NameCensus.

UK surname

Ansley

From the English place name, likely derived from the Old English words "ansetl" meaning "hermitage" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 293 people recorded with the Ansley surname, ranking it #9,884 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 261, ranked #16,309, down from #9,884 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cranford, London parishes and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tandridge, Canterbury and Swale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ansley is 417 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.9%.

1881 census count

293

Ranked #9,884

Modern count

261

2016, ranked #16,309

Peak year

1861

417 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ansley had 293 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,884 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 261 in 2016, ranked #16,309.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 417 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ansley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ansley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ansley 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 245 #8,920
1861 historical 417 #6,163
1881 historical 293 #9,884
1891 historical 341 #10,041
1901 historical 255 #12,965
1911 historical 328 #10,714
1997 modern 259 #14,912
1998 modern 280 #14,550
1999 modern 283 #14,501
2000 modern 276 #14,724
2001 modern 268 #14,812
2002 modern 277 #14,764
2003 modern 270 #14,825
2004 modern 268 #14,995
2005 modern 248 #15,721
2006 modern 246 #15,907
2007 modern 248 #15,994
2008 modern 242 #16,432
2009 modern 254 #16,230
2010 modern 245 #17,013
2011 modern 249 #16,684
2012 modern 252 #16,424
2013 modern 255 #16,551
2014 modern 262 #16,380
2015 modern 260 #16,361
2016 modern 261 #16,309

Geography

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Where Ansleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cranford, London parishes, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H, Harrow-on-the-Hill and St Lawrence in Thanet. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tandridge, Canterbury, Swale, Rotherham and Waveney. 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 Cranford Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
4 Harrow-on-the-Hill Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 St Lawrence in Thanet Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tandridge 011 Tandridge
2 Canterbury 017 Canterbury
3 Swale 007 Swale
4 Rotherham 009 Rotherham
5 Waveney 004 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ansley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ansley

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Ansley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ansley 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Ansley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ansley is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ansley falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ansley 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 Ansley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ansley

The surname Ansley is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "an" meaning "one" and "leah" meaning "a meadow or clearing." The name likely referred to someone who lived in a single meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ansley appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Ansleg," which is believed to be an early spelling variation of Ansley.

In the 12th century, the name Ansley was associated with various places in England, such as Ansley in Warwickshire and Ansley Common in Staffordshire. These place names were likely derived from the surname itself, indicating that the name had become well-established by that time.

One notable individual with the surname Ansley was Sir John Ansley (c. 1470-1540), an English politician who served as the Sheriff of Warwickshire and Leicestershire during the reign of Henry VIII. He was also a member of the Parliament of England.

Another historical figure with the Ansley name was Samuel Ansley (1609-1677), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. He was a prominent figure in the Church of England during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Mary Ansley (1715-1799) was a notable English diarist and writer. Her diary, which covered the years 1766-1799, provides valuable insights into the daily life and social customs of the Georgian era.

The surname Ansley also has connections to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in North America was William Ansley (1678-1744), who emigrated from England to Virginia in the early 18th century and became a successful landowner and merchant.

Another notable individual with the Ansley surname was John Ansley (1783-1846), an American politician and lawyer from Virginia. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1825 to 1827.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ansley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ansley 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 75 Ansleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.69x.

County Total Index
Kent 75 7.69x
Middlesex 46 1.61x
Gloucestershire 38 6.78x
Devon 25 4.20x
Surrey 23 1.65x
Lancashire 20 0.59x
Warwickshire 20 2.77x
Yorkshire 9 0.32x
Huntingdonshire 7 12.33x
Hampshire 5 0.85x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.30x
Cornwall 4 1.24x
Dorset 2 1.07x
Durham 2 0.24x
Lincolnshire 2 0.44x
Norfolk 2 0.46x
Somerset 2 0.43x
Sussex 2 0.42x
Essex 1 0.18x
Glamorgan 1 0.20x
Hertfordshire 1 0.51x
Staffordshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Lawrence in Kent leads with 16 Ansleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 238.81x.

Place Total Index
St Lawrence 16 238.81x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 26.53x
Cranford 14 2857.14x
Westbury On Severn East 12 94.71x
St Luke London 11 24.00x
Coventry St Michael 9 38.88x
Exeter St Edmund 9 703.13x
Islington London 8 2.89x
Kenton 8 425.53x
Waltham 8 1600.00x
Aston 7 3.53x
Bredgar 7 1166.67x
Eastrington 7 1891.89x
Lambeth 7 2.81x
North Tawton 7 382.51x
East Malling 6 257.51x
Toxteth Park 6 5.22x
Bermondsey 5 5.88x
Clapham 5 13.99x
Gloucester St Owen 5 806.45x
Ickham Well 5 892.86x
Lea Bailey 5 1851.85x
Monkton 5 1388.89x
Canterbury St Mary 4 61.16x
Christchurch 4 31.50x
Madron Penzance 4 33.98x
Manchester 4 2.62x
Nottingham St Mary 4 4.01x
Salford 4 4.01x
St Ives 4 136.05x
Adisham 3 666.67x
Coventry Holy Trinity 3 13.94x
Habergham Eaves 3 9.68x
Harlington 3 198.68x
Houghton 3 600.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 5.22x
Streatham 3 14.15x
Wickhambreux 3 638.30x
Bristol St James In 2 24.27x
Chartham 2 82.30x
Folkestone 2 10.58x
Heigham 2 8.48x
Littlebourne 2 270.27x
Newington In Milton 2 196.08x
Paddington London 2 1.90x
St George Hanover Square 2 3.97x
St Pancras London 2 0.87x
Thorncombe 2 185.19x
Walcot 2 8.16x
Walton On Hill 2 10.89x
Birmingham 1 0.42x
Brignall 1 769.23x
Chiswick 1 6.40x
Corringham 1 136.99x
Crook Billy Row 1 9.18x
Dunnington In Skirlaugh 1 1111.11x
Faversham 1 10.75x
Fordwich 1 454.55x
Hampstead London 1 2.25x
Harbledown 1 142.86x
Hastings St Mary 1 8.34x
Kensington London 1 0.63x
Luddesdown 1 370.37x
Maidstone 1 3.44x
Mansfield 1 7.50x
Minster In Thanet 1 49.26x
Mint 1 909.09x
Newton Abbot St Mary 1 20.04x
Pendleton In Salford 1 2.48x
Portsea 1 0.87x
Pulborough 1 56.50x
Ramsgate 1 6.28x
Spalding 1 11.03x
St Nicholas At Wade 1 175.44x
St Peters 1 22.17x
Swansea Town 1 2.45x
Watford 1 6.55x
West Ham 1 0.80x
Westminster St James 1 3.40x
Wolverhampton 1 1.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Sarah 14
Elizabeth 13
Emily 8
Alice 7
Eliza 7
Jane 7
Harriet 5
Charlotte 4
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Henrietta 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Matilda 2
Sophia 2
Annie 1
Auseth 1
Bertha 1
Blanch 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Eliza.A. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emley 1
Francis 1
Frederica 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Lizzy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maud 1
Mildred 1
Rebecca 1
Rhoda 1
Rosa 1
Rosana 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Ansley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ansley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 293 people were recorded with the Ansley surname. That placed it at #9,884 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ansley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 261 in 2016. That gives Ansley a modern rank of #16,309.

What does the Ansley surname mean?

From the English place name, likely derived from the Old English words "ansetl" meaning "hermitage" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing."

What does the Ansley map show?

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