NameCensus.

UK surname

Leftley

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Leftley surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 271, ranked #15,874, up from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Barking, Wingfield and Pulham St Mary the Virgin. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Suffolk, Peterborough and North Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leftley is 298 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 106.9%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

271

2016, ranked #15,874

Peak year

2004

298 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leftley had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 271 in 2016, ranked #15,874.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 235 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Leftley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leftley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leftley 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 45 #25,168
1861 historical 67 #25,342
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 186 #15,740
1901 historical 220 #14,245
1911 historical 235 #13,484
1997 modern 272 #14,451
1998 modern 275 #14,715
1999 modern 280 #14,630
2000 modern 281 #14,567
2001 modern 276 #14,507
2002 modern 283 #14,559
2003 modern 281 #14,443
2004 modern 298 #13,937
2005 modern 282 #14,368
2006 modern 269 #14,952
2007 modern 287 #14,464
2008 modern 273 #15,113
2009 modern 279 #15,184
2010 modern 290 #15,096
2011 modern 282 #15,233
2012 modern 267 #15,791
2013 modern 269 #15,963
2014 modern 268 #16,111
2015 modern 264 #16,186
2016 modern 271 #15,874

Geography

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Where Leftleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Barking, Wingfield, Pulham St Mary the Virgin, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Fressingfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Suffolk, Peterborough, North Norfolk, Epsom and Ewell and Waveney. 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 Barking Essex
2 Wingfield Suffolk
3 Pulham St Mary the Virgin Norfolk
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Fressingfield Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Suffolk 003 Mid Suffolk
2 Peterborough 005 Peterborough
3 North Norfolk 002 North Norfolk
4 Epsom and Ewell 001 Epsom and Ewell
5 Waveney 015 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leftley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leftley

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Leftley is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leftley 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

Leftley falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Leftley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leftley 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. Norfolk leads with 55 Leftleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.99x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 55 27.99x
Yorkshire 24 1.90x
Essex 18 7.14x
Suffolk 11 7.07x
Kent 5 1.15x
Northumberland 5 2.63x
Lancashire 4 0.26x
Lincolnshire 4 1.96x
Middlesex 4 0.31x
Derbyshire 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. Barking in Essex leads with 17 Leftleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 230.35x.

Place Total Index
Barking 17 230.35x
Brockdish 13 6842.11x
Wereham 11 4074.07x
Pulham St Mary Virgin 10 2777.78x
Starston 10 4545.45x
West Lexham 8 13333.33x
Hilderthorpe 7 1093.75x
Birkby 6 20000.00x
Earl Soham 6 2222.22x
North Skirlaugh 6 5000.00x
Plumstead 5 34.41x
Whitley 5 819.67x
Everton 4 8.28x
Fressingfield 4 800.00x
Hacconby 4 2222.22x
Sculcoates 4 19.92x
St Pancras London 4 3.89x
Diss 2 119.05x
Framlingham 1 90.91x
Holy Trinity 1 3.28x
Repton 1 131.58x
West Ham 1 1.80x
Wortwell 1 555.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Sarah 6
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Emily 4
Hannah 3
Sophia 3
Emma 2
Isabel 2
Margaret 2
Adancome 1
Anna 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Flora 1
Harried 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lizetta 1
Louis 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Maraget 1
Maria 1
Myra 1
Phoebe 1
Priscilla 1
Rachel 1
Rosina 1
Susanna 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 9
Charles 8
John 8
William 6
Thomas 4
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Chas. 2
George 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Alfred 1
Alonzo 1
Arthur 1
Cyrus 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.G. 1
Jas. 1
Laurence 1
Lonsdale 1
Marie 1
Nicholas 1
Percival 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Leftley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leftley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Leftley surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leftley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 271 in 2016. That gives Leftley a modern rank of #15,874.

What does the Leftley map show?

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