NameCensus.

UK surname

Lyth

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning 'steep hill' or 'slope'.

In the 1881 census there were 417 people recorded with the Lyth surname, ranking it #7,732 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 856, ranked #6,542, up from #7,732 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, Burslem and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, Rossendale and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lyth is 884 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 105.3%.

1881 census count

417

Ranked #7,732

Modern count

856

2016, ranked #6,542

Peak year

2014

884 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lyth had 417 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,732 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 856 in 2016, ranked #6,542.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 725 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Lyth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lyth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lyth 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 258 #8,568
1861 historical 272 #9,167
1881 historical 417 #7,732
1891 historical 509 #7,323
1901 historical 633 #6,780
1911 historical 725 #5,900
1997 modern 807 #6,497
1998 modern 857 #6,397
1999 modern 861 #6,418
2000 modern 867 #6,355
2001 modern 837 #6,419
2002 modern 869 #6,360
2003 modern 826 #6,476
2004 modern 842 #6,394
2005 modern 825 #6,448
2006 modern 823 #6,476
2007 modern 831 #6,491
2008 modern 834 #6,528
2009 modern 840 #6,625
2010 modern 881 #6,506
2011 modern 862 #6,542
2012 modern 839 #6,595
2013 modern 877 #6,483
2014 modern 884 #6,467
2015 modern 874 #6,457
2016 modern 856 #6,542

Geography

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Where Lyths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, Burslem, Manchester, Stranton and Stockton-on-Tees (Stockton-on-Tees), Stainton (Thornaby ), Norton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, Rossendale and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Burslem Staffordshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Stranton Durham
5 Stockton-on-Tees (Stockton-on-Tees), Stainton (Thornaby ), Norton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 002 Scarborough
2 Scarborough 003 Scarborough
3 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
4 Cheshire West and Chester 008 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Cheshire West and Chester 007 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lyth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lyth

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Lyth 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

Lyth is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lyth 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 Lyth is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lyth

The surname Lyth has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the medieval period. Derived from the Old English word "hlið," meaning a slope or hillside, the name was initially used to denote someone who lived near or on a hillside.

Lyth is a locational surname, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name likely hailed from a place called Lyth, a small village in the county of Yorkshire. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, features the spelling "Lith" in reference to this settlement.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Lyth was William de Lyth, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1277. The Feet of Fines were legal documents recording land transfers and property transactions, providing valuable insights into the lives of medieval landowners.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Lythe and Lithe, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. John de Lythe, a prominent merchant from York, is documented in records from the 1330s.

As time progressed, the surname Lyth spread beyond Yorkshire to other parts of England. Notable individuals bearing this name include Sir Robert Lyth (1585-1658), an English judge and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire during the reign of Charles I.

In the literary realm, John Lyth (1711-1783) was an English poet and clergyman known for his collection of pastoral poems titled "The Solitary Hours." His works celebrated the beauty of nature and rural life.

During the 18th century, the surname Lyth also found its way to North America, with several individuals migrating from England to the American colonies. One such example is Joseph Lyth (1732-1804), a Revolutionary War soldier who fought in the Continental Army and later settled in Pennsylvania.

In the 19th century, the Lyth family established themselves in various parts of the English-speaking world. John Lyth (1821-1886), a prominent architect from Scotland, designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the Newington Free Church.

These examples illustrate the rich history and geographical spread of the surname Lyth, which has its roots firmly planted in the medieval landscape of Yorkshire, England, and has since branched out across generations and continents.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lyth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lyth 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 151 Lyths recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.75x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 151 3.75x
Durham 77 6.36x
Lancashire 71 1.47x
Staffordshire 62 4.52x
Denbighshire 13 8.46x
Shropshire 12 3.41x
Worcestershire 9 1.69x
Cheshire 8 0.89x
Middlesex 8 0.20x
Derbyshire 3 0.47x
Kent 2 0.14x
Wiltshire 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockton On Tees in Durham leads with 33 Lyths recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.57x.

