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Leicester Family History

Leicester Surname Meaning

from Leicester (Leics) which is recorded as Ligeraceastre in the 10th century.

The place-name derives from an Old English folk name *Legore ‘the dwellers by the river Legor (a lost river-name)’ + Old English ceaster ‘city Roman fortification’.

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Leicester family from?

You can see how Leicester families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leicester family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leicester families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 290 Leicester families living in Lancashire. This was about 44% of all the recorded Leicester's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Leicester families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Leicester 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 Leicester 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 Leicester. 31% of Leicester men worked as a General Labourer and 83% of Leicester women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Leicester were Motor Driver and Private Means.

View Census Data for Leicester | 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
    31%
  • Postman
    12%
  • Labourer Retired
    12%
  • Motor Driver
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    83%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    4%
  • Private Means
    2%

What Leicester family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Leicester. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Leicester census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Leicester

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Leicester. 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 Leicester immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 872 military records available for the last name Leicester. For the veterans among your Leicester ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Leicester military records

You've only scratched the surface of Leicester family history

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What is the average Leicester lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Leicester life expectancy was at its lowest point in 2004, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Leicester in 1964 was 60, and 47 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Leicester

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Leicester 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.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Leicester family tree

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