The many towns and villages around the world named Leigh

By Tabitha Wilson Reporter

Leigh, Auckland (Image: Google Street View)

IF you think there is only one Leigh, you are mistaken.

There is actually more than 10 places, all sharing the same moniker, with many more sounding or looking similar.

From the UK to New Zealand, the name is found across the globe.

We took a look at some of them to learn more.

Leigh in Nebraska is a small village in Colfax County.

It was founded in the 1870s and takes its name from the first postmaster's wife's maiden name.

At the 2020 census, Leigh had a population of 435.

There are plenty of small villages and parishes up and down the UK that share their name with our town.

These can be found in Dorset, Gloucestershire, Kent, Staffordshire, Surrey, Wiltshire, and Worcestershire.

Perhaps our most well-known namesake, Leigh-on-Sea is a town and civil parish within the city of Southend-on-Sea, in Essex.

Leigh has often been cited as a great place to live, with plenty of amenities and proximity to London.

Leigh Heritage Centre serves as a museum for ‘Old Leigh’, a historically significant settlement.

Leigh-on-Sea, Essex (Image: Google Street View)

Old Leigh has a strong fishing heritage, with the town being on the primary shipping route to London.

The Leigh Society, who run the museum, also run the next-door Plumbs Cottage, a restored and substantially rebuilt 1850s fisherman's cottage.

Leigh in New Zealand is a coastal village in the north of the Auckland region in New Zealand.

A rural settlement located in the Rodney district, it had an estimated population of 610 as of June 2025.

The Leigh district provides several venues for rugby, golf, touch rugby, football, and other sports.

The Rodney district's rugby team, the Rodney Rams, is based at Whangateau.

There are numerous beaches and fishing areas nearby.

This townland is a rural civil parish close to the village of Twomileborris.

Leigh in County Tipperary, Ireland (Image: Google Street View)

As of the 2011 census, Leigh had a population of 64 people in 18 occupied houses.

Leigh is an unincorporated community located in northeastern Harrison County, Texas, about 14 miles northeast of Marshall.

Landmarks include Mimosa Hall, a historic plantation house built in 1844.