NameCensus.

UK surname

Ally

A surname originating from the Middle English 'aleye' meaning a path or passageway.

In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Ally surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 428, ranked #11,234, up from #29,484 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barking and Dagenham, Blackburn with Darwen and Newham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ally is 428 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1375.9%.

1881 census count

29

Ranked #29,484

Modern count

428

2016, ranked #11,234

Peak year

2016

428 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ally had 29 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,484 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 428 in 2016, ranked #11,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 82 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Ally surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ally surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ally 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 82 #19,317
1861 historical 61 #26,170
1881 historical 29 #29,484
1891 historical 48 #30,447
1901 historical 19 #31,911
1911 historical 27 #30,437
1997 modern 189 #18,267
1998 modern 203 #17,949
1999 modern 215 #17,425
2000 modern 229 #16,695
2001 modern 222 #16,806
2002 modern 259 #15,453
2003 modern 272 #14,746
2004 modern 284 #14,377
2005 modern 287 #14,216
2006 modern 322 #13,234
2007 modern 323 #13,351
2008 modern 347 #12,786
2009 modern 363 #12,602
2010 modern 402 #11,949
2011 modern 394 #11,997
2012 modern 402 #11,683
2013 modern 416 #11,575
2014 modern 423 #11,488
2015 modern 426 #11,320
2016 modern 428 #11,234

Geography

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Where Allys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barking and Dagenham, Blackburn with Darwen, Newham, Lambeth and Leicester. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barking and Dagenham 021 Barking and Dagenham
2 Blackburn with Darwen 004 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Newham 015 Newham
4 Lambeth 010 Lambeth
5 Leicester 009 Leicester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ally

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ally

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ally, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Ally surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Ally household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Ally is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ally 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

Ally falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ally is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Ally

The surname ALLY has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Scottish Gaelic word 'ailleadh', meaning 'rocky place' or 'cliff', suggesting that the name may have initially been used to identify individuals who lived near such geographical features.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ALLY can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 13th century, where a person named 'John de Aly' was mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the 15th century, the name ALLY appeared in several historical records, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One such person was 'Johannes Alye', hinting at the name's continued use and adaptation.

The ALLY surname has been associated with various place names throughout Scotland, such as Allynbank in Aberdeenshire and Allyth in Perthshire. These locations may have influenced the surname's development and spread across the region.

Notable individuals with the surname ALLY include Sir William Allye (1512-1570), a Scottish politician and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh. Another prominent figure was John Ally (1826-1894), a Scottish-born businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian Parliament.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the ALLY surname was found in various parts of Scotland, as evidenced by records from Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, and Ayrshire. This suggests that the name had become well-established across the country by that time.

In the 18th century, the ALLY surname gained recognition with the birth of John Alley (1737-1806), a Scottish-American merchant and politician who served as the fourth Governor of Connecticut. His surname's spelling variation highlights the ongoing evolution of the name.

Throughout the centuries, the ALLY surname has been associated with various professions, including landowners, merchants, politicians, and military personnel. One notable example is Colonel William Ally (1827-1893), a Scottish-born officer in the British Army who served in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ally families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ally 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. Durham leads with 10 Allys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.85x.

County Total Index
Durham 10 9.85x
Cheshire 6 7.97x
Royal Navy 6 147.42x
Somerset 6 10.92x
Yorkshire 3 0.89x
Essex 1 1.48x
Middlesex 1 0.29x
Norfolk 1 1.91x
Suffolk 1 2.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dawdon in Durham leads with 10 Allys recorded in 1881 and an index of 800.00x.

Place Total Index
Dawdon 10 800.00x
Birkenhead 6 100.00x
Brislington 6 6000.00x
Holy Trinity 3 36.90x
Beccles 1 149.25x
Paddington London 1 7.97x
South Lynn 1 169.49x
West Ham 1 6.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Sarah 3
Ann 1
Catherine 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Ahmed 2
John 2
Levi 2
Carbou 1
Charles 1
George 1
Mansoor 1
Sheik 1
Suffer 1
Thomas 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Ally households.

FAQ

Ally surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ally surname in 1881?

In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Ally surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ally surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 428 in 2016. That gives Ally a modern rank of #11,234.

What does the Ally surname mean?

A surname originating from the Middle English 'aleye' meaning a path or passageway.

What does the Ally map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ally 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.