NameCensus.

UK surname

Lessels

In the 1881 census there were 121 people recorded with the Lessels surname, ranking it #17,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 258, ranked #16,449, up from #17,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to KInghorn, Edinburgh and St John Westminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Town West, Leslie and Newcastle and Bonnyrigg South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lessels is 271 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 113.2%.

1881 census count

121

Ranked #17,671

Modern count

258

2016, ranked #16,449

Peak year

2008

271 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lessels had 121 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 258 in 2016, ranked #16,449.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 270 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Lessels surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lessels surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lessels 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 105 #16,618
1861 historical 149 #15,373
1881 historical 121 #17,671
1891 historical 166 #17,077
1901 historical 270 #12,492
1911 historical 47 #28,110
1997 modern 227 #16,267
1998 modern 234 #16,404
1999 modern 238 #16,308
2000 modern 250 #15,741
2001 modern 241 #15,870
2002 modern 239 #16,332
2003 modern 246 #15,769
2004 modern 250 #15,695
2005 modern 254 #15,480
2006 modern 258 #15,402
2007 modern 262 #15,399
2008 modern 271 #15,182
2009 modern 264 #15,798
2010 modern 266 #16,067
2011 modern 252 #16,543
2012 modern 254 #16,328
2013 modern 257 #16,466
2014 modern 263 #16,334
2015 modern 252 #16,705
2016 modern 258 #16,449

Geography

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Where Lessels' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around KInghorn, Edinburgh, St John Westminster, Torryburn and Kirkcaldy Dysart and Abbotshall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Town West, Leslie and Newcastle, Bonnyrigg South, Cornwall and Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn. 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 KInghorn Fife
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 St John Westminster London (West Districts)
4 Torryburn Fife
5 Kirkcaldy Dysart and Abbotshall Fife

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Town West City of Edinburgh
2 Leslie and Newcastle Fife
3 Bonnyrigg South Midlothian
4 Cornwall 004 Cornwall
5 Valleyfield Culross and Torryburn Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lessels

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lessels

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Lessels surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Lessels household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Lessels is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lessels is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lessels 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 Lessels is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Lessels families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lessels 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. Fife leads with 45 Lessels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 64.41x.

County Total Index
Fife 45 64.41x
Midlothian 36 22.77x
Lanarkshire 21 5.50x
Middlesex 6 0.51x
Aberdeenshire 3 2.74x
Durham 3 0.85x
Hampshire 3 1.24x
Staffordshire 2 0.50x
Lancashire 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shotts in Lanarkshire leads with 17 Lessels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 371.99x.

Place Total Index
Shotts 17 371.99x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 15 23.58x
Abbotshall 10 383.14x
Edinburgh Greenside S 7 1228.07x
Burntisland 6 307.69x
Torryburn 6 2000.00x
Dysart 5 106.38x
Kinghorn 5 337.84x
Penicuik 5 232.56x
Westminster St John 5 34.79x
Edinburgh Canongate 4 99.50x
South Leith 4 22.48x
Dunfermline 3 27.93x
Kirkcaldy 3 86.46x
Southampton St Mary 3 19.72x
Westoe 3 15.07x
Cluny 2 377.36x
Forton 2 909.09x
Govan 2 2.12x
St Andrews 2 62.89x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 4.38x
Balmerino 1 370.37x
Barony 1 1.04x
Barrow In Furness 1 5.25x
Collessie 1 125.00x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 11.25x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 32.15x
Forgan 1 74.63x
Hayes 1 83.33x
Kennoway 1 156.25x
New Monkland 1 8.87x
Newburgh 1 112.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Hellen 1
Mary 1
Willhemi 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
Robert 3
Alexander 2
John 2
George 1

FAQ

Lessels surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lessels surname in 1881?

In 1881, 121 people were recorded with the Lessels surname. That placed it at #17,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lessels surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 258 in 2016. That gives Lessels a modern rank of #16,449.

What does the Lessels map show?

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