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Leith Family History

Leith Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from the port near Edinburgh which takes its name from the river at whose mouth it stands.

The river name is of Celtic origin meaning ‘dripping (water)’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Leith family from?

You can see how Leith families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leith family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leith families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 134 Leith families living in London. This was about 28% of all the recorded Leith's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Leith families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Leith surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Leith ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Leith. 15% of Leith men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Leith women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Leith were Manager (prov grocer) and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Leith | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    15%
  • Sheet Metal Worker
    15%
  • Laundry Motor Vanmare
    10%
  • Manager (prov grocer)
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Private Means
    8%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Leith family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 38,000 census records available for the last name Leith. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Leith census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Leith

Passenger Lists

There are 10,000 immigration records available for the last name Leith. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Leith immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Leith. For the veterans among your Leith ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Leith military records

You've only scratched the surface of Leith family history

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What is the average Leith lifespan?

Between 1950 and 2004, in the United States, Leith life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Leith in 1950 was 53, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Leith

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Leith ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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