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Leat Family History

Leat Surname Meaning

For someone who lived by a ‘conduit or watercourse’, the term is derived from Middle English lete, which traces back to Old English gelǣt.

Alternatively, it could refer to someone who came from a place so named, such as Leat in Devon.

Another possibility is The Leete in Essex, which also carries the same connotation.

The historical context hints at the practical and geographical importance of watercourses in daily life.

Ultimately, the name represents both a location and a way of life associated with water management in medieval England.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Leat family from?

You can see how Leat families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leat family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leat families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 95 Leat families living in London. This was about 22% of all the recorded Leat's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Leat families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Leat 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 Leat 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 Leat. 28% of Leat men worked as a General Labourer and 82% of Leat women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Leat were Carpenter and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Leat | 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
    28%
  • General Labourer
    19%
  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    19%
  • Carpenter
    19%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    82%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dut
    3%
  • Housekeeper
    3%

What Leat family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Leat. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Leat census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Leat

Passenger Lists

There are 879 immigration records available for the last name Leat. 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 Leat immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Leat. For the veterans among your Leat ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Leat military records

You've only scratched the surface of Leat family history

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What is the average Leat lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Leat life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2000, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Leat in 1960 was 72, and 23 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Leat

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Leat 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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