NameCensus.

UK surname

Adley

Derived from a place name meaning "oak clearing" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near one.

In the 1881 census there were 230 people recorded with the Adley surname, ranking it #11,748 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 162, ranked #22,512, down from #11,748 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean, Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thanet, East Northamptonshire and Gwynedd.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Adley is 230 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.6%.

1881 census count

230

Ranked #11,748

Modern count

162

2016, ranked #22,512

Peak year

1881

230 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Adley had 230 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,748 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016, ranked #22,512.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 230 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Adley surname distribution map

The map shows where the Adley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Adley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Adley over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 139 #13,659
1861 historical 171 #13,692
1881 historical 230 #11,748
1891 historical 204 #14,702
1901 historical 218 #14,332
1911 historical 215 #14,290
1997 modern 171 #19,438
1998 modern 182 #19,162
1999 modern 186 #19,073
2000 modern 182 #19,300
2001 modern 177 #19,357
2002 modern 176 #19,829
2003 modern 166 #20,320
2004 modern 163 #20,685
2005 modern 153 #21,490
2006 modern 149 #22,013
2007 modern 153 #21,912
2008 modern 152 #22,225
2009 modern 156 #22,351
2010 modern 175 #21,186
2011 modern 176 #20,957
2012 modern 165 #21,782
2013 modern 171 #21,654
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 167 #22,066
2016 modern 162 #22,512

Geography

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Where Adleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean, Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry), London parishes and Charlton-near-Dover. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thanet, East Northamptonshire, Gwynedd, Slough and Croydon. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean Kent
2 Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry) Kent
3 London parishes London 1
4 Charlton-near-Dover Kent
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thanet 001 Thanet
2 East Northamptonshire 006 East Northamptonshire
3 Gwynedd 011 Gwynedd
4 Slough 013 Slough
5 Croydon 037 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Adley

These lists show first names that appear often with the Adley surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Adley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Adley, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Adley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Adley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Adley is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Adley is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Adley falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Adley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Adley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Adley

The surname Adley is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ād" meaning "journey" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow". This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing that was frequented by travelers.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Adley can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records of landholders in England. Specifically, the name appears as "Hugh de Addelee" in the rolls for the county of Oxfordshire. This spelling variation provides insight into how the name may have evolved over time.

In the 14th century, the Adley surname can be found in various manorial records and tax rolls, indicating that the family was well-established in certain regions of England. For instance, a Robert Adley is documented in the Subsidy Rolls for Hertfordshire in 1381.

The name Adley is also associated with several place names in England, such as Adley in Shropshire and Adlington in Cheshire. These place names likely originated from the surname, rather than the other way around, as was often the case with locational surnames.

One notable figure in history with the surname Adley was Sir Robert Adley (1597-1663), an English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Charles I. He was a staunch Royalist and played a role in the English Civil War.

Another prominent individual was Sir Ralph Adley (1612-1672), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for Bristol during the Interregnum and Restoration periods. He was instrumental in the establishment of the East India Company's trading operations in Bengal.

In the 19th century, John Adley (1823-1898) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Prudential Assurance Building and the Holborn Town Hall.

Mary Adley (1837-1914) was a renowned English folklorist and collector of traditional songs and stories from the rural areas of Shropshire and Herefordshire.

Finally, Sir Robert Adley (1935-1993) was a British Conservative politician who served as a Member of Parliament for over 20 years and held various ministerial positions in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Adley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Adley surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Kent leads with 122 Adleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.08x.

County Total Index
Kent 122 16.08x
Middlesex 25 1.12x
Surrey 19 1.75x
Yorkshire 15 0.68x
Worcestershire 8 2.75x
Gloucestershire 6 1.38x
Staffordshire 6 0.80x
Cheshire 5 1.02x
Lancashire 4 0.15x
Devon 3 0.65x
Pembrokeshire 3 4.24x
Somerset 2 0.56x
Berkshire 1 0.60x
Derbyshire 1 0.29x
Glamorgan 1 0.26x
Hampshire 1 0.22x
Hertfordshire 1 0.65x
Lincolnshire 1 0.28x
Monmouthshire 1 0.62x
Sussex 1 0.27x
Warwickshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Herne in Kent leads with 29 Adleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 863.10x.

Place Total Index
Herne 29 863.10x
Ashford 13 175.91x
Charlton 11 218.25x
Margate St John Baptist 10 71.99x
Boughton Under Blean 8 629.92x
Great Malvern 8 132.01x
Mile End New Town London 8 182.23x
Selling 8 1290.32x
Sturry 7 777.78x
Bradford 6 11.25x
Hackney London 6 4.81x
Thames Ditton 6 266.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 12.17x
Faversham 5 69.06x
Kensington London 5 4.04x
Newington 5 6.09x
Battersea 4 4.89x
Egerton 4 606.06x
Holy Trinity 4 7.55x
Leaveland 4 4000.00x
Newcastle Under Lyme 4 30.12x
Ramsgate 4 32.28x
St Giles In Fields London 4 36.66x
Dover St Mary Virgin 3 40.87x
Nether Hallam 3 10.06x
Rudbaxton 3 750.00x
Sheldwich 3 612.24x
Chilham 2 185.19x
Congleton 2 23.58x
Devonport 2 37.59x
Oare 2 512.82x
Penge 2 14.07x
Wednesbury 2 10.66x
Westbere 2 1111.11x
Willesborough 2 98.04x
Birmingham 1 0.54x
Brighton 1 1.32x
Bristol St James In 1 15.60x
Burnham 1 36.63x
Canterbury St Mary 1 19.65x
Canterbury St Paul 1 73.53x
Cardiff St John 1 7.91x
Carisbrooke 1 15.80x
Chard 1 23.04x
Cheadle 1 10.66x
Chesterfield 1 7.66x
Croydon 1 1.66x
Dover St James 1 30.03x
Dunkirk 1 178.57x
East Stonehouse 1 10.96x
Everton 1 1.19x
Great Driffield 1 22.12x
Great Grimsby 1 4.43x
Hougham 1 22.17x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.84x
Llanover 1 18.21x
Marton In Prestbury 1 434.78x
Nantwich 1 17.54x
Newton In Makerfield 1 12.38x
Old Artillery Ground 1 52.36x
Ormskirk 1 19.80x
Sheffield 1 1.43x
Tottenham 1 2.82x
Toxteth Park 1 1.12x
Wargrave 1 69.93x
Welwyn 1 75.19x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Adley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 12
Ellen 9
Jane 8
Sarah 8
Annie 6
Elizabeth 6
Ann 5
Fanny 5
Emily 4
Louisa 4
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Maria 3
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Flora 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Rose 2
Ada 1
Alma 1
Anne 1
Anney 1
Bridget 1
Clotilda 1
E. 1
Eleanor 1
Elisabeth 1
Faith 1
Hannah 1
Hanora 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
M. 1
Margt. 1
Marrey 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Nancey 1
Rhoda 1
Selina 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Adley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 12
George 9
James 9
John 9
Thomas 9
Henry 5
Edward 4
Alfred 3
David 3
Frederick 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Geoe. 2
Patrick 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Austin 1
Charles 1
Daniell 1
Elias 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Frk. 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Martin 1
Mary 1
Pelham 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
S. 1
Thos. 1
Thos.Hy. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Adley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Adley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 230 people were recorded with the Adley surname. That placed it at #11,748 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Adley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016. That gives Adley a modern rank of #22,512.

What does the Adley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "oak clearing" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near one.

What does the Adley map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Adley bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.