NameCensus.

UK surname

Lightbody

A surname derived from one's light or radiant spirit or disposition.

In the 1881 census there were 532 people recorded with the Lightbody surname, ranking it #6,457 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 761, ranked #7,203, down from #6,457 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Jedburgh, Rhins North and Kilbarchan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lightbody is 820 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.0%.

1881 census count

532

Ranked #6,457

Modern count

761

2016, ranked #7,203

Peak year

2010

820 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lightbody had 532 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,457 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 761 in 2016, ranked #7,203.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 664 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lightbody surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lightbody surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lightbody 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 267 #8,342
1861 historical 328 #7,771
1881 historical 532 #6,457
1891 historical 600 #6,384
1901 historical 664 #6,534
1911 historical 127 #19,749
1997 modern 720 #7,082
1998 modern 751 #7,093
1999 modern 746 #7,178
2000 modern 746 #7,136
2001 modern 726 #7,157
2002 modern 753 #7,088
2003 modern 754 #6,990
2004 modern 743 #7,080
2005 modern 738 #7,050
2006 modern 742 #7,042
2007 modern 765 #6,947
2008 modern 797 #6,768
2009 modern 777 #7,051
2010 modern 820 #6,876
2011 modern 789 #7,033
2012 modern 753 #7,198
2013 modern 762 #7,246
2014 modern 762 #7,268
2015 modern 757 #7,247
2016 modern 761 #7,203

Geography

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Where Lightbodys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dalserf. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Jedburgh, Rhins North, Kilbarchan, Stranraer South and Stranraer West. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hamilton Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Dalserf Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Jedburgh Scottish Borders
2 Rhins North Dumfries and Galloway
3 Kilbarchan Renfrewshire
4 Stranraer South Dumfries and Galloway
5 Stranraer West Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lightbody

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lightbody

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Lightbody surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lightbody household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lightbody 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

Lightbody 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

Lightbody falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lightbody

The surname Lightbody is of English origin, derived from the combination of the words "light" and "body." It is believed to have originated in the late medieval period, around the 14th or 15th century, in the northern counties of England, particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire.

The earliest known record of the surname Lightbody can be traced back to the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332, where a Robert Lightbody was listed as a taxpayer. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the early 14th century.

The surname Lightbody is thought to have been an occupational name, given to someone whose profession or trade involved working with lights or illumination. It could have been a person responsible for maintaining lamps, candles, or other sources of light in a church, monastery, or public building.

In the 16th century, the surname Lightbody appeared in various records across northern England. One notable example is the marriage record of John Lightbody and Agnes Whittaker in the parish of Halifax, West Yorkshire, in 1578.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Lightbody. One of the earliest recorded was William Lightbody, a member of the Parliament of England who represented the borough of Wigan in Lancashire during the 17th century.

Another prominent figure was Sir Robert Lightbody (1704-1789), a British naval officer who served as a captain in the Royal Navy during the mid-18th century. He was involved in several naval engagements, including the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759.

In the 19th century, John Lightbody (1819-1892) was a Scottish author and journalist who wrote extensively on topics related to Scottish history and culture. He published several works, including "Gleanings of the Olden Time" and "Lectures on the Antiquities of Glasgow."

Towards the end of the 19th century, James Lightbody (1856-1935) was a notable Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia and held the position of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1904 to 1917.

In the 20th century, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Lightbody was Sir John Lightbody (1902-1987), a British businessman and industrialist who served as the chairman of the Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) from 1959 to 1967.

While the surname Lightbody is relatively uncommon in modern times, it has a rich history and can be traced back to the medieval period in northern England, where it likely originated as an occupational name related to the trade of lighting or illumination.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lightbody families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lightbody 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. Lanarkshire leads with 255 Lightbodys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.37x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 255 15.37x
Midlothian 67 9.75x
Lancashire 23 0.38x
Ayrshire 21 5.47x
Wigtownshire 20 29.36x
Roxburghshire 18 19.37x
Middlesex 17 0.33x
Renfrewshire 17 4.28x
Kent 11 0.63x
Yorkshire 11 0.22x
Dumfriesshire 10 8.82x
Dunbartonshire 10 7.25x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 10.77x
Argyllshire 7 4.90x
Northumberland 7 0.92x
Durham 5 0.33x
Peeblesshire 4 16.58x
Cheshire 3 0.26x
Cumberland 3 0.68x
Berwickshire 2 3.22x
Stirlingshire 2 1.06x
Buteshire 1 3.22x
Devon 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x
Worcestershire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Carluke in Lanarkshire leads with 62 Lightbodys recorded in 1881 and an index of 411.41x.

