NameCensus.

UK surname

Leon

A Spanish surname derived from the Latin word "leo," meaning "lion," likely referring to a brave or fierce person.

In the 1881 census there were 151 people recorded with the Leon surname, ranking it #15,419 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,011, ranked #5,754, up from #15,419 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Paddington and Roath. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bromley, Barnet and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Leon is 1,011 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 569.5%.

1881 census count

151

Ranked #15,419

Modern count

1,011

2016, ranked #5,754

Peak year

2016

1,011 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Leon had 151 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,419 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,011 in 2016, ranked #5,754.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 304 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Leon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Leon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Leon 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 93 #17,946
1861 historical 208 #11,642
1881 historical 151 #15,419
1891 historical 244 #12,983
1901 historical 258 #12,875
1911 historical 304 #11,342
1997 modern 704 #7,217
1998 modern 742 #7,161
1999 modern 756 #7,105
2000 modern 763 #7,016
2001 modern 720 #7,204
2002 modern 736 #7,212
2003 modern 721 #7,211
2004 modern 764 #6,930
2005 modern 774 #6,783
2006 modern 763 #6,890
2007 modern 782 #6,815
2008 modern 816 #6,629
2009 modern 875 #6,413
2010 modern 910 #6,335
2011 modern 891 #6,364
2012 modern 930 #6,093
2013 modern 963 #6,010
2014 modern 974 #5,989
2015 modern 985 #5,886
2016 modern 1,011 #5,754

Geography

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Where Leons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Paddington, Roath and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bromley, Barnet, Hounslow and Westminster. 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 Paddington London (West Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Roath Glamorganshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bromley 007 Bromley
2 Barnet 020 Barnet
3 Hounslow 022 Hounslow
4 Westminster 004 Westminster
5 Westminster 011 Westminster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Leon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Leon

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

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Leon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Leon 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 never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

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, Leon 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

Leon 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

Leon falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Leon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Leon

The surname Leon originated in Spain and is derived from the Latin name Leo, meaning "lion". It has its roots in the ancient Roman Empire, where the lion was a symbol of strength and courage. The name Leon likely emerged during the Visigothic Kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, which lasted from the 5th to the 8th century.

During the Reconquista, the period when Christian kingdoms gradually regained control of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors, Leon became a prominent name associated with nobility and military prowess. The Kingdom of Leon, established in the 10th century, played a pivotal role in this period, and the name Leon gained significance as a symbol of power and resistance against the Moorish rulers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Leon can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a medieval manuscript from the 14th century that documented landholdings and privileges in Castile. The document mentions individuals with the surname Leon, indicating its widespread use during that time.

The name Leon has also been associated with various place names across Spain, such as Leon, a city in the northwestern region of the country, and the province of the same name. These place names likely derived from the surname, reflecting the influence and presence of families bearing the name in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the surname Leon:

1. Antonio de León Pinelo (1589-1660), a Spanish scholar and colonial administrator in the Americas. 2. Fray Luis de León (1527-1591), a Spanish poet and theologian known for his contributions to the Spanish Renaissance literature. 3. Diego de León (c. 1500-1569), a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés. 4. Ponce de León (c. 1460-1521), a Spanish explorer and conquistador famous for leading the first European expedition to Florida and his search for the mythical Fountain of Youth. 5. Alfonso X of Castile, also known as Alfonso the Wise (1221-1284), was a renowned king of Castile and Leon who patronized scholars and poets, contributing significantly to the development of the Castilian language and literature.

