NameCensus.

UK surname

Liggett

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "a gate or enclosed space."

In the 1881 census there were 114 people recorded with the Liggett surname, ranking it #18,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 420, ranked #11,414, up from #18,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duffield, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gloucester, West Lancashire and Fylde.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Liggett is 439 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 268.4%.

1881 census count

114

Ranked #18,324

Modern count

420

2016, ranked #11,414

Peak year

2011

439 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Liggett had 114 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 420 in 2016, ranked #11,414.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 208 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Liggett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Liggett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Liggett 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 114 #18,324
1891 historical 197 #15,101
1901 historical 192 #15,518
1911 historical 208 #14,594
1997 modern 406 #10,889
1998 modern 410 #11,143
1999 modern 421 #11,020
2000 modern 426 #10,878
2001 modern 432 #10,584
2002 modern 434 #10,751
2003 modern 426 #10,742
2004 modern 429 #10,718
2005 modern 417 #10,833
2006 modern 427 #10,683
2007 modern 424 #10,867
2008 modern 434 #10,756
2009 modern 437 #10,947
2010 modern 433 #11,242
2011 modern 439 #10,995
2012 modern 402 #11,683
2013 modern 404 #11,833
2014 modern 419 #11,592
2015 modern 413 #11,622
2016 modern 420 #11,414

Geography

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Where Liggetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duffield, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Nottingham St Mary and Stockton-on-Tees (Stockton-on-Tees), Stainton (Thornaby ), Norton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gloucester, West Lancashire, Fylde, Charnwood and Bolton. 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 Duffield Derbyshire
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Stockton-on-Tees (Stockton-on-Tees), Stainton (Thornaby ), Norton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gloucester 007 Gloucester
2 West Lancashire 012 West Lancashire
3 Fylde 008 Fylde
4 Charnwood 009 Charnwood
5 Bolton 013 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Liggett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Liggett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Liggett, 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 Liggett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Liggett 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Liggett 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

Liggett 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

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

Meaning and origin of Liggett

The surname Liggett has its origins in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "lyce" meaning a body and "geat" meaning a gate or path. This suggests the name may have originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a gate or path leading to a church or cemetery.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, which mentions a Walter Liggat. The varied spellings of the name, such as Liggett, Lygat, Lygett, and Lyggate, were common during the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

The Liggett surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Lygat Bridge in Derbyshire and Lygat Field in Nottinghamshire. These place names likely contributed to the adoption of the surname by families residing in those areas.

In the 16th century, the Liggett surname appeared in the records of the Parish of Cheadle, Staffordshire, with the mention of a William Liggett in 1594. Another notable early record is that of John Liggett, who was born in Chigwell, Essex, in 1638.

Throughout history, the Liggett surname has been borne by several notable individuals, including:

1. William Liggett (1789-1865), an American businessman and pioneer who founded the Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company in St. Louis, Missouri. 2. Walter Liggett (1886-1935), an American journalist and co-founder of the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) syndicate. 3. Albert Liggett (1887-1963), an American businessman and co-founder of the Liggett Drug Company, a chain of retail drug stores. 4. Thomas Liggett (1944-2014), an American actor known for his roles in films such as "Klute" and "The Hunter." 5. Sarah Liggett (1957-present), an American artist and sculptor known for her large-scale public installations.

The Liggett surname has a rich history dating back to medieval England, with its origins likely rooted in locational references and place names. While the spelling variations have evolved over time, the name has been carried by notable individuals across various fields, from business and journalism to arts and entertainment.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Liggett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Liggett 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. Lancashire leads with 57 Liggetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.36x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 57 4.36x
Derbyshire 14 8.11x
Nottinghamshire 8 5.38x
Lanarkshire 5 1.40x
Norfolk 5 2.95x
Staffordshire 4 1.08x
Bedfordshire 3 5.26x
Suffolk 3 2.23x
Surrey 3 0.56x
Essex 2 0.92x
Shropshire 2 2.10x
Warwickshire 2 0.72x
Cumberland 1 1.05x
Devon 1 0.44x
Kent 1 0.27x
Middlesex 1 0.09x
Sussex 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 20 Liggetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.16x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 20 45.16x
Manchester 14 23.80x
Chorlton On Medlock 11 52.94x
Nottingham St Mary 8 20.82x
Belper 6 179.10x
Glossop Dale 5 61.88x
Maryhill 5 71.63x
Thorpe Next Norwich 5 277.78x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 38.50x
Handsworth 4 43.62x
Gorleston 3 87.98x
Kirkdale 3 13.64x
Lambeth 3 3.12x
Ripley 3 140.85x
Ulverston 3 78.74x
Birmingham 2 2.16x
Stotfold 2 183.49x
Withington 2 47.51x
Barking 1 15.70x
Chichester St Peter 1 666.67x
Cockermouth 1 50.00x
Colchester St Runwald 1 833.33x
Exeter Heavitree 1 58.48x
Fulham London 1 6.25x
Luton 1 10.12x
Shifnal 1 38.61x
Wellington 1 18.69x
Woolwich 1 7.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Eliza 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Christenia 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Julia 1
Leousa 1
Martha 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
James 6
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Henry 3
John 3
Samuel 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Alb. 1
Alexander 1
Amos 1
Andrew 1
Augustus 1
Cha. 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
Clarence 1
David 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Israel 1
Jas. 1
Jas.A. 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Robert 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Liggett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Liggett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 114 people were recorded with the Liggett surname. That placed it at #18,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Liggett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 420 in 2016. That gives Liggett a modern rank of #11,414.

What does the Liggett surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "a gate or enclosed space."

What does the Liggett map show?

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