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Leslie Family History

Leslie Surname Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from a barony in Aberdeenshire which is first recorded c. 1180 in the form Lesslyn of obscure origin. Leslie in Fife is said to be named for this place; in some cases, the surname may come from there.

English: from the Middle English female personal name Lecelin, a double diminutive of Lece. See Leece and Lesley.

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


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Where is the Leslie family from?

You can see how Leslie families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Leslie family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Leslie families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 492 Leslie families living in London. This was about 29% of all the recorded Leslie's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Leslie families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Leslie 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 Leslie 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 Leslie. 11% of Leslie men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Leslie women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Leslie were Window Cleaner and Housewife.

View Census Data for Leslie | 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
    11%
  • Incapacitated
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Window Cleaner
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Private Means
    5%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Leslie family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 217,000 census records available for the last name Leslie. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Leslie census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Leslie

Passenger Lists

There are 42,000 immigration records available for the last name Leslie. 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 Leslie immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 31,000 military records available for the last name Leslie. For the veterans among your Leslie ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Leslie military records

You've only scratched the surface of Leslie family history

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What is the average Leslie lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Leslie life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Leslie in 1943 was 56, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Leslie

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Leslie 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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