UK surname
A locational surname referring to someone who resided near a meadow or clearing.
In the 1881 census there were 117 people recorded with the Barcley surname, ranking it #18,026 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 24, ranked #36,392, down from #18,026 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Ruabon, Govan Combination and Jarrow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barcley is 170 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 79.5%.
1881 census count
117
Ranked #18,026
Modern count
24
2016, ranked #36,392
Peak year
1861
170 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Barcley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Barcley surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 170 | #13,763 |
| 1881 | historical | 117 | #18,026 |
| 1891 | historical | 142 | #18,995 |
| 1901 | historical | 86 | #24,508 |
| 1911 | historical | 29 | #30,190 |
| 1997 | modern | 21 | #35,692 |
| 1998 | modern | 23 | #35,603 |
| 1999 | modern | 23 | #35,612 |
| 2000 | modern | 24 | #35,498 |
| 2001 | modern | 24 | #35,357 |
| 2002 | modern | 24 | #35,520 |
| 2003 | modern | 23 | #35,650 |
| 2004 | modern | 25 | #35,610 |
| 2005 | modern | 25 | #35,752 |
| 2006 | modern | 25 | #35,903 |
| 2007 | modern | 22 | #36,213 |
| 2008 | modern | 25 | #36,072 |
| 2009 | modern | 27 | #36,045 |
| 2010 | modern | 30 | #35,967 |
| 2011 | modern | 25 | #36,252 |
| 2012 | modern | 26 | #36,166 |
| 2013 | modern | 25 | #36,276 |
| 2014 | modern | 22 | #36,496 |
| 2015 | modern | 23 | #36,424 |
| 2016 | modern | 24 | #36,392 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Ruabon, Govan Combination, Jarrow, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ruabon | Denbighshire |
| 2 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| 3 | Jarrow | Durham |
| 4 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 5 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Barcley surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Barcley, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Barcley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Barcley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Barcley is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Barcley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Barcley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Barcley has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon era of Britain. It is derived from the Old English words 'bær' meaning 'bear' and 'leah' meaning 'meadow' or 'clearing'. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a bear's meadow or clearing, making it a locational surname.
The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1176, where it is listed as 'Berchelai'. Similar early spellings include 'Barkeley' and 'Barkeley'. The name is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as 'Berchelai'.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Robert de Barcley, who lived in Gloucestershire in the 13th century. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Barcley, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War.
In the 15th century, the Barcley family established themselves as landowners in Somerset, where they held the manor of Barcley near Wrington. One of the most famous members of this family was Alexander Barcley (c. 1475-1552), a poet and priest who translated several works from Latin and French into English.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name spread to Scotland, where it was sometimes spelled 'Barkley'. One notable Scot with this surname was John Barcley (1582-1621), a writer and satirist who was born in Pont-à-Mousson, Lorraine.
Other notable bearers of the Barcley surname include Robert Barcley (1648-1690), a Scottish Quaker writer and theologian, and Sir George Barcley (1776-1854), a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barcley surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Midlothian leads with 33 Barcleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.59x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Midlothian | 33 | 21.59x |
| Lanarkshire | 20 | 5.42x |
| Lancashire | 8 | 0.59x |
| Northumberland | 7 | 4.12x |
| Hampshire | 6 | 2.57x |
| Durham | 5 | 1.47x |
| Ayrshire | 4 | 4.68x |
| Renfrewshire | 4 | 4.52x |
| Yorkshire | 4 | 0.35x |
| Aberdeenshire | 3 | 2.84x |
| Angus | 3 | 2.84x |
| Kent | 3 | 0.77x |
| Surrey | 3 | 0.54x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 0.18x |
| Banffshire | 1 | 4.22x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.40x |
| Denbighshire | 1 | 2.32x |
| East Lothian | 1 | 6.62x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.50x |
| Merionethshire | 1 | 4.79x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 1.21x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.57x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 1.42x |
| Perthshire | 1 | 1.95x |
| Shetland | 1 | 8.58x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 1.01x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Leith in Midlothian leads with 15 Barcleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 212.16x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| North Leith | 15 | 212.16x |
| Govan | 13 | 14.24x |
| South Leith | 10 | 58.14x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 8 | 13.01x |
| Shotts | 6 | 135.75x |
| St Thomas Winchester | 6 | 363.64x |
| Wallsend | 6 | 111.52x |
| Port Glasgow | 4 | 93.46x |
| Wakefield | 4 | 46.08x |
| Whickham | 4 | 128.21x |
| Beith | 3 | 117.65x |
| Frimley | 3 | 189.87x |
| Haslingden | 3 | 53.48x |
| Bidborough | 2 | 1818.18x |
| Liff Benvie | 2 | 12.46x |
| Aberdeen Old Machar | 1 | 4.53x |
| Aberdeen St Nicholas | 1 | 5.06x |
| Bedwellty | 1 | 6.87x |
| Bootle Cum Linacre | 1 | 9.30x |
| Cardiff St Mary | 1 | 9.14x |
| Cliffe | 1 | 113.64x |
| Crimond | 1 | 303.03x |
| Dalmellington | 1 | 39.84x |
| Ellesmere | 1 | 59.17x |
| Gamrie | 1 | 37.88x |
| Garston | 1 | 25.00x |
| Great Yarmouth | 1 | 6.88x |
| Gresford Gwersyllt | 1 | 74.63x |
| Harrow On The Hill | 1 | 43.86x |
| Hedworth Monkton Jarrow | 1 | 6.80x |
| Lethendy | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.22x |
| Llanfachreth | 1 | 285.71x |
| Menmuir | 1 | 333.33x |
| North South Gosforth | 1 | 454.55x |
| Old Monkland | 1 | 6.83x |
| Oxford St Giles | 1 | 29.76x |
| Poplar London | 1 | 4.64x |
| Prestonkirk | 1 | 131.58x |
| Stretford | 1 | 13.42x |
| Wallasey | 1 | 116.28x |
| Widnes | 1 | 10.24x |
| Yell Mid | 1 | 256.41x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Barcley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Barcley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Barcley households.
FAQ
In 1881, 117 people were recorded with the Barcley surname. That placed it at #18,026 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 24 in 2016. That gives Barcley a modern rank of #36,392.
A locational surname referring to someone who resided near a meadow or clearing.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Barcley bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.