NameCensus.

UK surname

Litherland

A place name referring to someone from Litherland near Liverpool, England.

In the 1881 census there were 679 people recorded with the Litherland surname, ranking it #5,302 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,021, ranked #5,709, down from #5,302 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Manchester and Prescot. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stoke-on-Trent, Trafford and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Litherland is 1,134 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.4%.

1881 census count

679

Ranked #5,302

Modern count

1,021

2016, ranked #5,709

Peak year

2002

1,134 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Litherland had 679 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,302 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,021 in 2016, ranked #5,709.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,095 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Litherland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Litherland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Litherland 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 353 #6,689
1861 historical 333 #7,646
1881 historical 679 #5,302
1891 historical 738 #5,388
1901 historical 957 #4,908
1911 historical 1,095 #4,234
1997 modern 1,018 #5,412
1998 modern 1,123 #5,164
1999 modern 1,121 #5,216
2000 modern 1,128 #5,164
2001 modern 1,102 #5,164
2002 modern 1,134 #5,150
2003 modern 1,130 #5,064
2004 modern 1,127 #5,080
2005 modern 1,112 #5,093
2006 modern 1,074 #5,234
2007 modern 1,097 #5,199
2008 modern 1,122 #5,132
2009 modern 1,124 #5,227
2010 modern 1,128 #5,320
2011 modern 1,095 #5,392
2012 modern 1,060 #5,452
2013 modern 1,057 #5,565
2014 modern 1,050 #5,624
2015 modern 1,035 #5,652
2016 modern 1,021 #5,709

Geography

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Where Litherlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Manchester, Prescot and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stoke-on-Trent, Trafford, Wigan and St. Helens. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Prescot Lancashire
4 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stoke-on-Trent 004 Stoke-on-Trent
2 Trafford 025 Trafford
3 Wigan 038 Wigan
4 St. Helens 014 St. Helens
5 Wigan 011 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Litherland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Litherland

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Litherland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Litherland 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Litherland 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

Litherland is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Litherland 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 Litherland is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Litherland

The surname Litherland has its origins in the county of Lancashire, England, dating back to the 13th century. It is a toponymic name derived from the Old English words "lithir" meaning "pliant" or "flexible," and "land" meaning "land" or "territory." The name likely referred to a piece of land with a pliable or marshy terrain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Litherland can be found in the Lancashire Inquests of 1311-1334, where a John de Litherland is mentioned as holding lands in the township of Litherland, near Liverpool. The township itself is believed to have been named after this family, further solidifying the connection between the name and the area.

The name has also appeared in various historical records and documents throughout the centuries. For instance, a Richard Litherland is listed in the Lancashire Wills of 1548-1558, indicating the presence of the family in the region during the Tudor period.

During the 17th century, the Litherland family played a role in the English Civil War. A notable figure from this time was Captain John Litherland, who fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was involved in the siege of Liverpool in 1644.

In the 18th century, the name Litherland appeared in various parish records and registers across Lancashire, indicating the continued presence of the family in the area. One notable individual from this period was Thomas Litherland (1721-1795), a merchant and landowner from Liverpool.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, the Litherland family became involved in various trades and industries. One prominent figure was William Litherland (1833-1901), a shipbuilder from Liverpool who established the Litherland Shipbuilding Company.

Other notable individuals with the surname Litherland include:

1. Sir Ralph Litherland (1865-1945), a British businessman and politician who served as Lord Mayor of Liverpool. 2. Alfred Litherland (1888-1975), an English cricketer who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club. 3. Albert Litherland (1901-1977), a British artist known for his landscape paintings of the Merseyside region. 4. Ellen Litherland (1923-2008), a British actress who appeared in numerous television shows and films. 5. Ian Litherland (born 1943), a British computer scientist and professor at the University of Liverpool.

While the Litherland surname has its roots firmly planted in Lancashire, over the centuries, it has spread to other parts of England and beyond, with descendants bearing the name found in various parts of the world today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Litherland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Litherland 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 428 Litherlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.45x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 428 5.45x
Staffordshire 43 1.92x
Cheshire 42 2.87x
Yorkshire 42 0.64x
Derbyshire 33 3.18x
Leicestershire 32 4.36x
Warwickshire 25 1.50x
Caernarfonshire 9 3.36x
Durham 6 0.30x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 4.17x
Lincolnshire 3 0.28x
Surrey 3 0.09x
Hampshire 2 0.15x
Westmorland 2 1.37x
Berkshire 1 0.20x
Channel Islands 1 0.51x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x
Shropshire 1 0.17x
Suffolk 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wigan in Lancashire leads with 37 Litherlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.69x.

