NameCensus.

UK surname

Lefley

In the 1881 census there were 106 people recorded with the Lefley surname, ranking it #19,083 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 269, ranked #15,956, up from #19,083 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Leake and Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Haringey and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lefley is 285 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 153.8%.

1881 census count

106

Ranked #19,083

Modern count

269

2016, ranked #15,956

Peak year

2010

285 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lefley had 106 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,083 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 269 in 2016, ranked #15,956.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 184 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lefley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lefley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lefley 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 41 #28,839
1881 historical 106 #19,083
1891 historical 106 #23,105
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 184 #15,742
1997 modern 262 #14,814
1998 modern 272 #14,846
1999 modern 278 #14,705
2000 modern 262 #15,272
2001 modern 257 #15,236
2002 modern 274 #14,849
2003 modern 265 #15,025
2004 modern 273 #14,804
2005 modern 282 #14,368
2006 modern 280 #14,535
2007 modern 277 #14,818
2008 modern 283 #14,724
2009 modern 276 #15,300
2010 modern 285 #15,276
2011 modern 274 #15,571
2012 modern 275 #15,459
2013 modern 280 #15,530
2014 modern 274 #15,877
2015 modern 269 #15,955
2016 modern 269 #15,956

Geography

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Where Lefleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Leake, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew and Kensington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Haringey, East Riding of Yorkshire, Flintshire and West Lindsey. 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 Leake Lincolnshire
3 Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew Suffolk
4 London parishes London 2
5 Kensington London (West Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 007 Babergh
2 Haringey 017 Haringey
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 041 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Flintshire 009 Flintshire
5 West Lindsey 002 West Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lefley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lefley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lefley, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Lefley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lefley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Lefley is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lefley is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Lefley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lefley 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. Suffolk leads with 27 Lefleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.44x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 27 21.44x
Lincolnshire 26 15.73x
Middlesex 26 2.51x
Yorkshire 13 1.27x
Norfolk 6 3.77x
Lancashire 5 0.41x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.53x
Essex 1 0.49x
Surrey 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. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 10 Lefleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.98x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 10 9.98x
Wingfield 10 6250.00x
Wrangle 10 2439.02x
Armthorpe 8 5714.29x
Sudbury St Gregory 8 792.08x
Kensington London 6 10.44x
Boston 5 99.60x
Frodingham 5 847.46x
Garston 5 138.12x
Garton On Wolds 5 2777.78x
Sudbury All Sts 5 1315.79x
Scunthorpe 4 540.54x
Chelsea London 3 9.63x
Denver 3 1000.00x
Fordham 3 5000.00x
Sudbury St Peter 3 434.78x
Westminster St James 3 28.22x
Leake 2 263.16x
St George Hanover Square 2 10.98x
Clapham 1 7.73x
Gorleston 1 31.25x
March 1 45.66x
Paddington London 1 2.63x
Shoreditch London 1 2.23x
Wanstead 1 28.01x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Lefley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lefley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 106 people were recorded with the Lefley surname. That placed it at #19,083 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lefley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 269 in 2016. That gives Lefley a modern rank of #15,956.

What does the Lefley map show?

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