Place Total Index
Carluke 62 411.41x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 46 16.63x
Govan 44 10.72x
Barony 42 10.00x
Hamilton 21 45.38x
Cambusnethan 18 48.85x
Lanark 15 112.36x
Dalserf 14 84.54x
Glasgow 13 4.41x
Kirkmaiden 10 232.02x
Langholm 10 122.70x
Old Monkland 10 15.19x
Wilton 10 98.04x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 9 70.20x
Jedburgh 8 87.82x
Poplar London 8 8.26x
Edinburgh Tron Church 7 217.39x
Inch 7 105.42x
Kilbarchan 7 57.95x
Liverpool 7 1.89x
Row 7 39.24x
Urr 7 72.46x
West Greenock 7 9.81x
Erith 6 34.78x
Irvine 6 56.23x
Islington London 6 1.21x
Liberton 6 56.55x
Sorn 6 79.58x
South Leith 6 7.76x
Toxteth Park 6 2.91x
Westgate 6 12.69x
Beckenham 5 21.85x
Darlington 5 8.48x
Lesmahagow 5 28.49x
Blantyre 4 23.16x
Carnwath 4 38.99x
Coylton 4 73.39x
Southend 4 238.10x
Crosscanonby 3 20.53x
Dumbarton 3 15.63x
Everton 3 1.55x
Moss Side 3 9.36x
Runcorn 3 11.49x
Skirling 3 625.00x
Stoneykirk 3 61.60x
Chirnside 2 75.19x
Salford 2 1.12x
St Ninians 2 10.66x
Appleton Le Moors 1 188.68x
Cadder 1 8.16x
Campbeltown 1 5.80x
Craigie 1 94.34x
Dunoon 1 34.01x
Edinburgh New North 1 16.72x
Garston 1 5.56x
Innerleithen 1 15.60x
Kensington London 1 0.35x
Kidderminster Borough 1 2.55x
Kilmarnock 1 2.19x
Kirkpatrick Durham 1 43.29x
Knapdale South 1 20.37x
Lundy Island 1 322.58x
Mearns 1 14.35x
Neilston 1 5.01x
Old Cumnock 1 11.70x
Penicuik 1 10.71x
Pickering 1 15.63x
Renfrew 1 7.62x
Riccarton Hurlford 1 14.84x
Rothesay 1 6.64x
Rutherglen 1 4.11x
Southampton St Lawrence 1 181.82x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.11x
Stevenston 1 9.99x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.54x
Stonehouse 1 17.76x
Wavertree 1 5.13x
Westminster St Margaret 1 4.04x
Wylam 1 59.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 3
Sarah 3
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Catherine 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Martha 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Dorothy 1
Elena 1
Ellen 1
Harriet 1
Laura 1
Lucy 1
Lusa 1
Margaret 1
Marjory 1
Maud 1
Phylis 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 6
George 3
James 3
Robert 3
Charles 2
Hugh 2
Sidney 2
Alex 1
Alfred 1
Ambrose 1
Arthur 1
Bernard 1
Frederick 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
Malcolm 1
Marlin 1
Oswold 1
Rober 1
Ronald 1
Sam 1
Sam. 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Lightbody surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lightbody surname in 1881?

In 1881, 532 people were recorded with the Lightbody surname. That placed it at #6,457 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lightbody surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 761 in 2016. That gives Lightbody a modern rank of #7,203.

What does the Lightbody surname mean?

A surname derived from one's light or radiant spirit or disposition.

What does the Lightbody map show?

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