NameCensus.

UK surname

Barkley

From the English place name Berkeley, meaning "birch wood" or "birch-tree meadow."

In the 1881 census there were 388 people recorded with the Barkley surname, ranking it #8,141 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 726, ranked #7,493, up from #8,141 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wrexham, Shropshire and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barkley is 726 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 87.1%.

1881 census count

388

Ranked #8,141

Modern count

726

2016, ranked #7,493

Peak year

2016

726 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barkley had 388 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,141 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 726 in 2016, ranked #7,493.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 473 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Barkley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barkley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barkley 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 257 #8,596
1861 historical 473 #5,497
1881 historical 388 #8,141
1891 historical 411 #8,675
1901 historical 425 #9,081
1911 historical 432 #8,779
1997 modern 668 #7,513
1998 modern 679 #7,657
1999 modern 686 #7,633
2000 modern 678 #7,682
2001 modern 670 #7,616
2002 modern 667 #7,794
2003 modern 649 #7,837
2004 modern 634 #7,986
2005 modern 627 #7,994
2006 modern 642 #7,881
2007 modern 648 #7,883
2008 modern 655 #7,869
2009 modern 656 #8,014
2010 modern 685 #7,907
2011 modern 656 #8,094
2012 modern 673 #7,859
2013 modern 690 #7,817
2014 modern 704 #7,735
2015 modern 715 #7,601
2016 modern 726 #7,493

Geography

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Where Barkleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Toxteth Park, Manchester, Glasgow and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wrexham, Shropshire, Rotherham, Scarborough and Wandsworth. 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 Darlington Durham
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wrexham 006 Wrexham
2 Shropshire 007 Shropshire
3 Rotherham 001 Rotherham
4 Scarborough 014 Scarborough
5 Wandsworth 008 Wandsworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barkley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barkley

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Barkley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Barkley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Barkley 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

Barkley 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

Barkley 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 Barkley 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 Barkley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Barkley

The surname Barkley is of English origin, believed to have originated in the county of Derbyshire in the 13th century. It is thought to be a locational surname derived from the old English words "bere," meaning barley, and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing, referring to a location where barley was grown.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Barkley can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a William de Berkeleye was listed as a landowner in Derbyshire. The spelling variations during this period included Barkelay, Barkeley, and Barkley.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in several manor records and tax rolls, indicating the family's prominence in the region. One notable bearer was John de Barkley, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 as a taxpayer in Derbyshire.

The Barkley family's significance can also be seen in the place names derived from the surname. For instance, Barkley in Gloucestershire and Barkley Moor in Staffordshire were named after members of the family who held land in those areas.

During the 16th century, the Barkley name gained wider recognition with the rise of Sir Maurice Barkley (1515-1598), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench under Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Barkley (1648-1704), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Herefordshire. He played a significant role in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which led to the overthrow of King James II.

In the 18th century, Charles Barkley (1759-1832) was a renowned English architect known for his work on several churches and country houses in the neoclassical style.

The 19th century saw the birth of Henry Barkley (1833-1909), a successful English businessman and philanthropist who founded the Barkley Charitable Trust, which provided support for education and healthcare initiatives.

