NameCensus.

UK surname

Leftwich

A locational surname referring to a place on the left side of a salt works or dairy farm.

In the 1881 census there were 73 people recorded with the Leftwich surname, ranking it #23,220 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 201, ranked #19,525, up from #23,220 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Willesden and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torbay, Basildon and Central Bedfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leftwich is 256 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 175.3%.

1881 census count

73

Ranked #23,220

Modern count

201

2016, ranked #19,525

Peak year

2002

256 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leftwich had 73 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,220 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016, ranked #19,525.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 184 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Leftwich surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leftwich surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Leftwich 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 56 #23,235
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 73 #23,220
1891 historical 138 #19,411
1901 historical 158 #17,507
1911 historical 184 #15,742
1997 modern 254 #15,111
1998 modern 251 #15,631
1999 modern 247 #15,932
2000 modern 245 #15,955
2001 modern 241 #15,870
2002 modern 256 #15,565
2003 modern 248 #15,695
2004 modern 245 #15,894
2005 modern 226 #16,782
2006 modern 211 #17,662
2007 modern 222 #17,288
2008 modern 223 #17,395
2009 modern 225 #17,631
2010 modern 227 #17,895
2011 modern 219 #18,145
2012 modern 206 #18,837
2013 modern 203 #19,327
2014 modern 209 #19,128
2015 modern 210 #18,958
2016 modern 201 #19,525

Geography

Back to top

Where Leftwichs are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Torbay, Basildon, Central Bedfordshire, Craven and Herefordshire. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torbay 019 Torbay
2 Basildon 010 Basildon
3 Central Bedfordshire 005 Central Bedfordshire
4 Craven 003 Craven
5 Herefordshire 022 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Leftwich

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Leftwich

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Leftwich 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

Leftwich is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leftwich falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Leftwich is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Leftwich, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Leftwich

The surname Leftwich has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from a place name, specifically the village of Leftwich in Cheshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "leofecu" and "wic," meaning "dear" or "beloved" and "dwelling" or "farm," respectively.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Leftwich can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Leueftwic." This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, recorded the land holdings and settlements across England at that time.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various records with spellings such as "Leftwych" and "Leftwiche." One notable mention is in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire from 1286, where a Richard de Leftwych is listed as a landowner.

In the 14th century, the name began to spread beyond Cheshire as people migrated to other parts of England. Records from this period show variations like "Leftwich" and "Leftwiche."

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Leftwich was William Leftwich, born around 1520 in Cheshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Member of Parliament for Cheshire in 1553.

Another notable figure was Sir John Leftwich (1563-1629), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Cheshire and held the position of Sheriff of Cheshire in 1609.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records and legal documents. One example is Richard Leftwich (1610-1686), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Lichfield and Coventry.

During the 18th century, the Leftwich family continued to be influential in Cheshire. A notable figure was Thomas Leftwich (1711-1789), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Cheshire from 1754 to 1768.

In the 19th century, the name Leftwich spread further as members of the family migrated to other parts of the world, including the United States and Canada. One prominent individual was Benjamin Leftwich (1810-1892), an English-born American industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Leftwich Shipbuilding Company in Virginia.

Throughout its history, the surname Leftwich has maintained a strong connection to its origins in the village of Leftwich, Cheshire, and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, politicians, clergymen, and industrialists.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Leftwich families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leftwich 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 47 Leftwichs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.60x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 47 6.60x
Lancashire 12 1.42x
Surrey 11 3.17x
Kent 2 0.82x
Cheshire 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. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 17 Leftwichs recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.66x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 17 29.66x
Tottenham 7 61.73x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 41.87x
West Derby 6 24.27x
Islington London 5 7.25x
Hammersmith London 4 22.81x
Lambeth 4 6.44x
St Benet Pauls Wharf 4 20000.00x
Toxteth Park 4 13.98x
St Marylebone London 3 7.89x
Bethnal Green London 2 6.47x
Warrington 2 19.98x
Ashton On Mersey 1 123.46x
Bexley 1 46.51x
Camberwell 1 2.20x
Deptford St Paul 1 5.34x
Mile End Old Town London 1 6.60x
Shoreditch London 1 3.24x
St George Hanover Square 1 7.97x
St Stephen Coleman Street 1 400.00x
Willesden 1 14.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 4
Mary 4
Ada 2
Alice 2
Annie 2
Maria 2
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Charlotte 1
Christine 1
Clara 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Kate 1
Lizie 1
Louisa 1
Marian 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Leftwich surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leftwich surname in 1881?

In 1881, 73 people were recorded with the Leftwich surname. That placed it at #23,220 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leftwich surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016. That gives Leftwich a modern rank of #19,525.

What does the Leftwich surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a place on the left side of a salt works or dairy farm.

What does the Leftwich map show?

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