NameCensus.

UK surname

Light

An English surname referring to a person who was radiant, cheerful, or lived near a source of light.

In the 1881 census there were 2,758 people recorded with the Light surname, ranking it #1,616 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,846, ranked #1,763, down from #1,616 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Gillingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Horsham, South Hams and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Light is 3,990 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.4%.

1881 census count

2,758

Ranked #1,616

Modern count

3,846

2016, ranked #1,763

Peak year

1998

3,990 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Light had 2,758 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,616 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,846 in 2016, ranked #1,763.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,763 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Light surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Light surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Light 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 1,915 #1,509
1861 historical 1,889 #1,533
1881 historical 2,758 #1,616
1891 historical 3,011 #1,561
1901 historical 3,535 #1,579
1911 historical 3,763 #1,376
1997 modern 3,852 #1,689
1998 modern 3,990 #1,695
1999 modern 3,984 #1,712
2000 modern 3,958 #1,715
2001 modern 3,852 #1,718
2002 modern 3,959 #1,709
2003 modern 3,858 #1,722
2004 modern 3,847 #1,727
2005 modern 3,751 #1,748
2006 modern 3,720 #1,765
2007 modern 3,718 #1,772
2008 modern 3,732 #1,778
2009 modern 3,837 #1,770
2010 modern 3,902 #1,777
2011 modern 3,806 #1,799
2012 modern 3,777 #1,784
2013 modern 3,866 #1,774
2014 modern 3,887 #1,768
2015 modern 3,843 #1,767
2016 modern 3,846 #1,763

Geography

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Where Lights are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Gillingham and Eling. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Horsham, South Hams, Eastleigh and High Peak. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Gillingham Dorset
4 Eling Hampshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Horsham 006 Horsham
2 Horsham 004 Horsham
3 South Hams 008 South Hams
4 Eastleigh 005 Eastleigh
5 High Peak 011 High Peak

Forenames

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First names often paired with Light

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Light

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Light surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Light 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Light is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Light is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Light falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Light

The surname Light originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "leoht," meaning "light" or "bright," which was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone with fair hair or a bright complexion.

The earliest known record of the name Light appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1196, where a Walter Le Lyht is mentioned. This spelling variation, with the Old English "leoht" anglicized as "lyht," was common in early records.

In the 13th century, the surname Light is found in various records across England, such as the Curia Regis Rolls of Worcestershire in 1221, where a William Lyte is listed. The spelling "Lyte" was another early variation of the name.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Light was John Light, a merchant and alderman of London, who lived in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in the City of London records from 1368 to 1393.

Another early record of the surname Light is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John Lyght is listed as a taxpayer. This record suggests that the Light family had established roots in Worcestershire by the early 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Light is found in various records across England, including the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1524, where a John Light is listed as a taxpayer in the village of Hoxne.

One of the most notable figures with the surname Light was Edward Light, an English artist and engraver who lived from 1747 to 1832. He was a member of the Royal Academy and is known for his engravings of works by famous painters such as Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough.

Another notable individual with the surname Light was Benjamin Light, an English astronomer and mathematician who lived from 1784 to 1839. He was the first director of the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford and made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

In the 19th century, the surname Light is found in various records across England and other parts of the British Isles. One example is John Light, a Scottish minister and author who lived from 1785 to 1865 and wrote several works on theology and church history.

