate St John Baptist in Kent leads with 10 Leethams recorded in 1881 and an index of 137.93x.

Place Total Index
Margate St John Baptist 10 137.93x
Spaldington 10 8333.33x
Goldsborough 8 10000.00x
Mirfield 8 126.78x
York St Maurice 8 368.66x
Foggathorpe 7 17500.00x
Laxton 7 7777.78x
Sculcoates 6 32.91x
West Derby 5 12.41x
Holy Trinity 4 14.46x
Naburn 4 1739.13x
Selby 4 166.67x
Hemingbrough 3 1304.35x
Rastrick 3 94.04x
York Mint Yard St 3 3000.00x
Barmby On Marsh 2 1666.67x
Cottingham 2 80.65x
Goole 2 103.63x
Roundhay 2 625.00x
Scriven Cum Tentergate 2 465.12x
St Ives 2 77.82x
Wombwell 2 59.70x
Bradfield 1 217.39x
Bradford 1 3.59x
Cleethorpes 1 91.74x
Glasgow 1 1.50x
Hessay 1 2500.00x
Holgate 1 454.55x
Leeds 1 1.54x
Leicester Newarke 1 149.25x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.47x
Portsea 1 2.14x
Swinefleet 1 200.00x
Tockwith 1 434.78x
Yokefleet 1 2500.00x
York St Giles In 1 92.59x
York St Mary 1 21.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Ann 7
Elizabeth 6
Sarah 6
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Martha 2
A.G. 1
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Betsey 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Marian 1
Maud 1
Mildred 1
Nancy 1
Ruth 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Leetham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leetham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 118 people were recorded with the Leetham surname. That placed it at #17,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leetham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016. That gives Leetham a modern rank of #20,652.

What does the Leetham surname mean?

Of English origin, signifying a person from a locality sharing this name.

What does the Leetham map show?

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