NameCensus.

UK surname

Leiper

A habitational surname referring to a Scottish person from the town of Leiper.

In the 1881 census there were 693 people recorded with the Leiper surname, ranking it #5,229 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,045, ranked #5,584, down from #5,229 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stonehouse, Torosay and Kinlochspervie and Dunnotter. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torry West, Stockethill and Stonehaven North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leiper is 1,045 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.8%.

1881 census count

693

Ranked #5,229

Modern count

1,045

2016, ranked #5,584

Peak year

2016

1,045 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leiper had 693 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,229 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,045 in 2016, ranked #5,584.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 866 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Leiper surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leiper surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Leiper 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 342 #6,879
1861 historical 409 #6,283
1881 historical 693 #5,229
1891 historical 751 #5,305
1901 historical 866 #5,290
1911 historical 96 #23,193
1997 modern 1,019 #5,407
1998 modern 1,016 #5,610
1999 modern 1,005 #5,691
2000 modern 991 #5,728
2001 modern 974 #5,696
2002 modern 1,009 #5,650
2003 modern 985 #5,658
2004 modern 988 #5,654
2005 modern 998 #5,562
2006 modern 1,015 #5,492
2007 modern 997 #5,624
2008 modern 1,015 #5,583
2009 modern 1,027 #5,643
2010 modern 1,030 #5,735
2011 modern 1,020 #5,728
2012 modern 989 #5,791
2013 modern 1,003 #5,808
2014 modern 1,027 #5,727
2015 modern 1,039 #5,626
2016 modern 1,045 #5,584

Geography

Back to top

Where Leipers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stonehouse, Torosay and Kinlochspervie, Dunnotter, Nigg and Banchory-Devenick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torry West, Stockethill, Stonehaven North, Kincorth, Leggart and Nigg South and Stonehaven South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Stonehouse Lanark
2 Torosay and Kinlochspervie Argyll
3 Dunnotter Kincardine
4 Nigg Kincardine
5 Banchory-Devenick Kincardine

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torry West Aberdeen City
2 Stockethill Aberdeen City
3 Stonehaven North Aberdeenshire
4 Kincorth, Leggart and Nigg South Aberdeen City
5 Stonehaven South Aberdeenshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Leiper

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Leiper

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

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Leiper is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Leiper is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leiper 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 Leiper is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Leiper

The surname Leiper is of Scottish origin, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "leap," meaning a basket or creel used for catching fish or carrying loads. The name may have been adopted by someone who worked as a basket-maker or carrier.

In early records, the name appeared with various spellings, such as Leiper, Leyper, Lyper, and Leper. One of the earliest known mentions of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where a certain William Lepar is listed.

The name Leiper was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name are linked to place names like Leiper's Burn and Leiper's Land near Ayr.

One notable bearer of the name was John Leiper (1708-1789), a Scottish merchant and landowner from Ayrshire. He amassed a considerable fortune through trade and invested in several estates in the region.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Leiper (1745-1825), an American businessman and politician from Pennsylvania. He was involved in the Revolutionary War and later served as a member of the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

In the 19th century, William Leiper (1839-1916) was a renowned Scottish architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Glasgow, including the Templeton Carpet Factory and the Doulton Terracotta Works.

The name also has connections to the literary world through Andrew Leiper (1838-1926), a Scottish-Canadian author and educator who wrote extensively about Scottish history and culture.

Lastly, Sir Robert Leiper (1881-1969) was a distinguished Scottish doctor and parasitologist. He made significant contributions to the study of tropical diseases and served as the director of the London School of Tropical Medicine.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Leiper families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leiper 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. Kincardineshire leads with 325 Leipers recorded in 1881 and an index of 397.65x.

County Total Index
Kincardineshire 325 397.65x
Lanarkshire 189 8.71x
Aberdeenshire 90 14.48x
Ayrshire 29 5.77x
Northumberland 11 1.10x
Kirkcudbrightshire 10 10.29x
Dumfriesshire 6 4.05x
Banffshire 4 2.87x
Buteshire 4 9.84x
Durham 4 0.20x
Lancashire 3 0.04x
Middlesex 3 0.04x
Wigtownshire 3 3.37x
Angus 2 0.32x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.11x
Midlothian 1 0.11x
Renfrewshire 1 0.19x
Surrey 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Banchory Devenick in Kincardineshire leads with 145 Leipers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1900.39x.

Place Total Index
Banchory Devenick 145 1900.39x
Dunnottar 91 1582.61x
Nigg 55 813.61x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 54 46.44x
Avondale 35 275.81x
Barony 31 5.64x
Govan 28 5.22x
Stonehouse 24 326.09x
Fetteresso 20 156.13x
Aberdeen Old Machar 18 13.87x
Lesmahagow 18 78.43x
Glasgow 15 3.89x
Douglas 14 223.64x
Kilmarnock 14 23.42x
Cambusnethan 10 20.74x
Carluke 10 50.74x
Colmonell 10 198.02x
Kincardine O Neil 10 225.23x
Balmaclellan 9 416.67x
Tweedmouth 8 64.26x
Kinneff Catterline 7 304.35x
Laurencekirk 7 147.99x
Torthorwald 6 263.16x
Bishopwearmouth 4 2.33x
Keith 4 26.95x
Loudoun 4 33.11x
Rothesay 4 20.31x
Chiswick 3 8.18x
Old Luce 3 53.38x
Everton 2 0.79x
Glassford 2 59.88x
Heugh 2 277.78x
Huntly 2 19.78x
Row 2 8.57x
Skene 2 48.54x
Barr 1 72.46x
Caterham 1 6.92x
Dalserf 1 4.62x
Dundee 1 0.43x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.28x
Gartly 1 48.78x
Hamilton 1 1.65x
Kelton 1 12.53x
Liverpool 1 0.21x
Montrose 1 2.65x
Monymusk 1 37.59x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 1.93x
Newhills 1 7.86x
Paisley Middle Church 1 3.30x
Rhynie 1 38.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Jane 2
Ann 1
Eleanor 1
Jemima 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
Robert 3
William 3
Henry 1
John 1

FAQ

Leiper surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leiper surname in 1881?

In 1881, 693 people were recorded with the Leiper surname. That placed it at #5,229 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leiper surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,045 in 2016. That gives Leiper a modern rank of #5,584.

What does the Leiper surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to a Scottish person from the town of Leiper.

What does the Leiper map show?

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