Overall, the surname Light has a long and well-documented history in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. While it originated as a descriptive nickname, it has become a recognized surname with many notable individuals bearing it throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Light families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Light 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. Hampshire leads with 556 Lights recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.06x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 556 10.06x
Middlesex 267 0.99x
Yorkshire 207 0.78x
Wiltshire 175 7.34x
Devon 173 3.08x
Somerset 169 3.90x
Surrey 160 1.22x
Dorset 147 8.31x
Gloucestershire 140 2.65x
Sussex 124 2.73x
Monmouthshire 74 3.80x
Lancashire 73 0.23x
Shropshire 64 2.75x
Staffordshire 58 0.64x
Kent 56 0.61x
Glamorgan 55 1.17x
Warwickshire 43 0.63x
Cornwall 35 1.15x
Berkshire 27 1.33x
Essex 26 0.49x
Durham 19 0.24x
Lanarkshire 16 0.18x
Oxfordshire 15 0.90x
Cheshire 10 0.17x
Worcestershire 9 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 8 0.49x
Northumberland 8 0.20x
Midlothian 6 0.17x
Norfolk 6 0.14x
Channel Islands 5 0.63x
Royal Navy 5 1.56x
Suffolk 5 0.15x
Hertfordshire 4 0.22x
Lincolnshire 4 0.09x
Herefordshire 3 0.27x
Leicestershire 2 0.07x
Northamptonshire 2 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.06x
Bedfordshire 1 0.07x
Berwickshire 1 0.31x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.06x
Derbyshire 1 0.02x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 68 Lights recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.28x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 68 6.28x
Southampton St Mary 38 10.94x
Eling 36 64.33x
South Stoneham 33 27.54x
Gillingham 32 105.26x
Titchfield 31 74.45x
Horsforth 28 47.81x
Birmingham 26 1.15x
Kingston On Thames 25 7.92x
Lambeth 24 1.02x
Plymouth St Andrew 24 5.55x
Bedminster 23 5.64x
Islington London 23 0.88x
Whiteparish 23 226.60x
Abergavenny 21 28.78x
St Marylebone London 21 1.46x
Bishops Waltham 20 86.92x
Hamble Le Rice 20 520.83x
Millbrook 20 14.37x
Hunslet 19 4.56x
Brighton 17 1.85x
Downton 17 54.50x
St Pancras London 17 0.78x
Allerton 16 47.00x
Bromley London 16 2.70x
Ercall Magna 16 95.98x
Great Cheverell 16 431.27x
Aston 15 0.80x
Bristol St Paul In 15 10.65x
Shoreditch London 15 1.28x
Camberwell 14 0.81x
Croydon 14 1.92x
Hammersmith London 14 2.11x
Kensington London 14 0.93x
Plymouth Charles The 14 5.66x
Bristol St George 13 5.32x
Bristol St James St Paul 13 7.38x
Llangeinor 13 47.05x
Otterbourne 13 164.56x
Sedgley 13 3.85x
Swansea Town 13 3.38x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 12 13.14x
Clevedon 12 26.60x
Little Tintern 12 398.67x
Owslebury 12 153.26x
Publow 12 242.42x
Southampton All Sts 12 12.66x
Tormoham 12 5.06x
Upham 12 198.35x
Winterbourne Stoke 12 434.78x
Yatton 12 71.09x
Barnstaple 11 12.49x
Barony 11 0.50x
Bishopstoke 11 77.57x
Chew Magna 11 72.37x
Hampton Wick London 11 55.72x
Hawksworth 11 555.56x
Ilkley 11 25.20x
Kingston 11 252.87x
Roath 11 5.16x
St Thomas Winchester 11 28.20x
Wellington 11 8.41x
West Bromwich 11 2.11x
Woodmancote 11 343.75x
Baildon 10 19.88x
Chichester St Pancras 10 73.64x
Chippenham 10 20.00x
Ermington 10 49.00x
Fulham London 10 2.56x
Horfield 10 18.80x
Hornsey 10 2.93x
Lymington 10 24.63x
New Alresford 10 69.83x
Northwood 10 12.71x
Paddington London 10 1.01x
Shifnal 10 15.82x
St Maurice Winchester 10 43.55x
Stalbridge 10 59.49x
Stoke 10 16.14x
Deptford St Paul 9 1.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 176
Sarah 103
Elizabeth 101
Ellen 57
Emily 52
Ann 49
Emma 49
Jane 45
Eliza 44
Annie 42
Alice 35
Fanny 29
Martha 25
Edith 21
Harriet 21
Louisa 20
Kate 18
Ada 17
Florence 17
Caroline 15
Hannah 15
Lucy 15
Charlotte 13
Harriett 12
Rose 11
Bessie 10
Julia 10
Maria 10
Matilda 10
Sophia 10
Susan 10
Agnes 9
Amy 9
Anne 9
Laura 9
Clara 8
Amelia 7
Catherine 7
Grace 7
Margaret 7
Eva 6
Frances 6
Gertrude 6
Minnie 6
Elizth. 5
Ethel 5
Jessie 5
Rebecca 5
Rosina 5
Agness 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 176
John 129
George 95
James 94
Charles 76
Henry 75
Thomas 65
Joseph 37
Albert 35
Edward 30
Richard 29
Harry 26
Walter 26
Arthur 25
Samuel 25
Frederick 24
Alfred 22
Ernest 20
Frank 18
Francis 17
Robert 15
Herbert 12
Edwin 11
David 9
Daniel 8
Job 8
Wm. 7
Fred 6
Tom 6
Isaac 5
Peter 5
Sidney 5
Thos. 5
Geo. 4
Jesse 4
Philip 4
Adam 3
Benjamin 3
Chas. 3
Edwd. 3
Elisha 3
Frederic 3
Jacob 3
Josiah 3
Soloman 3
Stephen 3
Sydney 3
Clement 2
Lewis 2
Matthew 2

FAQ

Light surname: questions and answers

How common was the Light surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,758 people were recorded with the Light surname. That placed it at #1,616 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Light surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,846 in 2016. That gives Light a modern rank of #1,763.

What does the Light surname mean?

An English surname referring to a person who was radiant, cheerful, or lived near a source of light.

What does the Light map show?

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