NameCensus.

UK surname

Legon

A surname derived from a place name referring to a location near Lyon, France.

In the 1881 census there were 35 people recorded with the Legon surname, ranking it #28,715 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 179, ranked #21,086, up from #28,715 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, London parishes and Hammersmith. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brentwood, Medway and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Legon is 211 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 411.4%.

1881 census count

35

Ranked #28,715

Modern count

179

2016, ranked #21,086

Peak year

1999

211 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Legon had 35 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,715 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016, ranked #21,086.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 111 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Legon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Legon surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Legon 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 35 #29,571
1881 historical 35 #28,715
1891 historical 61 #29,103
1901 historical 90 #24,021
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 200 #17,618
1998 modern 210 #17,600
1999 modern 211 #17,662
2000 modern 200 #18,209
2001 modern 196 #18,146
2002 modern 189 #18,950
2003 modern 187 #18,856
2004 modern 188 #18,919
2005 modern 181 #19,334
2006 modern 178 #19,666
2007 modern 179 #19,811
2008 modern 176 #20,224
2009 modern 181 #20,277
2010 modern 188 #20,235
2011 modern 189 #19,997
2012 modern 185 #20,223
2013 modern 190 #20,201
2014 modern 191 #20,302
2015 modern 183 #20,786
2016 modern 179 #21,086

Geography

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Where Legons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, London parishes, Hammersmith, Manchester and St Paul Shadwell, Ratcliff hamlet. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brentwood, Medway, Sevenoaks and Rochford. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hammersmith London (West Districts)
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St Paul Shadwell, Ratcliff hamlet London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brentwood 009 Brentwood
2 Medway 014 Medway
3 Sevenoaks 002 Sevenoaks
4 Medway 035 Medway
5 Rochford 007 Rochford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Legon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Legon

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Legon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Legon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Legon 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

Legon is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Legon

The surname Legon is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from an old Anglo-Saxon word "lecgan," meaning "to lay" or "to place." This suggests that the name may have been occupational in nature, referring to someone who laid or placed objects, possibly in a trade or craft.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Legon can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already established in certain regions of the country by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a John de Legon residing in the county of Lincolnshire. The prefix "de" indicates a connection to a specific place, possibly a town or village called Legon or a variation thereof. This lends credence to the theory that the name may have originated from a place name.

During the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name Legon was Sir Thomas Legon, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Hundred Years' War against France. He was born in 1320 and died in 1375.

In the 16th century, the Legon surname appeared in various records across different counties in England, including Oxfordshire, where a William Legon was recorded in 1587. This suggests that the name had spread and become more widespread by this time.

Another prominent individual with the surname Legon was Sir John Legon, who lived from 1647 to 1719. He was a British politician and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Brackley in Northamptonshire.

In the 18th century, a notable figure was Edward Legon, born in 1738 and died in 1807. He was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

The 19th century saw the Legon surname continue to be present in various parts of England, with records showing individuals with this name in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Lancashire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Legon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Legon 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. Surrey leads with 21 Legons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.63x.

County Total Index
Surrey 21 12.63x
Middlesex 14 4.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 12 Legons recorded in 1881 and an index of 118.11x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 12 118.11x
St George In East London 12 373.83x
Rotherhithe 7 165.88x
Hammersmith London 2 23.78x
Camberwell 1 4.59x
Caterham 1 136.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Emma 2
Mary 2
Susannah 2
Charlotte 1
Emily 1
Marian 1
Nia 1
Rosina 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
William 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
George 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Legon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Legon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 35 people were recorded with the Legon surname. That placed it at #28,715 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Legon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016. That gives Legon a modern rank of #21,086.

What does the Legon surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to a location near Lyon, France.

What does the Legon map show?

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