NameCensus.

UK surname

Leman

A surname derived from the French for "seaman" or "sailor."

In the 1881 census there were 468 people recorded with the Leman surname, ranking it #7,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 320, ranked #14,096, down from #7,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to King's Lynn St Margaret, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tunbridge Wells, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leman is 515 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 31.6%.

1881 census count

468

Ranked #7,114

Modern count

320

2016, ranked #14,096

Peak year

1901

515 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leman had 468 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 320 in 2016, ranked #14,096.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 515 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Leman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leman 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 396 #6,083
1861 historical 379 #6,739
1881 historical 468 #7,114
1891 historical 476 #7,720
1901 historical 515 #7,878
1911 historical 490 #7,943
1997 modern 304 #13,409
1998 modern 299 #13,908
1999 modern 302 #13,895
2000 modern 297 #14,008
2001 modern 283 #14,247
2002 modern 289 #14,341
2003 modern 295 #13,964
2004 modern 288 #14,254
2005 modern 280 #14,452
2006 modern 273 #14,804
2007 modern 274 #14,932
2008 modern 293 #14,364
2009 modern 295 #14,594
2010 modern 312 #14,314
2011 modern 315 #14,131
2012 modern 316 #13,994
2013 modern 323 #14,003
2014 modern 330 #13,889
2015 modern 327 #13,871
2016 modern 320 #14,096

Geography

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Where Lemans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around King's Lynn St Margaret, London parishes, Manchester, St Matthew Bethnal Green and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tunbridge Wells, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, North Somerset and Bradford. 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 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tunbridge Wells 004 Tunbridge Wells
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 012 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 North Somerset 010 North Somerset
4 Bradford 010 Bradford
5 North Somerset 011 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leman

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Leman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Leman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Leman is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Leman 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

Leman 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 Leman 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Leman

The surname LEMAN finds its origins in the Old French language, deriving from the word "l'homme," which translates to "the man." This name emerged during the Middle Ages in France, around the 11th century.

Initially, LEMAN was a descriptive surname, likely given to someone of notable stature or prominence within their community. It may have been bestowed upon a respected leader, a landowner, or an individual who held a position of authority.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LEMAN surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landowners and tenants in England following the Norman Conquest. The record mentions a "William Leman" as a tenant in the county of Essex.

As the name spread across Europe, it took on various spellings and variations, such as Lehman, Leeman, and Lemon. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in documentation.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the LEMAN surname. One such figure was Walter Leman (c. 1450-1504), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1499 until his death.

Another prominent LEMAN was Sir John Leman (1544-1612), a wealthy merchant and benefactor from Norfolk, England. He made significant charitable contributions, including funding the construction of a school and almshouses in the town of Beccles.

In the 17th century, Jacob Leman (1628-1681) was a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes depicting everyday life in the Netherlands.

The LEMAN name also has ties to geographical locations. For instance, the village of Leman in Normandy, France, likely derived its name from the surname, indicating a possible place of origin for some LEMAN families.

Another notable figure was Benjamin Leman (1770-1835), an English Quaker and philanthropist who advocated for the abolition of slavery and supported various social reform movements.

While the LEMAN surname may have originated in France, it has since spread across Europe and beyond, with families bearing this name found in countries like England, Germany, the Netherlands, and even the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leman 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 100 Lemans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.23x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 100 2.23x
Norfolk 60 8.72x
Surrey 39 1.79x
Kent 31 2.03x
Lancashire 27 0.51x
Essex 26 2.94x
Yorkshire 25 0.56x
Suffolk 24 4.40x
Devon 21 2.25x
Nottinghamshire 21 3.48x
Lincolnshire 12 1.68x
Somerset 12 1.67x
Hertfordshire 10 3.24x
Oxfordshire 8 2.89x
Cambridgeshire 7 2.47x
Glamorgan 7 0.90x
Sussex 7 0.93x
Banffshire 5 5.38x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.48x
Berkshire 2 0.60x
Gloucestershire 2 0.23x
Hampshire 2 0.22x
Leicestershire 2 0.40x
Midlothian 2 0.33x
Ayrshire 1 0.30x
Derbyshire 1 0.14x
Durham 1 0.08x
Northumberland 1 0.15x
Warwickshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Ham in Essex leads with 18 Lemans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.22x.

