NameCensus.

UK surname

Lemaitre

A French surname meaning "the master", possibly referring to a master craftsman or leader.

In the 1881 census there were 51 people recorded with the Lemaitre surname, ranking it #26,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 167, ranked #22,055, up from #26,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Willesden and Hornsey St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Wiltshire and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lemaitre is 168 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 227.5%.

1881 census count

51

Ranked #26,428

Modern count

167

2016, ranked #22,055

Peak year

2014

168 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lemaitre had 51 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016, ranked #22,055.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 116 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lemaitre surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lemaitre surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Lemaitre 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 29 #28,082
1861 historical 31 #30,058
1881 historical 51 #26,428
1891 historical 60 #29,204
1901 historical 78 #25,500
1911 historical 116 #20,850
1997 modern 150 #21,119
1998 modern 151 #21,578
1999 modern 151 #21,740
2000 modern 153 #21,520
2001 modern 154 #21,122
2002 modern 157 #21,261
2003 modern 143 #22,367
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 139 #22,887
2006 modern 146 #22,320
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 150 #22,429
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 162 #22,292
2011 modern 160 #22,282
2012 modern 161 #22,157
2013 modern 164 #22,236
2014 modern 168 #22,075
2015 modern 168 #21,971
2016 modern 167 #22,055

Geography

Back to top

Where Lemaitres are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Willesden, Hornsey St Mary and St Luke. 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, Wiltshire, Swindon, Cotswold and Vale of White Horse. 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 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Hornsey St Mary Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Luke London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 001 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Wiltshire 004 Wiltshire
3 Swindon 004 Swindon
4 Cotswold 001 Cotswold
5 Vale of White Horse 007 Vale of White Horse

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Lemaitre

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Lemaitre

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Lemaitre surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lemaitre 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Lemaitre 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

Lemaitre 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

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

Meaning and origin of Lemaitre

The surname Lemaitre is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "maistre" meaning "master" or "teacher". It emerged in the 11th century as a descriptive surname for someone who held a position of authority or taught a skill or profession.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 12th century in various regions of northern France, including Normandy, Picardy, and Île-de-France. It was often associated with families of moderate means or members of the educated class, such as clergymen or teachers.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in the records of the Duchy of Normandy, with mentions of individuals such as Raoul Lemaistre and Jehan Lemaistre. During this period, the name also began to spread to other parts of France, including the regions of Brittany and Anjou.

One of the earliest prominent figures bearing the name was Nicolas Lemaitre (c. 1350-1420), a French theologian and Chancellor of the University of Paris. He played a significant role in the Council of Constance, which aimed to resolve the Western Schism in the Catholic Church.

Another notable Lemaitre was Antoine Lemaistre (1608-1658), a French lawyer and jurist who served as the First President of the Parlement of Paris, one of the most influential judicial bodies in France at the time.

In the 17th century, the surname gained further prominence with the birth of Jean Lemaitre (1615-1681), a French playwright and poet who was a member of the Académie Française. His works, which included tragedies and comedies, were influential in the development of French theatre.

During the 18th century, the name was associated with the Lemaitre family of Rouen, a prominent merchant and banking dynasty that played a significant role in the economic life of Normandy. Notable members included Jacques Lemaitre (1701-1778), a successful merchant and philanthropist.

One of the most renowned individuals with the surname Lemaitre was the Belgian priest and cosmologist Georges Lemaître (1894-1966), who proposed the theory of the expansion of the universe, laying the groundwork for the modern Big Bang theory in cosmology.

Throughout its history, the surname Lemaitre has been associated with various professions, from scholars and intellectuals to merchants and artisans, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this name across different regions of France and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Lemaitre families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lemaitre 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. Middlesex leads with 21 Lemaitres recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.98x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 21 5.98x
Gloucestershire 8 11.62x
Isle of Man 5 76.69x
Lanarkshire 1 0.88x
Surrey 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cirencester in Gloucestershire leads with 8 Lemaitres recorded in 1881 and an index of 860.22x.

Place Total Index
Cirencester 8 860.22x
Twickenham 7 463.58x
Andreas 5 2777.78x
Islington London 5 14.69x
Chelsea London 3 28.36x
St George In East London 3 90.91x
Clerkenwell London 2 24.13x
Glasgow 1 4.96x
Hornsey 1 22.52x
Kingston On Thames 1 24.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Bessie 1
C. 1
Cathrine 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Elsie 1
Esther 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Georginor 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Mahala 1
Margret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alfred 2
Charles 2
George 2
Walter 2
William 2
Francois 1
Frank 1
Herbert 1
Hillary 1
Hurbert 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
T. 1
Theodore 1
W.H. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lemaitre surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lemaitre surname in 1881?

In 1881, 51 people were recorded with the Lemaitre surname. That placed it at #26,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lemaitre surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016. That gives Lemaitre a modern rank of #22,055.

What does the Lemaitre surname mean?

A French surname meaning "the master", possibly referring to a master craftsman or leader.

What does the Lemaitre map show?

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