NameCensus.

UK surname

Lightowler

In the 1881 census there were 705 people recorded with the Lightowler surname, ranking it #5,155 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 787, ranked #7,014, down from #5,155 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bradford, Thornhill and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, East Riding of Yorkshire and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lightowler is 1,001 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.6%.

1881 census count

705

Ranked #5,155

Modern count

787

2016, ranked #7,014

Peak year

1911

1,001 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lightowler had 705 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,155 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 787 in 2016, ranked #7,014.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,001 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Lightowler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lightowler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lightowler 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 284 #7,977
1861 historical 315 #8,071
1881 historical 705 #5,155
1891 historical 811 #4,976
1901 historical 938 #4,980
1911 historical 1,001 #4,544
1997 modern 750 #6,883
1998 modern 770 #6,968
1999 modern 772 #6,985
2000 modern 767 #6,981
2001 modern 773 #6,827
2002 modern 788 #6,856
2003 modern 760 #6,937
2004 modern 763 #6,935
2005 modern 739 #7,044
2006 modern 752 #6,972
2007 modern 755 #7,015
2008 modern 758 #7,050
2009 modern 777 #7,051
2010 modern 787 #7,124
2011 modern 798 #6,970
2012 modern 784 #6,968
2013 modern 806 #6,909
2014 modern 813 #6,892
2015 modern 810 #6,854
2016 modern 787 #7,014

Geography

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Where Lightowlers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bradford, Thornhill, Halifax and Pontefract. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kirklees and Wakefield. 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 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Thornhill Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Pontefract Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 056 Bradford
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 038 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 037 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Kirklees 005 Kirklees
5 Wakefield 011 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lightowler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lightowler

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lightowler, 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 Lightowler surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lightowler 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, Lightowler 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

Lightowler 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

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

1881 census detail

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Lightowler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lightowler 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. Yorkshire leads with 679 Lightowlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.98x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 679 9.98x
Lancashire 10 0.12x
Gloucestershire 6 0.45x
Northamptonshire 3 0.46x
Middlesex 2 0.03x
Northumberland 2 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.24x
Surrey 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Bierley in Yorkshire leads with 110 Lightowlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 299.40x.

Place Total Index
North Bierley 110 299.40x
Thornhill 54 271.90x
Northowram 53 111.06x
Knottingley 34 284.28x
Bradford 29 17.60x
Halifax 21 21.02x
Wyke In Bradford 21 172.56x
Horton In Bradford 19 17.88x
Leeds 19 4.94x
Cleckheaton 18 71.80x
Farnley In Bramley 17 200.00x
Huddersfield 15 15.13x
Shelf 15 230.77x
Holy Trinity St Mary 13 125.48x
Sculcoates 13 12.05x
Shitlington 13 184.66x
Castleford 11 44.39x
Eccleshill 11 66.43x
Morley 11 31.09x
Thornton In Bradford 11 48.57x
Drighlington 10 100.91x
Great Driffield 10 71.58x
New Malton 10 122.85x
Beeston 9 130.81x
Holbeck 9 19.96x
Holy Trinity 9 5.50x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 8 32.91x
Tong 8 60.84x
Wortley In Bramley 8 14.84x
Batley 7 10.82x
Avening 6 126.05x
Bowling 6 8.90x
Golcar 6 33.35x
Pontefract 6 40.93x
Southcoates 6 15.88x
Blackburn 5 2.31x
Cridling Stubbs 5 769.23x
Heckmondwike 5 22.84x
Soothill 5 20.34x
Penistone 4 75.33x
Drypool 3 28.79x
Gate Fulford 3 18.88x
Hunslet 3 2.83x
Ledstone 3 576.92x
Preston 3 79.79x
Rastrick 3 15.87x
Gomersal 2 6.30x
Great Little Marsden 2 5.36x
Kirkham 2 1818.18x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 2 11.66x
Linthwaite 2 13.99x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 3.28x
North Meols 2 2.51x
Stainland Cum Old 2 17.17x
Weedon Beck 2 43.20x
Carleton In Pontefract 1 126.58x
Clayton 1 6.01x
Farnworth 1 2.05x
Gildersome 1 12.22x
Hackney London 1 0.26x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 18.32x
Levisham 1 400.00x
Meltham 1 9.45x
Nawton 1 120.48x
Northampton St Giles 1 4.07x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 1 18.12x
Shipley 1 2.83x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 0.72x
St Pancras London 1 0.18x
Stoke Goldington 1 52.63x
Warmfield Cum Heath 1 43.48x
York Minster Yard W 1 63.29x
York St Nicholas In 1 26.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 55
Sarah 32
Hannah 19
Elizabeth 18
Annie 16
Emma 14
Alice 13
Ann 12
Emily 12
Jane 12
Martha 10
Harriet 8
Ada 6
Ellen 6
Rachel 6
Eliza 5
Ruth 5
Amy 4
Clara 4
Edith 4
Esther 4
Florence 4
Lilly 4
Louisa 4
Margaret 3
Rhoda 3
Rose 3
Agnes 2
Amanda 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Eva 2
Harriett 2
Jessie 2
Nancy 2
Rebecca 2
Sabina 2
Susan 2
Betty 1
Catherine 1
Charlote 1
Eliz. 1
Ella 1
Ethel 1
Isabella 1
Jesse 1
Keziah 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Thomisen 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 50
Joseph 28
William 26
James 16
Alfred 13
Albert 12
George 12
Thomas 12
Arthur 8
David 8
Henry 7
Herbert 7
Robert 7
Walter 7
Charles 6
Edward 6
Fred 6
Jonas 6
Harry 5
Samuel 5
Tom 5
Willie 5
Frank 4
Mark 4
Ernest 3
Joe 3
Peter 3
Daniel 2
Enoch 2
Ezra 2
Frederick 2
Jesse 2
Jonathan 2
Joshua 2
Sam 2
Simeon 2
Wm. 2
Artur 1
Christopher 1
Curtis 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Elizabeth 1
Enzra 1
Esra 1
Evyln 1
Irvine 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Zacharias 1

FAQ

Lightowler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lightowler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 705 people were recorded with the Lightowler surname. That placed it at #5,155 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lightowler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 787 in 2016. That gives Lightowler a modern rank of #7,014.

What does the Lightowler map show?

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