NameCensus.

UK surname

Legget

A locational English surname derived from a place name meaning "little gate".

In the 1881 census there were 217 people recorded with the Legget surname, ranking it #12,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 113, ranked #28,691, down from #12,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Lound and Gorleston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Glens, Stockbridge and IZ14.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Legget is 228 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 47.9%.

1881 census count

217

Ranked #12,188

Modern count

113

2016, ranked #28,691

Peak year

1861

228 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Legget had 217 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016, ranked #28,691.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 228 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Routine Occupations or Retirement.

Legget surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Legget surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Legget 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 228 #10,703
1881 historical 217 #12,188
1891 historical 223 #13,800
1901 historical 187 #15,793
1911 historical 88 #24,041
1997 modern 118 #24,423
1998 modern 135 #23,118
1999 modern 132 #23,602
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 123 #24,497
2004 modern 115 #25,740
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 115 #26,348
2008 modern 109 #27,533
2009 modern 110 #27,991
2010 modern 116 #27,704
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 113 #28,691

Geography

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Where Leggets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Lound, Gorleston, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Glens, Stockbridge, IZ14, Douglas West and Restalrig (Loganlea) and Craigentinny West. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hamilton Lanark
2 Lound Suffolk
3 Gorleston Suffolk
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Glens Dundee City
2 Stockbridge City of Edinburgh
3 IZ14 East Lothian
4 Douglas West Dundee City
5 Restalrig (Loganlea) and Craigentinny West City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Legget

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Legget

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Routine Occupations or Retirement

Nationally, the Legget surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Routine Occupations or Retirement, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Legget household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are characterised by high proportions of single, often never-married adults of normal retirement age or older, including many that are in the most advanced age groups. Most adults are UK born and live at high residential densities, and many of the children living with parents are in adulthood. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are uncommon, but above average proportions of households include individuals that identify with different ethnic groups. Long-term disability is relatively common, and the dominant accommodation type is flats. Unemployment rates are high, with most of those employed working in routine occupations. Few individuals have high level qualifications. Car ownership is not high.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Legget is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Legget is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Legget 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 Legget is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Legget

The surname Legget originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the Old English words "lēah" meaning a meadow or clearing, and "geat" meaning a gate or gap. It was likely an occupational surname given to someone who lived near or worked at a meadow gate or gap in a hedgerow.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Legget can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a John Leggett from Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1309 also mention a William Leggat, indicating the name's early presence in various regions of England.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared as Leggate in the Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem for Yorkshire, referring to a landowner named John Leggate. This document, which recorded the transfer of property after a person's death, provides insight into the name's association with landowners and its geographical spread.

The Legget surname has numerous variations in its spelling over the centuries, including Leggat, Legat, Leggett, and Leggitt. These variations were common due to inconsistent record-keeping and regional dialects during the medieval and early modern periods.

Notable individuals with the surname Legget throughout history include:

1. Thomas Legget (c. 1535-1607), an English scholar and clergyman who served as the Master of Caius College, Cambridge.

2. William Legget (1609-1672), an English clergyman and President of Trinity College, Oxford.

3. John Legget (1644-1720), a British Army officer who fought in the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession.

4. Robert Legget (1766-1836), a Scottish merchant and landowner in Jamaica, known for his involvement in the slave trade.

5. Sir Edmund Legget (1875-1958), a British civil engineer and author, best known for his work on the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

While the Legget surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, due to migration and colonization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Legget families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Legget 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. Lanarkshire leads with 35 Leggets recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.23x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 35 5.23x
Midlothian 30 10.83x
Middlesex 29 1.40x
Suffolk 18 7.15x
Lancashire 17 0.69x
Angus 13 6.79x
Ayrshire 9 5.82x
Durham 7 1.14x
West Lothian 7 22.48x
Yorkshire 7 0.34x
Surrey 6 0.60x
Bedfordshire 5 4.67x
Cheshire 5 1.10x
Derbyshire 4 1.24x
Brecknockshire 3 7.25x
Dumfriesshire 2 4.38x
Essex 2 0.49x
Lincolnshire 2 0.60x
Norfolk 2 0.63x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.52x
Argyllshire 1 1.74x
Banffshire 1 2.33x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.80x
Glamorgan 1 0.28x
Kent 1 0.14x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 3.34x
Morayshire 1 3.11x
Northumberland 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 15 Leggets recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.86x.

Place Total Index
Barony 15 8.86x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 11.66x
Dundee 11 15.38x
St Pancras London 10 6.01x
Edinburgh Canongate 8 113.48x
Kirton 8 1777.78x
Newton On Ayr 8 172.41x
Toxteth Park 8 9.63x
Hackney London 7 6.04x
Hamilton 7 37.53x
Kirkdale 7 16.96x
Liberton 7 163.55x
Whitburn 7 155.56x
Harton 6 246.91x
Glasgow 5 4.21x
Latchford 5 165.02x
Shoreditch London 5 5.58x
Clifton 4 388.35x
Gorleston 4 62.50x
Hartshorn 4 327.87x
Ipswich St Margaret 4 46.78x
Wimbledon 4 35.37x
Bothwell 3 16.54x
Llangattock 3 89.02x
Long Sandall 3 3333.33x
Paddington London 3 3.95x
Dumfries 2 44.35x
Norwood 2 42.28x
Penge 2 15.14x
St Osyth 2 202.02x
St Vigeans 2 19.34x
Campton 1 256.41x
Cockpen 1 30.86x
Crayford 1 32.47x
Culford 1 476.19x
Cumbernauld 1 32.79x
Dalavich 1 625.00x
Doncaster 1 6.68x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.40x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 1 15.27x
Elgin 1 16.00x
Ellon 1 38.02x
Everton 1 1.28x
Gainsborough 1 12.82x
Govan 1 0.60x
Heigham 1 5.86x
Islington London 1 0.50x
Kensington London 1 0.87x
Lanark 1 18.59x
Leeds 1 0.86x
Lochrutton 1 227.27x
Marnoch 1 43.48x
North Shields 1 16.29x
Old Monkland 1 3.77x
Redenhall 1 80.65x
Rutherglen 1 10.19x
Shotts 1 12.50x
Skelton In Guisbrough 1 18.05x
Spotland 1 3.67x
St Mark Lincoln 1 140.85x
Stevenston 1 24.81x
Tunstall 1 32.68x
Whitchurch 1 51.28x
Woodbridge 1 31.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 4
Mary 4
Alice 3
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Henrietta 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2
Sarah 2
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Ethel 1
Fanney 1
Hattie 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Rebeca 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
James 6
John 6
Robert 5
Thomas 4
Aaron 2
Alfred 2
Frances 2
George 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Archibald 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Donald 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Jeremiah 1
Pat 1
Robt. 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Legget surname: questions and answers

How common was the Legget surname in 1881?

In 1881, 217 people were recorded with the Legget surname. That placed it at #12,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Legget surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016. That gives Legget a modern rank of #28,691.

What does the Legget surname mean?

A locational English surname derived from a place name meaning "little gate".

What does the Legget map show?

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