NameCensus.

UK surname

Lesage

A French surname meaning "the wise" or "the sage."

In the 1881 census there were 51 people recorded with the Lesage surname, ranking it #26,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, down from #26,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Epping Forest, South Holland and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lesage is 138 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 113.7%.

1881 census count

51

Ranked #26,428

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

1998

138 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lesage had 51 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 83 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Lesage surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lesage surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lesage 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 31 #27,734
1861 historical 26 #30,677
1881 historical 51 #26,428
1891 historical 55 #29,744
1901 historical 64 #27,010
1911 historical 83 #24,531
1997 modern 125 #23,567
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 129 #23,907
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 125 #24,011
2002 modern 127 #24,267
2003 modern 122 #24,628
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 118 #25,556
2007 modern 122 #25,353
2008 modern 122 #25,638
2009 modern 120 #26,496
2010 modern 125 #26,448
2011 modern 121 #26,789
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 118 #27,686
2014 modern 114 #28,608
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Lesages are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Epping Forest, South Holland, Allerdale and North Hertfordshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Epping Forest 012 Epping Forest
2 South Holland 007 South Holland
3 South Holland 006 South Holland
4 Allerdale 003 Allerdale
5 North Hertfordshire 012 North Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lesage

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lesage

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Lesage surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Lesage 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Lesage 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

Lesage 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

Lesage falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lesage

The surname LESAGE is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "sage," meaning "wise" or "learned." This name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century, and was initially used as a descriptive nickname for a wise or scholarly individual.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LESAGE can be found in the Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Père de Chartres, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This document mentions a certain "Robertus dictus Lesage" (Robert called Lesage) in the year 1245.

The LESAGE surname was particularly prominent in the northern regions of France, including Normandy and Picardy. It is believed that the name may have originated from the town of Sageville, located in the department of Eure in Normandy. This town's name is derived from the Latin word "sagus," meaning "wise man" or "sage."

In the 14th century, the LESAGE surname appeared in various records, such as the Trésor des Chartes, which mentions a "Jehan Lesage" in 1349. Additionally, the name is found in the Rôles de la Taille de Paris, a tax register from 1313, which lists a "Guillaume Lesage."

One notable figure bearing the LESAGE surname was Alain-René Lesage (1668-1747), a French novelist and playwright renowned for his picaresque novel "Gil Blas." Born in Sarzeau, Brittany, Lesage is considered one of the greatest French writers of the 18th century.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Jean-Baptiste Lesage (1734-1808), a French painter and engraver who specialized in portrait miniatures. He served as a court painter to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

In the 19th century, the LESAGE surname gained further recognition with Auguste Lesage (1835-1911), a French sculptor who created numerous public monuments and statues in Paris and other French cities.

The name LESAGE can also be found in the literary world with the French writer and critic Alain Lesage (1938-2003), known for his works on modern literature and his contributions to literary criticism.

Lastly, it is worth mentioning Antoine Lesage (1838-1910), a French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the École Supérieure de Pharmacie and the Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Médaille Miraculeuse.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lesage families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lesage 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 20 Lesages recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.88x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 20 4.88x
Midlothian 8 14.58x
Durham 5 4.10x
Surrey 4 2.00x
Warwickshire 4 3.87x
Royal Navy 1 20.49x

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 9 Lesages recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.59x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 9 50.59x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 36.25x
Brandon Byshottles 5 326.80x
St Pancras London 5 15.17x
Lambeth 4 11.20x
Aston 3 10.55x
St Luke London 2 30.44x
Easenhall 1 2500.00x
Hackney London 1 4.36x
Paddington London 1 6.64x
Royal Navy 1 23.98x
St Dunstan In West London 1 769.23x
St Martin In Fields 1 40.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Clara 1
Elizabeth 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Isidore 1
Tessia 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
William 4
George 3
Charles 2
Edward 2
Alfred 1
James 1
Stanley 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lesage surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lesage surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Lesage surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Lesage a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Lesage surname mean?

A French surname meaning "the wise" or "the sage."

What does the Lesage map show?

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