NameCensus.

UK surname

Leite

A Portuguese surname derived from the word "leite," meaning "milk," likely referring to a dairy farmer or seller.

In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Leite surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 245, ranked #17,049, up from #30,872 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Breckland and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leite is 245 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1189.5%.

1881 census count

19

Ranked #30,872

Modern count

245

2016, ranked #17,049

Peak year

2016

245 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leite had 19 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,872 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 245 in 2016, ranked #17,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 31 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Leite surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leite surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leite 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 3 #32,890
1861 historical 23 #31,039
1881 historical 19 #30,872
1891 historical 31 #31,820
1901 historical 31 #30,616
1911 historical 18 #31,542
1997 modern 32 #34,472
1998 modern 36 #34,246
1999 modern 45 #33,511
2000 modern 46 #33,458
2001 modern 47 #33,219
2002 modern 67 #31,723
2003 modern 67 #31,796
2004 modern 84 #30,244
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 133 #24,059
2008 modern 147 #22,720
2009 modern 162 #21,791
2010 modern 189 #20,171
2011 modern 180 #20,649
2012 modern 202 #19,084
2013 modern 213 #18,743
2014 modern 234 #17,662
2015 modern 238 #17,378
2016 modern 245 #17,049

Geography

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Where Leites are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, Breckland, Hambleton, Stroud and Rugby. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 004 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Breckland 016 Breckland
3 Hambleton 004 Hambleton
4 Stroud 014 Stroud
5 Rugby 006 Rugby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leite

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leite

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Leite surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Leite 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Leite is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leite is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Leite 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 Leite 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Leite

The surname Leite originated in Portugal during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Portuguese word "leite," meaning milk. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked with dairy products or lived near a dairy farm.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts in Portugal, with spellings like "Leyte" and "Leyte." The earliest known bearer of the name was João Leite, who was mentioned in a land grant document from the year 1275.

During the Age of Exploration in the 15th and 16th centuries, many Portuguese settlers and explorers bearing the surname Leite traveled to various parts of the world, including Brazil, Africa, and Asia. One notable figure was Duarte Leite, a Portuguese navigator and explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his historic voyage to India in 1498.

In the 17th century, the name Leite was associated with several prominent individuals in Portugal. For example, Manuel Leite de Vasconcelos (1608-1696) was a Portuguese nobleman and military officer who served as the Governor of Pernambuco in Brazil.

Another notable bearer of the name was Father António Leite (1691-1758), a Jesuit missionary and linguist who worked in Brazil and wrote extensively on the indigenous languages of the region.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Leite surname was found in various parts of the Portuguese Empire, including Brazil, Mozambique, and Goa. One well-known figure was José Leite de Vasconcelos (1858-1941), a Portuguese philologist and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of Portuguese literature and culture.

In the 20th century, the name Leite continued to be prevalent in Portugal and its former colonies. One notable individual was Álvaro Cunhal (1913-2005), a Portuguese communist leader whose birth name was Álvaro Rodrigues Leite. He played a crucial role in the Portuguese resistance against the Estado Novo regime.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leite families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leite 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 7 Leites recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.19x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 7 3.19x
Devon 3 7.78x
Hertfordshire 3 23.49x
Middlesex 3 1.62x
Derbyshire 1 3.45x
Surrey 1 1.11x
Warwickshire 1 2.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ardwick in Lancashire leads with 4 Leites recorded in 1881 and an index of 202.02x.

Place Total Index
Ardwick 4 202.02x
Exeter St David 3 909.09x
Therfield 3 4285.71x
Withington 3 422.54x
Eckington 1 142.86x
Edgbaston 1 68.97x
Kensington London 1 9.71x
Putney 1 119.05x
St Luke London 1 33.67x
St Marylebone London 1 10.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 1
Eva 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Orisia 1
Sophie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Arsenio 2
Adolphus 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Francisco 1
Hubert 1
Joaquim 1
Mason 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Leite surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leite surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Leite surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leite surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 245 in 2016. That gives Leite a modern rank of #17,049.

What does the Leite surname mean?

A Portuguese surname derived from the word "leite," meaning "milk," likely referring to a dairy farmer or seller.

What does the Leite map show?

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