The surname Leon has a rich and enduring history, deeply rooted in the Iberian Peninsula and intertwined with the events that shaped the region's cultural and political landscapes over centuries. Its association with strength, nobility, and resistance against foreign rule has made it a prominent and respected name throughout Spain and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Leon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Leon 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 52 Leons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.31x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 52 3.31x
Glamorgan 15 5.49x
Lancashire 15 0.80x
Surrey 14 1.83x
Suffolk 12 6.27x
Cornwall 9 5.06x
Channel Islands 8 17.19x
Lanarkshire 8 1.58x
Somerset 7 2.77x
Norfolk 4 1.66x
Kent 3 0.56x
Buckinghamshire 2 2.11x
Staffordshire 2 0.38x
Sussex 2 0.76x
Berkshire 1 0.85x
Cardiganshire 1 2.61x
Derbyshire 1 0.41x
Devon 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 5.34x
Warwickshire 1 0.25x
Worcestershire 1 0.49x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Roath in Glamorgan leads with 12 Leons recorded in 1881 and an index of 96.62x.

Place Total Index
Roath 12 96.62x
Paddington London 9 15.58x
St Marylebone London 8 9.54x
Benhall 7 2121.21x
Crowan 7 496.45x
Hammersmith London 7 18.09x
Lyncombe Widcombe 7 105.74x
Newton 7 48.75x
Battersea 6 10.38x
Lesmahagow 5 93.11x
St Pancras London 5 3.96x
Gillingham 4 1666.67x
Lambeth 4 2.92x
Liverpool 4 3.53x
St Saviour 4 155.64x
Barony 3 2.33x
Briton Ferry 3 92.02x
Bungay Holy Trinity 3 306.12x
Fulham London 3 13.17x
Hornsey 3 15.11x
Westminster St Margaret 3 39.58x
Camberwell 2 1.99x
Kelsale 2 377.36x
Kensington London 2 2.29x
Linslade 2 215.05x
St Helier 2 13.20x
St Martin In Fields 2 21.28x
Westminster St James 2 12.38x
Aberystwyth 1 163.93x
Beckenham 1 14.29x
Bermondsey 1 2.14x
Birmingham 1 0.76x
Brighton 1 1.87x
Bury 1 4.70x
Chatham 1 6.78x
Chesterfield 1 10.85x
Chiswick 1 11.66x
Dartford 1 18.25x
Falmouth 1 15.90x
Finchley 1 16.61x
Godalming 1 20.75x
Great Malvern 1 23.36x
Hastings St Mary 1 15.17x
Islington London 1 0.66x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 80.00x
Madron Penzance 1 15.46x
Moss Side 1 10.19x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 3.97x
Poplar London 1 3.37x
Preston 1 2.01x
Reading St Giles 1 8.64x
Royal Navy 1 6.25x
Spitalfields London 1 8.47x
St Anne Soho London 1 11.15x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.61x
St Luke London 1 3.97x
St Peter Port 1 11.61x
St Sampson 1 47.62x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.78x
Tettenhall 1 30.86x
Toxteth Park 1 1.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Annie 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Maria 2
Marie 2
Pamela 2
Rebecca 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Catherine 1
Cato 1
Charlotte 1
Christina 1
Constance 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Eugenie 1
Frances 1
Frourje 1
Golda 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Josepha 1
Julianne 1
Kate 1
Leonline 1
Leonora 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Marianne 1
Maud 1
Milicent 1
Norman 1
Rosetta 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Sheila 1
Theodora 1
Valentina 1
Wilhelmina 1
Willina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 7
William 6
Arthur 5
John 5
George 4
Henry 4
Louis 4
Francis 3
James 3
Alfred 2
Augustus 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Abraham 1
Adolphe 1
Affred 1
Albert 1
Auguste 1
Austin 1
Bracket 1
Chalvey 1
Constance 1
De 1
Eloy 1
Emananuel 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Greville 1
Herantz 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Isedore 1
Johnson 1
Jules 1
Julias 1
Lesdoux 1
Lewis 1
Malcolm 1
Mauritil 1
Octavius 1
Percival 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Septimus 1
Sydney 1
Teissier 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Leon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Leon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 151 people were recorded with the Leon surname. That placed it at #15,419 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Leon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,011 in 2016. That gives Leon a modern rank of #5,754.

What does the Leon surname mean?

A Spanish surname derived from the Latin word "leo," meaning "lion," likely referring to a brave or fierce person.

What does the Leon map show?

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