Place Total Index
West Ham 18 9.22x
Broughton In Salford 13 26.76x
Great Yarmouth 13 22.80x
Mile End Old Town London 13 13.64x
Ilketshall St Andrew 12 1666.67x
Nottingham St Mary 12 7.69x
Bethnal Green London 11 5.66x
Bramley In Bramley 11 64.78x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 11 53.22x
Paddington London 11 6.68x
Frindsbury 10 173.61x
Horton In Bradford 9 12.99x
Isleworth 9 45.20x
Islington London 9 2.07x
Welwyn 9 337.08x
Camberwell 8 2.80x
Chipping Norton 8 125.20x
Heigham 8 21.65x
St Pancras London 8 2.22x
Lambeth 7 1.79x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 7 156.60x
Radford Lenton 7 466.67x
St Andrewthe Less 7 21.60x
St George Hanover Square 7 8.87x
Croydon 6 4.95x
Irby In Marsh 6 2222.22x
Kingston On Thames 6 11.45x
Lidford 6 143.20x
Llandaff 6 23.13x
Ramsgate 6 24.06x
South Lynn 6 77.22x
St Marylebone London 6 2.51x
Bow London 5 8.77x
East Dereham 5 57.47x
Great Grimsby 5 11.00x
Keith 5 50.51x
Lowestoft 5 19.41x
Newton Abbot St Mary 5 63.94x
Hanwell 4 50.38x
Hindolveston 4 396.04x
Putney 4 19.60x
Taunton St Mary 4 30.23x
Uffculme 4 143.88x
Walthamstow 4 12.57x
Bermondsey 3 2.25x
Brampton 3 652.17x
Bury 3 4.94x
Canterbury St Mary 3 29.27x
Chard 3 34.36x
Folkestone 3 10.12x
Hackney London 3 1.20x
Kentisbeare 3 234.38x
Liverpool 3 0.93x
Salford 3 1.92x
Toxteth Park 3 1.67x
Batheaston 2 80.97x
Bradford 2 1.86x
Bungay St Mary 2 74.07x
Burghfield 2 100.50x
Chillington 2 571.43x
Ditton 2 392.16x
Hastings Holy Trinity 2 35.97x
Hastings St Mary 2 10.64x
Kensington London 2 0.80x
Leicester St Margaret 2 1.65x
Maidstone 2 4.40x
Norwich St Benedict 2 65.15x
Old Artillery Ground 2 51.95x
Penicuik 2 24.54x
Peterhead 2 9.12x
Portsea 2 1.11x
Ratcliffe Upon Trent 2 132.45x
Sittingbourne 2 16.58x
Spitalfields London 2 5.94x
Stoke Newington London 2 5.74x
Godalming 1 7.28x
Harbledown 1 90.91x
Shipdham 1 42.74x
Tonbridge 1 1.81x
Westbury On Trym 1 3.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 23
George 16
Thomas 16
William 14
James 12
Henry 11
Edward 10
Robert 9
Frederick 8
Charles 5
Alfred 4
Wm. 4
Arthur 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Ernest 2
Gerard 2
Harry 2
Henery 2
Joseph 2
Leonard 2
Lewis 2
Victor 2
Walter 2
Barnabas 1
David 1
Degoulyhan 1
Donald 1
Edgar 1
Emrick 1
Ern. 1
Ferdinand 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Geo.B. 1
Geo.Ed. 1
Harold 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Hy.Abraham 1
I. 1
Isaac 1
Jackson 1
Jas.Saml. 1
Jno. 1
Jno.Alf. 1
Jos.Wm. 1

FAQ

Leman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 468 people were recorded with the Leman surname. That placed it at #7,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 320 in 2016. That gives Leman a modern rank of #14,096.

What does the Leman surname mean?

A surname derived from the French for "seaman" or "sailor."

What does the Leman map show?

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