Place Total Index
Wigan 37 33.69x
Manchester 33 9.34x
Windle 33 74.63x
Salford 32 13.84x
Warrington 32 34.35x
Winshill 23 347.96x
West Derby 22 9.57x
Hulme 17 10.36x
Leeds 17 4.59x
Altrincham 15 58.71x
Ince In Makerfield 14 38.28x
Lichfield St Mary 14 217.05x
Sale 14 78.04x
Poulton With Fearnhead 13 773.81x
Great Bolton 12 11.53x
Kearsley 12 72.55x
Sutton Coldfield 12 68.34x
Ashby De La Zouch 11 64.63x
Birmingham 11 1.98x
Haydock 11 81.24x
Huyton With Roby 11 119.44x
Sutton 11 41.73x
Bedford 10 60.83x
Eccleston In Prescot 10 25.34x
Parr 10 35.56x
Pemberton 10 31.91x
Bury 9 10.02x
Llanbeblig 9 33.11x
Shenstone 9 158.45x
Broughton In Salford 8 11.13x
Wombwell 7 36.57x
Aspull 6 32.45x
Great Lumley 6 178.04x
Loughborough 6 18.01x
Monks Coppenhall 6 10.88x
Newton In Makerfield 6 24.93x
Pendleton In Salford 6 6.41x
Rotherham 6 16.22x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 6 26.53x
Walton On Hill 6 14.09x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 8.45x
Bolton On Dearne 5 220.26x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 29.73x
Abram 4 66.34x
Blackburn 4 1.91x
Branstone 4 177.78x
Chapel En Le Frith 4 42.24x
Everton 4 1.60x
Harborne 4 5.58x
Liverpool 4 0.84x
Moss Side 4 9.67x
Orrell 4 40.94x
Seals 4 154.44x
Syston 4 58.22x
Urr 4 32.08x
Burton Extra 3 23.40x
Culcheth 3 58.25x
Kirkdale 3 2.27x
Lichfield St Michael 3 42.74x
Sefton 3 344.83x
Thurmaston 3 232.56x
Ardsley 2 26.46x
Barnsley 2 2.95x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 1.60x
Fairfield 2 28.82x
Heap 2 4.80x
Humberstone 2 33.17x
Hunslet 2 1.95x
Lambeth 2 0.35x
Little Bolton 2 1.98x
Measham 2 52.49x
Southampton St Mary 2 2.34x
Stretford 2 4.63x
Swineshead 2 57.47x
Tamworth 2 16.74x
Aston 1 0.22x
Leamington 1 9.03x
Newmarket St Mary 1 16.16x
St Helier 1 1.57x
Tarvin 1 105.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 58
Elizabeth 30
Sarah 23
Alice 19
Ann 16
Ellen 16
Jane 13
Annie 10
Emma 9
Margaret 9
Harriet 8
Emily 7
Martha 7
Eliza 6
Charlotte 5
Edith 4
Hannah 4
Isabella 4
Ada 3
Esther 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Ruth 3
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Julia 2
Maud 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Adelaide 1
Anna 1
Carloine 1
Charlette 1
Elisabeth 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Ida 1
Jenette 1
Jessie 1
Lily 1
Lydia 1
M. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 48
John 45
James 35
Thomas 33
Henry 17
Joseph 16
George 15
Richard 12
Alfred 9
Edward 9
Charles 8
Walter 6
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Fredrick 4
Robert 4
Aaron 3
Edwin 3
Elias 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Frederic 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Jno. 3
Louis 3
Timothy 3
David 2
Edwd. 2
Ellis 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Horace 2
Jas. 2
Moses 2
Solomon 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
C.T. 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Harrison 1
Heinz 1
Joshua 1
Julian 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Nathan 1
Oliver 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Litherland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Litherland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 679 people were recorded with the Litherland surname. That placed it at #5,302 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Litherland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,021 in 2016. That gives Litherland a modern rank of #5,709.

What does the Litherland surname mean?

A place name referring to someone from Litherland near Liverpool, England.

What does the Litherland map show?

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