NameCensus.

UK surname

Leithead

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a place with a slope of ground or a hillside.

In the 1881 census there were 253 people recorded with the Leithead surname, ranking it #10,980 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 170, ranked #21,801, down from #10,980 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Melrose, Hawick and Wilton and Selkirk. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hawick West End, Hawick Central and Hawick North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leithead is 261 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.8%.

1881 census count

253

Ranked #10,980

Modern count

170

2016, ranked #21,801

Peak year

1901

261 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leithead had 253 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,980 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016, ranked #21,801.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 261 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Leithead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leithead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leithead 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 157 #12,504
1861 historical 169 #13,823
1881 historical 253 #10,980
1891 historical 259 #12,399
1901 historical 261 #12,775
1911 historical 116 #20,850
1997 modern 193 #18,035
1998 modern 196 #18,342
1999 modern 196 #18,464
2000 modern 189 #18,860
2001 modern 186 #18,773
2002 modern 188 #19,012
2003 modern 178 #19,489
2004 modern 180 #19,424
2005 modern 174 #19,783
2006 modern 179 #19,592
2007 modern 184 #19,485
2008 modern 181 #19,875
2009 modern 184 #20,079
2010 modern 185 #20,453
2011 modern 183 #20,425
2012 modern 173 #21,135
2013 modern 174 #21,401
2014 modern 170 #21,914
2015 modern 168 #21,971
2016 modern 170 #21,801

Geography

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Where Leitheads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Melrose, Hawick and Wilton, Selkirk, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hawick West End, Hawick Central, Hawick North, South Tyneside and Denholm and Hermitage. 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 Melrose Roxburgh
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Selkirk Selkirk
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hawick West End Scottish Borders
2 Hawick Central Scottish Borders
3 Hawick North Scottish Borders
4 South Tyneside 013 South Tyneside
5 Denholm and Hermitage Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leithead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leithead

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Leithead surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Leithead household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Leithead 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

Leithead 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

Leithead falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Leithead 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 Leithead, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Leithead

The surname Leithead originated in Scotland and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "leth" meaning "half" and "ceann" meaning "head" or "hill". This suggests the name may have referred to someone who lived on a hillside or near a prominent hill.

The earliest known recording of the Leithead name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homages made to King Edward I of England. This document mentions a John de Lethede from Berwickshire, Scotland.

In the 14th century, various spellings of the name appeared in records such as Lethedde, Lethede, and Leithheid. These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and the differences in dialect across Scotland.

The Leithead name is also associated with several place names in Scotland, including Leithead Farm in Aberdeenshire and Leithead Hill in Dumfries and Galloway. These locations may have been named after early bearers of the surname or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the Leithead surname include:

1. William Leithead (1605-1677), a Scottish clergyman and author who wrote "The Covenant of Grace Opened" in 1644. 2. John Leithead (1730-1795), a Scottish merchant and landowner who owned estates in Lanarkshire. 3. Robert Leithead (1810-1888), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who led expeditions in South Australia and Western Australia. 4. Archibald Leithead (1859-1923), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. 5. William Leithead (1879-1950), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.

The Leithead surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Scotland, with bearers of the name leaving their mark in various fields across multiple centuries and countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leithead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leithead 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. Roxburghshire leads with 81 Leitheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 184.85x.

County Total Index
Roxburghshire 81 184.85x
Durham 42 5.84x
Selkirkshire 40 182.73x
Midlothian 23 7.10x
Northumberland 17 4.72x
Lanarkshire 12 1.53x
Berwickshire 9 30.72x
Dumfriesshire 7 13.10x
Lancashire 7 0.24x
Cheshire 6 1.12x
Peeblesshire 2 17.57x
Shropshire 1 0.48x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hawick in Roxburghshire leads with 61 Leitheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 621.81x.

Place Total Index
Hawick 61 621.81x
Selkirk 25 405.19x
Bishopwearmouth 22 35.61x
Wilton 17 353.43x
South Leith 12 32.90x
Witton Le Wear 10 490.20x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 6.14x
Glasgow 8 5.76x
Yarrow 8 1509.43x
Liverpool 6 3.44x
Melrose 6 108.89x
Chester St Michael 5 793.65x
Elswick 5 17.40x
Langholm 5 130.21x
Stranton 5 20.64x
Whitsome 5 1086.96x
Berwick Upon Tweed 4 52.42x
Wallsend 4 35.03x
Govan 3 1.55x
Langton 3 714.29x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 21.35x
Stow 3 179.64x
Innerleithen 2 66.23x
Monkwearmouth 2 29.03x
Morpeth 2 47.28x
Ancrum 1 87.72x
Barony 1 0.51x
Byker 1 5.62x
Cavers 1 90.91x
Chester St Peter St 1 175.44x
Chirnside 1 79.37x
Chirton 1 12.27x
Dumfries 1 18.98x
Everton 1 1.09x
Galashiels 1 12.36x
Market Weighton Arras 1 64.10x
Melrose 1 26.39x
Moffat 1 40.98x
Oswestry Town 1 14.95x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
Thomas 5
Andrew 4
George 3
James 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
William 2
Arron 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Ralph 1
Robt. 1

FAQ

Leithead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leithead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 253 people were recorded with the Leithead surname. That placed it at #10,980 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leithead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 170 in 2016. That gives Leithead a modern rank of #21,801.

What does the Leithead surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a place with a slope of ground or a hillside.

What does the Leithead map show?

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