SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Just listened to an interesting piece on the radio about surnames used by less than 50 people and on the point of disappearing and wondered if there were any surnames peculiar to Leeds either today or in the past.Found these linkshttp://www.britishsurnames.co.uk/1881census/Yo ... s.htmlJust curious if there were any names that are now gone that relate to people who lived in and around Leeds.

And there, surely, is the Radestock[e] family of our old pal Rudolph, famous hereabouts for his skulls article.

My surname is not on either of those lists. Mind, it wouldn't be on many throughout the UK! And yet it's not of foreign origin.

Blimey, there are a lot of names on those lists, many I guess are common all over the UK. I've had conversations with people before about what names they think are peculiar to Leeds but I have never been particularly convinced. Unless of course they are names that are linked to a placename that is unique to Leeds. I cant think of any off the top of my head.

having trawled through the early Leeds PR i can say that there doesnt seem to be any particular surnames unique to Leeds,with the exception of Killingbeck.The 1851 census shows 301 instances of the surname,some are Leeds born,some are spread over the country.This doesnt take into account and variation of the spelling,and im sure there will be some.In the 1911 census there are over 700 instances of the surnames.Between 1916 and 2005 there are 1669 instances of births registered in England and Wales.There is the surname "Leeds" itself,but it doesnt seem to appear too much in Leeds in the PR,but in surrounding parishes,and is likely to be originated from people who have moved from Leeds to the parish where their life events are registered.