Place Total Index
Stockton On Tees 33 56.57x
Stoke Upon Trent 29 19.92x
Egton 15 847.46x
Salford 15 10.57x
Hartlepool 14 81.40x
Stranton 14 34.36x
Whitby 13 95.73x
Burslem 11 27.97x
Chorlton On Medlock 11 14.35x
Holy Trinity 10 10.31x
Litherland 10 99.11x
Llangollen 9 592.11x
Bradford 8 35.41x
Glaisdale 8 519.48x
Hilderthorpe 8 392.16x
Manchester 8 3.69x
St Peter Le Poer London 8 2285.71x
Withington 8 51.45x
Claines 7 48.01x
Cropton 7 1428.57x
Eskdaleside 7 353.54x
Golcar 7 65.67x
Huddersfield 7 11.92x
Leeds 7 3.08x
Pendleton In Salford 7 12.17x
Armley 6 33.75x
Bishopwearmouth 6 5.78x
Falsgrave 6 101.01x
St Martin 6 152.67x
Betley 5 438.60x
Newton In Northwich 5 183.15x
Norton 5 112.36x
Sculcoates 5 7.82x
Smallthorne 5 98.04x
Wingate 5 60.24x
Wolstanton 5 11.99x
Llangollen Trevor 4 412.37x
Middlesbrough 4 7.62x
Skeeby 4 1818.18x
Ugglebarnby 4 740.74x
York St Lawrence 4 95.24x
York St Mary 4 23.97x
Derby St Peter 3 14.79x
Elland Cum Greetland 3 16.52x
Gate Fulford 3 31.88x
Scarborough 3 8.19x
Ashton On Mersey 2 43.10x
Bridlington 2 21.67x
Chorlton 2 377.36x
Hulme 2 1.98x
Kings Norton 2 4.20x
Leek Lowe 2 10.95x
Pickering 2 39.37x
Ruswarp 2 44.64x
Wem 2 38.24x
Whitchurch 2 29.33x
Barlaston 1 87.72x
Birkenhead 1 1.40x
Burythorpe 1 277.78x
Ellesmere 1 16.58x
Greenwich 1 1.54x
Hawsker Cum Stainsacre 1 74.63x
Hovingham 1 119.05x
Lancaster 1 3.48x
Marton In Pickering 1 370.37x
Milton In Gravesend 1 4.81x
Newington 1 9.01x
Norton In Malton 1 20.45x
Richmond 1 15.87x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 8.11x
Skircoat 1 6.29x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 8.67x
Toxteth Park 1 0.61x
Trowbridge 1 6.29x
Wolstanton Ranscliffe 1 208.33x
Wolverhampton 1 0.95x
York St Giles In 1 26.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Jane 15
Elizabeth 13
Sarah 11
Ann 10
Hannah 10
Annie 9
Emma 9
Eliza 8
Emily 6
Alice 5
Martha 5
Charlotte 4
Louisa 4
Anna 3
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Catherine 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Annabella 1
Christiana 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Elena 1
Elener 1
Elinor 1
Eliz 1
Elizth. 1
Francess 1
Georgina 1
Henrietta 1
Honour 1
Isabella 1
Isabelle 1
Jessie 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Lily 1
M.L. 1
Ma. 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Marrick 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 31
John 30
Thomas 20
George 12
Joseph 12
Richard 9
Charles 7
James 7
Francis 6
Frederick 6
Henry 6
Robert 5
Wm. 5
David 4
Edwin 4
Alfred 3
Ambrose 3
Aaron 2
Geo. 2
Matthew 2
Tom 2
Albert 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Freddy 1
Fredk. 1
Giles 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Job 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Pennock 1
Peter 1
Raper 1
Saml. 1
Stephen 1
Thos 1
Thos. 1
Tom. 1
Waldmar 1

FAQ

Lyth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lyth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 417 people were recorded with the Lyth surname. That placed it at #7,732 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lyth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 856 in 2016. That gives Lyth a modern rank of #6,542.

What does the Lyth surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning 'steep hill' or 'slope'.

What does the Lyth map show?

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