In more recent times, the name gained international recognition with the American basketball player Charles Barkley (born 1963), a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barkley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barkley 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. Lancashire leads with 67 Barkleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.48x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 67 1.48x
Shropshire 46 13.92x
Durham 31 2.73x
Yorkshire 26 0.69x
Kent 21 1.61x
Flintshire 19 18.48x
Staffordshire 19 1.47x
Middlesex 17 0.44x
Lanarkshire 14 1.13x
Warwickshire 14 1.45x
Cheshire 13 1.54x
Northumberland 12 2.11x
Nottinghamshire 12 2.33x
Leicestershire 11 2.59x
Glamorgan 8 1.20x
Norfolk 8 1.36x
Sussex 6 0.93x
Devon 5 0.63x
Hampshire 5 0.64x
Surrey 5 0.27x
Fife 4 1.77x
Gloucestershire 4 0.53x
Royal Navy 4 8.78x
Worcestershire 4 0.80x
Denbighshire 3 2.08x
Merionethshire 2 2.86x
Northamptonshire 2 0.56x
Somerset 2 0.32x
Berkshire 1 0.35x
Buteshire 1 4.32x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.62x
Cumberland 1 0.30x
Essex 1 0.13x
Monmouthshire 1 0.36x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.82x
Renfrewshire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 20 Barkleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.02x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 20 13.02x
Mold Bistree 16 958.08x
Ellesmere 11 194.00x
Leicester St Margaret 11 10.64x
Stranton 10 26.11x
Birkenhead 9 13.37x
Burham 9 500.00x
Darlington 9 20.49x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 6.58x
Whittington 9 324.91x
Baschurch 8 353.98x
Birmingham 8 2.49x
Bishopwearmouth 8 8.19x
Madeley 8 66.06x
Wavertree 8 55.10x
Barony 7 2.24x
Chatham 7 19.50x
Flamborough 7 380.43x
Kensington London 7 3.29x
Rugeley 7 75.59x
Tynemouth 7 22.97x
Hucknall Torkard 6 45.91x
Liverpool 6 2.18x
Nottingham St Mary 6 4.50x
Foleshill 5 49.26x
Garboldisham 5 595.24x
Hastings St Mary 5 31.17x
Hulme 5 5.28x
Kilham 5 314.47x
Manchester 5 2.45x
Tormoham 5 14.85x
Abbotshall 4 47.28x
Cardiff St Mary 4 10.91x
Croydon 4 3.87x
Eastington 4 161.29x
Govan 4 1.31x
Sculcoates 4 6.66x
Southampton St Mary 4 8.12x
Spotland 4 7.93x
Thornaby 4 28.25x
Wallsend 4 22.17x
West Derby 4 3.01x
Worcester St Nicholas 4 168.78x
Chirk 3 105.63x
Hanmer 3 379.75x
Melton Parva 3 638.30x
Middle 3 333.33x
Monks Coppenhall 3 9.42x
Newcastle Higher 3 66.37x
Royal Navy 3 7.70x
St George Martyr London 3 38.76x
Bathwick 2 29.37x
Bilston 2 8.00x
Bishop Auckland 2 13.11x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 5.55x
Chelsea London 2 1.74x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.77x
Corwen 2 113.64x
Desborough 2 74.07x
Ellesmere Criftins 2 740.74x
Everton 2 1.38x
Glasgow 2 0.91x
Hackney London 2 0.93x
Hale 2 266.67x
Harthill Cum Woodall 2 137.93x
Loppington 2 281.69x
Oswestry Rural 2 39.53x
Sheffield 2 1.66x
Walton On Hill 2 8.14x
Canterbury St Mary 1 11.42x
Dalserf 1 8.10x
Huyton With Roby 1 18.80x
Margam 1 13.46x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 2.94x
Penrith 1 8.22x
Reading St Mary 1 4.35x
Rothesay 1 8.91x
Wardleworth 1 3.86x
Warrington 1 1.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 14
Ann 13
Ellen 12
Jane 8
Annie 7
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Hannah 6
Margaret 6
Edith 4
Jessie 4
Martha 4
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Florence 3
Isabella 3
Maria 3
Catherine 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Harriett 2
Helen 2
Kate 2
Blanch 1
Cathrine 1
Deborah 1
El 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Evelyn 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Hanah 1
Harriet 1
Harritta 1
Hellen 1
Henrietta 1
Homer 1
Lavinia 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Maude 1
Mgt. 1
Tryphosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
John 23
George 13
Thomas 11
Charles 9
Edward 8
James 8
Joseph 7
Harry 6
Henry 6
Robert 6
Arthur 4
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Matthew 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Isaac 2
Albert 1
Albt. 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Chas.H. 1
Cockroft 1
Daniel 1
Darby 1
Edwin 1
Ellis 1
Fred. 1
Hermit 1
Hugh 1
J.B. 1
Latham 1
Mark 1
Mc 1
Michael 1
Percy 1
Robt. 1
Spencer 1

FAQ

Barkley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barkley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 388 people were recorded with the Barkley surname. That placed it at #8,141 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barkley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 726 in 2016. That gives Barkley a modern rank of #7,493.

What does the Barkley surname mean?

From the English place name Berkeley, meaning "birch wood" or "birch-tree meadow."

What does the Barkley map show?

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