NameCensus.

UK surname

Lemay

A French toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "the may," likely referring to a hawthorn tree.

In the 1881 census there were 99 people recorded with the Lemay surname, ranking it #19,877 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 235, ranked #17,530, up from #19,877 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Skye North West and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lemay is 250 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 137.4%.

1881 census count

99

Ranked #19,877

Modern count

235

2016, ranked #17,530

Peak year

2014

250 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lemay had 99 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,877 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 235 in 2016, ranked #17,530.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 196 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Lemay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lemay surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lemay 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 46 #28,170
1881 historical 99 #19,877
1891 historical 133 #19,870
1901 historical 159 #17,442
1911 historical 196 #15,150
1997 modern 221 #16,565
1998 modern 226 #16,800
1999 modern 223 #17,025
2000 modern 237 #16,331
2001 modern 224 #16,716
2002 modern 218 #17,338
2003 modern 213 #17,395
2004 modern 215 #17,384
2005 modern 214 #17,378
2006 modern 207 #17,892
2007 modern 214 #17,688
2008 modern 226 #17,238
2009 modern 236 #17,103
2010 modern 245 #17,013
2011 modern 248 #16,735
2012 modern 237 #17,132
2013 modern 249 #16,825
2014 modern 250 #16,905
2015 modern 247 #16,941
2016 modern 235 #17,530

Geography

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Where Lemays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney, Beckenham and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Skye North West, South Norfolk, Paisley North East and Rushmoor. 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 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
4 Beckenham Kent
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 014 Westminster
2 Skye North West Highland
3 South Norfolk 001 South Norfolk
4 Paisley North East Renfrewshire
5 Rushmoor 007 Rushmoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lemay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lemay

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Lemay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lemay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Lemay is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lemay is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Lemay

The surname LEMAY originated in France, deriving from the French words "le" meaning "the" and "mai" meaning "May." The name likely referred to someone born or associated with the month of May, possibly due to a birth or significant event occurring during that time.

The earliest recorded instances of the LEMAY surname can be traced back to the 12th century in the region of Normandy, France. It appears in various medieval records and documents, occasionally spelled as "Le May" or "Lemay."

In the 13th century, the name LEMAY was mentioned in the Rolls of Parliament of England, indicating that individuals bearing this surname had established a presence in England during that period.

One notable early bearer of the LEMAY surname was Jean LEMAY, a French soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) and was recorded in military chronicles from the late 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the LEMAY name spread across various regions of France, including Brittany, Île-de-France, and Burgundy. Some LEMAY families were also found in the Channel Islands, which were historically tied to the Duchy of Normandy.

In the 18th century, Jacques LEMAY (1701-1779), a French-Canadian explorer and fur trader, played a significant role in the exploration and mapping of the Great Lakes region in North America.

Another prominent figure with the LEMAY surname was Léon LEMAY (1835-1918), a French architect and engineer who designed several iconic buildings in Paris, including the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais.

In the 20th century, the LEMAY name gained further recognition with individuals like Paul LEMAY (1904-1988), a renowned Canadian author and literary critic, and François LEMAY (1928-2008), a Quebec businessman and philanthropist.

The LEMAY surname has also been associated with several place names in France, such as Le May-sur-Èvre, a commune in the Pays de la Loire region, and Le May, a hamlet in the commune of Blainville-sur-Mer in Normandy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lemay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lemay 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 33 Lemays recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.05x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 33 5.05x
Renfrewshire 11 21.72x
Essex 9 6.98x
Surrey 7 2.20x
Herefordshire 3 11.19x
Channel Islands 2 10.33x
Wiltshire 1 1.73x
Worcestershire 1 1.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 21 Lemays recorded in 1881 and an index of 73.97x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 21 73.97x
Paisley High Church 11 272.95x
Hackney London 6 16.38x
Shoreditch London 5 17.65x
Camberwell 4 9.58x
West Ham 4 14.04x
Woodford 4 273.97x
Hereford All Sts 3 243.90x
Newington 3 12.43x
St Helier 2 31.75x
Chadwell St Mary 1 769.23x
Melksham 1 100.00x
Mile End Old Town London 1 7.19x
Stanford On Teme 1 3333.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 5
Maria 3
Mary 3
Eliza 2
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Catholine 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Lavinia 1
Lilian 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Lemay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lemay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 99 people were recorded with the Lemay surname. That placed it at #19,877 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lemay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 235 in 2016. That gives Lemay a modern rank of #17,530.

What does the Lemay surname mean?

A French toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "the may," likely referring to a hawthorn tree.

What does the Lemay map show?

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