NameCensus.

UK surname

Leicester

A surname originating from the city of Leicester in England.

In the 1881 census there were 676 people recorded with the Leicester surname, ranking it #5,331 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 611, ranked #8,591, down from #5,331 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warrington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leicester is 724 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.6%.

1881 census count

676

Ranked #5,331

Modern count

611

2016, ranked #8,591

Peak year

1911

724 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leicester had 676 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,331 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016, ranked #8,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 724 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Leicester surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leicester surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leicester 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 443 #5,557
1861 historical 453 #5,718
1881 historical 676 #5,331
1891 historical 704 #5,575
1901 historical 687 #6,379
1911 historical 724 #5,910
1997 modern 589 #8,262
1998 modern 606 #8,329
1999 modern 613 #8,323
2000 modern 609 #8,347
2001 modern 574 #8,539
2002 modern 607 #8,387
2003 modern 589 #8,444
2004 modern 599 #8,361
2005 modern 591 #8,363
2006 modern 586 #8,431
2007 modern 593 #8,433
2008 modern 598 #8,437
2009 modern 626 #8,316
2010 modern 634 #8,412
2011 modern 608 #8,597
2012 modern 608 #8,522
2013 modern 606 #8,678
2014 modern 607 #8,721
2015 modern 606 #8,667
2016 modern 611 #8,591

Geography

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Where Leicesters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Warrington. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) Cheshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Warrington 020 Warrington
2 Warrington 011 Warrington
3 Warrington 017 Warrington
4 Warrington 006 Warrington
5 Warrington 008 Warrington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leicester

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leicester

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Leicester surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Leicester household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Leicester is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leicester 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

Leicester falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Leicester is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Leicester

The surname LEICESTER originated in England, deriving from the county and city of Leicester. It likely emerged as a locational surname during the medieval period, indicating that the original bearer hailed from or resided in the area known as Leicester.

The name Leicester itself has Anglo-Saxon roots, stemming from the combination of the Old English words "Legor" (meaning "dwellers on the") and "ceaster" (a Roman fortified town or camp). Thus, the name signifies "the dwellers at the Roman town."

Leicester is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early record suggests that the surname LEICESTER was already in use by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing this surname was Robert de Leicester, a 12th-century English nobleman who held the title of Earl of Leicester. He lived from around 1104 to 1168 and was a prominent figure during the reign of King Stephen.

Another notable bearer of the LEICESTER surname was Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, who lived from 1208 to 1265. He played a significant role in the baronial revolt against King Henry III and is remembered for his contributions to the development of parliamentary democracy in England.

In the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer, the renowned English poet and author of "The Canterbury Tales," included a character named Sir Ralph Leicester in his work "The Squire's Tale."

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (1532-1588), was a prominent courtier and favorite of the Queen. He was a skilled military commander and played a crucial role in suppressing the Northern Rebellion in 1569.

John Leicester, a 17th-century English merchant and traveler, is known for his accounts of his journeys to countries like Syria and Turkey. His detailed writings provided valuable insights into the cultures and societies of the regions he visited.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leicester families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leicester 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. Lancashire leads with 275 Leicesters recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.53x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 275 3.53x
Cheshire 185 12.77x
Middlesex 50 0.76x
Surrey 47 1.47x
Hampshire 18 1.34x
Warwickshire 14 0.85x
Staffordshire 12 0.54x
Kent 8 0.36x
Worcestershire 8 0.93x
Yorkshire 8 0.12x
Gloucestershire 7 0.54x
Lincolnshire 7 0.67x
Caernarfonshire 5 1.88x
Westmorland 5 3.47x
Leicestershire 4 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.72x
Somerset 2 0.19x
Suffolk 2 0.25x
Bedfordshire 1 0.29x
Durham 1 0.05x
Essex 1 0.08x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x
Herefordshire 1 0.37x
Midlothian 1 0.11x
Northamptonshire 1 0.16x
Northumberland 1 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x
Oxfordshire 1 0.25x
Royal Navy 1 1.28x
Shropshire 1 0.18x
Wiltshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 37 Leicesters recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.90x.

