NameCensus.

UK surname

Whitelegg

In the 1881 census there were 332 people recorded with the Whitelegg surname, ranking it #9,058 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 346, ranked #13,291, down from #9,058 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Ashton-upon-Mersey and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Trafford, Bolton and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whitelegg is 464 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.2%.

1881 census count

332

Ranked #9,058

Modern count

346

2016, ranked #13,291

Peak year

1911

464 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whitelegg had 332 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,058 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 346 in 2016, ranked #13,291.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 464 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Whitelegg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whitelegg surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whitelegg 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 195 #10,620
1861 historical 229 #10,660
1881 historical 332 #9,058
1891 historical 348 #9,873
1901 historical 408 #9,358
1911 historical 464 #8,307
1997 modern 380 #11,418
1998 modern 394 #11,474
1999 modern 383 #11,823
2000 modern 369 #12,106
2001 modern 367 #11,968
2002 modern 370 #12,121
2003 modern 362 #12,114
2004 modern 365 #12,077
2005 modern 345 #12,496
2006 modern 349 #12,473
2007 modern 343 #12,773
2008 modern 334 #13,142
2009 modern 346 #13,075
2010 modern 355 #13,099
2011 modern 345 #13,221
2012 modern 332 #13,501
2013 modern 341 #13,425
2014 modern 340 #13,554
2015 modern 343 #13,365
2016 modern 346 #13,291

Geography

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Where Whiteleggs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Ashton-upon-Mersey, Manchester and Bowdon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Trafford, Bolton and Salford. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Ashton-upon-Mersey Cheshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bowdon Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Trafford 013 Trafford
2 Trafford 023 Trafford
3 Bolton 028 Bolton
4 Salford 030 Salford
5 Trafford 007 Trafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whitelegg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whitelegg

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Whitelegg surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Whitelegg household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Whitelegg is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Whitelegg is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whitelegg falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Whitelegg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whitelegg 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 181 Whiteleggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.77x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 181 4.77x
Cheshire 133 18.83x
Essex 5 0.79x
Denbighshire 3 2.48x
Somerset 3 0.58x
Derbyshire 1 0.20x
Hampshire 1 0.15x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hulme in Lancashire leads with 32 Whiteleggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.37x.

Place Total Index
Hulme 32 40.37x
Ashton On Mersey 26 712.33x
Ardwick 24 70.09x
Sale 21 242.49x
Lymm 13 253.41x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 12 476.19x
Salford 12 10.75x
Farnworth 11 48.35x
Pendleton In Salford 11 24.32x
Timperley 11 447.15x
Manchester 10 5.86x
Stretford 10 47.87x
Northen Etchells 9 1084.34x
Carrington 8 1666.67x
Middleton In Oldham 8 70.30x
Didsbury 7 138.89x
Grappenhall 7 813.95x
Thornham 7 341.46x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 20.99x
Little Bolton 6 12.29x
Partington 6 1250.00x
Cheadle 5 37.06x
Hale 5 204.92x
Warburton 5 1063.83x
West Ham 5 3.59x
Altrincham 4 32.41x
Liverpool 4 1.73x
Mobberley 4 248.45x
Moss Side 4 20.02x
Newton 4 13.67x
Stockport 4 11.00x
Bedminster 3 6.20x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 3 167.60x
Tonge 3 37.64x
Birkdale 2 20.81x
Gorton 2 5.60x
Oldham 2 1.63x
Pownall Fee 2 63.29x
Withington 2 16.35x
Accrington 1 2.90x
Chesterfield 1 5.32x
Harborne 1 2.89x
Knutsford Nether 1 23.42x
Macclesfield 1 3.19x
Norbury 1 60.98x
Pendlebury 1 12.47x
Portsmouth 1 6.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 15
Sarah 12
Alice 9
Hannah 9
Martha 8
Margaret 7
Ellen 6
Jane 6
Eliza 5
Emily 5
Ada 4
Ann 4
Annie 4
Agnes 3
Edith 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Amy 1
Anna 1
Annetta 1
Betty 1
Charlotte 1
Clare 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Esther 1
Evelyn 1
Francis 1
Georgenia 1
Hanna 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Lilley 1
Lilly 1
Lousia 1
Mabel 1
Marie 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Patience 1
Ruth 1
Suzannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
James 22
Thomas 21
William 20
George 11
Joseph 7
Robert 6
Samuel 6
Alfred 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Henry 2
Isaac 2
Peter 2
Ambrose 1
Author 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Josh.B. 1
Leonard 1
Newton 1
Richd. 1
Willm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Whitelegg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whitelegg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 332 people were recorded with the Whitelegg surname. That placed it at #9,058 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whitelegg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 346 in 2016. That gives Whitelegg a modern rank of #13,291.

What does the Whitelegg map show?

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