NameCensus.

UK surname

Arkley

An English habitational surname referring to someone from Arkley, a location in Hertfordshire.

In the 1881 census there were 316 people recorded with the Arkley surname, ranking it #9,375 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 593, ranked #8,799, up from #9,375 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Greenock East, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Arkley is 638 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 87.7%.

1881 census count

316

Ranked #9,375

Modern count

593

2016, ranked #8,799

Peak year

2010

638 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Arkley had 316 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,375 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016, ranked #8,799.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 406 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Arkley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Arkley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Arkley 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 199 #10,441
1861 historical 244 #10,087
1881 historical 316 #9,375
1891 historical 332 #10,251
1901 historical 406 #9,393
1911 historical 375 #9,747
1997 modern 601 #8,133
1998 modern 603 #8,365
1999 modern 615 #8,307
2000 modern 612 #8,310
2001 modern 601 #8,290
2002 modern 616 #8,298
2003 modern 603 #8,304
2004 modern 591 #8,442
2005 modern 592 #8,349
2006 modern 594 #8,345
2007 modern 604 #8,310
2008 modern 597 #8,452
2009 modern 630 #8,271
2010 modern 638 #8,365
2011 modern 620 #8,474
2012 modern 613 #8,463
2013 modern 615 #8,580
2014 modern 621 #8,566
2015 modern 621 #8,492
2016 modern 593 #8,799

Geography

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Where Arkleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon), Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Greenock East, Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Sunderland and North Tyneside. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Greenock East Inverclyde
2 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
3 Sunderland 027 Sunderland
4 Sunderland 028 Sunderland
5 North Tyneside 017 North Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Arkley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Arkley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Arkley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Arkley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Arkley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Arkley is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Arkley falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Arkley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Arkley

The surname Arkley originates from England and is believed to have first appeared in the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "earc" meaning "ark" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow", suggesting that the name may have been initially used to refer to someone who lived near an area of cleared land.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327, which lists a William de Arkelay. The de Arkelay spelling indicates that the name was likely associated with a specific location or manor at that time.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Arkeley, Arkelay, and Arkelaye, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common before standardization. These variations may have been influenced by the pronunciation of the name in different regions of England.

The Arkley surname is also linked to several place names in England, including Arkley in Hertfordshire and Arkley Lane in Berkshire. These place names likely predate the surname and may have contributed to its origins.

Notable individuals with the surname Arkley include:

1. John Arkley (c. 1500 - 1570), an English Member of Parliament who represented Worcestershire in the Parliament of 1553. 2. Thomas Arkley (1675 - 1738), a British merchant and plantation owner in Jamaica. 3. Samuel Arkley (1718 - 1795), an English clergyman and author of several religious works. 4. William Arkley (1798 - 1872), a British architect known for his designs of numerous churches and public buildings in London. 5. James Arkley (1825 - 1901), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who founded the Arkley Charity Trust.

While the Arkley surname has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns of individuals and families over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Arkley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Arkley 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. Northumberland leads with 110 Arkleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.99x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 110 23.99x
Durham 80 8.72x
Angus 24 8.40x
Staffordshire 14 1.35x
West Lothian 13 28.01x
Lancashire 11 0.30x
Midlothian 11 2.66x
Renfrewshire 11 4.61x
Essex 10 1.64x
Lanarkshire 8 0.80x
Yorkshire 7 0.23x
Surrey 4 0.27x
Perthshire 3 2.17x
Middlesex 2 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 2 2.83x
Stirlingshire 2 1.76x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Hertfordshire 1 0.47x
Kincardineshire 1 2.66x
Warwickshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chirton in Northumberland leads with 47 Arkleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 452.79x.

Place Total Index
Chirton 47 452.79x
Tynemouth 23 93.65x
Tunstall 21 459.52x
Dundee 18 16.89x
Ryhope 14 219.78x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 12.69x
Wingate 12 190.78x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 27.69x
Walthamstow 9 41.10x
Glasgow 8 4.52x
Cramlington 6 99.01x
North Shields 6 65.57x
Wallsend 6 41.27x
West Derby 6 5.61x
Boness 5 78.13x
Burnley 5 16.23x
Cowpen 5 47.35x
Earsdon 5 134.05x
Edinburgh Canongate 5 47.57x
Linlithgow 5 84.03x
Middle Greenock 5 76.69x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 27.93x
St Vigeans 5 32.45x
Stranton 5 16.20x
Broomley 4 975.61x
Holy Trinity 4 5.44x
Quarrington 4 1142.86x
East Greenock 3 13.30x
Edinburgh St Stephens 3 36.90x
Hartlepool 3 23.02x
Hedley Woodside 3 638.30x
West Greenock 3 7.00x
Winlaton 3 34.09x
Auchterarder 2 51.81x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.20x
Longbenton 2 10.30x
Pool 2 37.52x
Saddleworth 2 8.49x
Slamannan 2 32.10x
Streatham 2 8.75x
Torphichen 2 123.46x
Abercorn 1 108.70x
Audlem 1 62.50x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.27x
Craster 1 434.78x
Duddingston 1 12.06x
Dun 1 175.44x
East Hartford 1 833.33x
Edgbaston 1 4.15x
Godstone 1 37.17x
Kinneff Catterline 1 94.34x
Middlesbrough 1 2.51x
Paddington London 1 0.88x
Rhynd 1 322.58x
Shoreditch London 1 0.75x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.61x
Stocksfield Hall 1 833.33x
West Ham 1 0.74x
Westoe 1 1.92x
Wheathampstead 1 40.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 16
Ann 9
Jane 8
Margaret 8
Sarah 8
Hannah 5
Martha 4
Annie 3
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Emily 2
Frances 2
Isabella 2
Janet 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizath. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Isabell 1
Lily 1
Mar. 1
Matilda 1
Rose 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Arkley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Arkley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 316 people were recorded with the Arkley surname. That placed it at #9,375 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Arkley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016. That gives Arkley a modern rank of #8,799.

What does the Arkley surname mean?

An English habitational surname referring to someone from Arkley, a location in Hertfordshire.

What does the Arkley map show?

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