NameCensus.

UK surname

Lightbown

An English surname derived from a place name describing a light or bright woodland or clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 364 people recorded with the Lightbown surname, ranking it #8,525 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 435, ranked #11,084, down from #8,525 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth), Whalley and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oadby and Wigston, Blackburn with Darwen and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lightbown is 604 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.5%.

1881 census count

364

Ranked #8,525

Modern count

435

2016, ranked #11,084

Peak year

1901

604 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lightbown had 364 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,525 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 435 in 2016, ranked #11,084.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 604 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Lightbown surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lightbown surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lightbown 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 97 #17,484
1861 historical 144 #15,817
1881 historical 364 #8,525
1891 historical 429 #8,359
1901 historical 604 #7,038
1911 historical 534 #7,458
1997 modern 406 #10,889
1998 modern 430 #10,772
1999 modern 438 #10,695
2000 modern 441 #10,611
2001 modern 444 #10,348
2002 modern 453 #10,391
2003 modern 453 #10,241
2004 modern 452 #10,270
2005 modern 439 #10,401
2006 modern 442 #10,388
2007 modern 446 #10,409
2008 modern 452 #10,369
2009 modern 472 #10,286
2010 modern 471 #10,510
2011 modern 450 #10,790
2012 modern 441 #10,828
2013 modern 451 #10,814
2014 modern 456 #10,781
2015 modern 437 #11,077
2016 modern 435 #11,084

Geography

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Where Lightbowns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth), Whalley, Blackburn and Dean. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oadby and Wigston, Blackburn with Darwen and Hyndburn. 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 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
2 Whalley Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Dean Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oadby and Wigston 005 Oadby and Wigston
2 Blackburn with Darwen 010 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Blackburn with Darwen 012 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
5 Hyndburn 003 Hyndburn

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lightbown

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lightbown

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Lightbown surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lightbown household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Lightbown 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

Lightbown is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lightbown 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 Lightbown is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lightbown

The surname Lightbown has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 14th century as a locational name derived from a place name. The name is thought to have originated from a combination of the Old English words 'lēoht,' meaning light, and 'bōn,' meaning a dwelling or homestead, essentially translating to "light homestead" or "bright dwelling."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to 1379, when it appeared as 'Lightboun' in the Lancashire Subsidy Rolls. This suggests that the name may have been associated with a specific location in Lancashire, possibly related to a settlement or farmstead known for its well-lit or bright dwellings.

During the medieval period, the Lightbown surname was primarily concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is believed that the name may have been associated with specific place names in these regions, such as Lightburn or Lightbown, which were derived from similar Old English words.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various records, including the 1565 Lancashire Wills and Inventories, where a Thomas Lightbowne was mentioned. This early reference provides evidence of the surname's continued use and established presence in the region.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Lightbown surname. One prominent example is John Lightbown (1647-1712), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Eccles in Lancashire. Another notable figure is William Lightbown (1763-1847), a British artist and painter known for his landscape and marine paintings.

Other individuals with the Lightbown surname include Mary Lightbown (1747-1825), an English poet and writer, and James Lightbown (1825-1898), a British industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Lightbown Aspinall manufacturing company in Accrington, Lancashire.

Additionally, the name has been associated with several place names in northern England, such as Lightbown in Lancashire and Lightbowne in Yorkshire, further reinforcing its locational origins and historical connections to these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lightbown families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lightbown 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 364 Lightbowns recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.64x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 364 8.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Over Darwen in Lancashire leads with 118 Lightbowns recorded in 1881 and an index of 350.67x.

Place Total Index
Over Darwen 118 350.67x
Blackburn 43 38.36x
Kearsley 36 405.86x
Eccleshill 32 3478.26x
Lower Darwen 24 434.00x
Oswaldtwistle 21 141.03x
Accrington 14 36.55x
Pendleton In Salford 13 25.90x
Bury 12 24.93x
Preston 9 7.98x
Clayton Le Moors 7 85.68x
Marton 7 250.00x
Chorley 6 25.38x
Farnworth 5 19.81x
Little Hulton 5 71.63x
Salford 4 3.23x
Little Lever 3 55.66x
North Meols 2 4.85x
Great Bolton 1 1.79x
Walmersley Cum 1 14.86x
Yate Pickup Bank 1 120.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Elizabeth 18
Margaret 15
Jane 14
Alice 13
Ann 12
Ellen 8
Nancy 8
Betsy 7
Martha 6
Sarah 6
Annie 5
Hannah 5
Betty 2
Ethel 2
Gertrude 2
Maria 2
Susannah 2
Anne 1
Barbary 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Deborah 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ema 1
Esther 1
Florance 1
Harriet 1
Hymin 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Joan 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Kitty 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Margret 1
Rachael 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sahara 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
William 29
Thomas 17
Henry 14
James 12
Joseph 7
Richard 7
Timothy 7
Robert 5
Ernest 4
Hugh 4
Thos. 3
Abraham 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Ralph 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Andrew 1
Baron 1
David 1
Elias 1
Even 1
Herbert 1
Hery 1
Hindle 1
Jeremiah 1
L. 1
Lewis 1
Michael 1
Nelson 1
Roger 1
Sussannah 1
Sydney 1
Vernon 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Lightbown surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lightbown surname in 1881?

In 1881, 364 people were recorded with the Lightbown surname. That placed it at #8,525 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lightbown surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 435 in 2016. That gives Lightbown a modern rank of #11,084.

What does the Lightbown surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name describing a light or bright woodland or clearing.

What does the Lightbown map show?

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