Place Total Index
Everton 37 14.90x
Manchester 31 8.85x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 31 240.31x
Warrington 26 28.15x
Barnton 23 664.74x
Oldham 21 8.35x
Chelsea London 19 9.60x
Lambeth 18 3.14x
Liverpool 15 3.17x
Macclesfield 14 21.74x
Liscard 13 49.79x
Sutton 12 45.92x
Birmingham 11 1.99x
Battersea 10 4.14x
Salford 10 4.36x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 7.57x
Gorton 9 12.29x
Walton On Hill 9 21.33x
Great Budworth 8 311.28x
St Anne Soho London 8 21.34x
Tabley Superior 8 784.31x
Timperley 8 158.73x
Higher Bebington 7 75.43x
Openshaw 7 19.19x
St Swithin Lincoln 7 42.42x
Tranmere 7 13.14x
Westbury On Trym 7 16.05x
Brading 6 33.56x
Camberwell 6 1.43x
Kensington London 6 1.64x
Knutsford Nether 6 68.49x
Latchford 6 62.31x
Lostock Gralam 6 342.86x
North Meols 6 7.87x
Blackburn 5 2.41x
Burslem 5 7.88x
Chadderton 5 13.13x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 4.04x
Grasmere 5 301.20x
Middleton In Oldham 5 21.40x
Newton 5 8.33x
Pendleton In Salford 5 5.39x
Peover Inferior 5 2000.00x
Portsmouth 5 16.14x
St Marylebone London 5 1.43x
Stretford 5 11.67x
Worcester St Helen 5 182.48x
Ardwick 4 5.69x
Aughton 4 51.88x
Cheetham 4 6.88x
Garston 4 17.40x
Hulme 4 2.46x
Plumbley 4 487.80x
Reddish 4 37.28x
Tonge 4 24.48x
Ventnor 4 31.25x
Dudley 3 2.88x
Greenwich 3 2.87x
Llanfair Fechan 3 65.36x
Monks Coppenhall 3 5.49x
Northenden 3 113.64x
Odd Rode 3 41.78x
Paddington London 3 1.24x
Stockport 3 4.02x
Toxteth Park 3 1.14x
Widnes 3 5.34x
Ackworth 2 40.00x
Appleton 2 60.98x
Barrow In Furness 2 1.89x
Birkenhead 2 1.73x
Bramhall 2 33.33x
Ince In Makerfield 2 5.52x
Leicester St Leonard 2 29.03x
Lowestoft 2 5.30x
Mobberley 2 60.42x
Northwich 2 86.58x
Parr 2 7.18x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 2 12.00x
St Clement Danes London 2 14.72x
Turton 2 15.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Sarah 28
Elizabeth 27
Ellen 14
Ann 12
Eliza 11
Jane 9
Margaret 9
Martha 9
Annie 8
Emily 8
Emma 8
Hannah 7
Louisa 7
Edith 5
Florence 5
Susan 5
Alice 4
Amy 4
Ada 3
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Frances 3
Gertrude 3
Harriett 3
Maria 3
Phoebe 3
Betty 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Constance 2
Dorothy 2
Elenore 2
Elizth. 2
Fanny 2
Francis 2
Harriet 2
Jessie 2
Lillian 2
M.A. 2
Marion 2
Nancy 2
Nelly 2
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Effie 1
Elibabth. 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 36
Thomas 30
William 30
Joseph 25
James 22
Charles 20
George 13
Alfred 11
Peter 10
Samuel 9
Henry 8
Edwin 7
Frederick 7
Harry 6
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
Herbert 3
Mark 3
Percy 3
England 2
Enock 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Philip 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Adam 1
Chas. 1
Darien 1
David 1
E. 1
Fredericks 1
Fredk. 1
G.H. 1
Gerald 1
H. 1
Hamilton 1
Jas.B. 1
Job 1
Leonard 1
Martin 1
Milner 1
Morton 1
Nathaniel 1
Oswald 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Leicester surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leicester surname in 1881?

In 1881, 676 people were recorded with the Leicester surname. That placed it at #5,331 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leicester surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016. That gives Leicester a modern rank of #8,591.

What does the Leicester surname mean?

A surname originating from the city of Leicester in England.

What does the Leicester map show?

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