NameCensus.

UK surname

Barley

An English occupational surname referring to a barley grower, seller, or someone who lived near a barley field.

In the 1881 census there were 1,671 people recorded with the Barley surname, ranking it #2,568 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,101, ranked #3,078, down from #2,568 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, West Lindsey and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barley is 3,253 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.7%.

1881 census count

1,671

Ranked #2,568

Modern count

2,101

2016, ranked #3,078

Peak year

1891

3,253 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barley had 1,671 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,568 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,101 in 2016, ranked #3,078.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,253 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Barley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barley 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 1,675 #1,717
1861 historical 3,239 #889
1881 historical 1,671 #2,568
1891 historical 3,253 #1,464
1901 historical 2,147 #2,510
1911 historical 2,395 #2,140
1997 modern 2,099 #2,937
1998 modern 2,146 #2,985
1999 modern 2,166 #2,982
2000 modern 2,143 #2,990
2001 modern 2,077 #3,013
2002 modern 2,137 #3,003
2003 modern 2,091 #2,992
2004 modern 2,087 #3,009
2005 modern 2,022 #3,053
2006 modern 2,012 #3,076
2007 modern 2,007 #3,121
2008 modern 2,026 #3,112
2009 modern 2,083 #3,110
2010 modern 2,144 #3,082
2011 modern 2,105 #3,099
2012 modern 2,062 #3,108
2013 modern 2,092 #3,121
2014 modern 2,130 #3,082
2015 modern 2,086 #3,112
2016 modern 2,101 #3,078

Geography

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Where Barleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft), St Pancras, St Mary Islington and Whitton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, West Lindsey, East Riding of Yorkshire and Doncaster. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) Yorkshire, West Riding
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Whitton Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
2 North Lincolnshire 003 North Lincolnshire
3 West Lindsey 002 West Lindsey
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 019 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Doncaster 003 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Barley, 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 Barley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Barley 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, Barley 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

Barley is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Barley

The surname Barley is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "bærlīc," which means "a barley field." The name first emerged in the 12th century, primarily in the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire, where barley was a significant crop.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mentions a person named Ralph de Berleye. The Domesday Book of 1086 also contains references to places like "Bærlea" and "Berlai," which may have influenced the development of the surname.

The Barley surname is closely associated with several places in England, including Barley in Hertfordshire, Barley in Derbyshire, and Barley in Yorkshire. These place names likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in those regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Barley throughout history include:

1. Sir Alexander Barley (1565-1638), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London in 1624. 2. William Barley (1603-1677), an English nonconformist minister and religious writer who was ejected from his living during the English Restoration. 3. John Barley (1675-1753), an English mathematician and writer, known for his work on algebra and navigation. 4. Thomas Barley (1728-1789), an English painter and engraver, best known for his portraits and historical scenes. 5. Harriet Barley (1818-1892), an English author and novelist who wrote under the pen name "Holme Lee."

The Barley surname has a rich history rooted in the agricultural traditions of England, particularly in the northern counties where barley was a prominent crop. The name's origins can be traced back to the Old English language, and it has been associated with various places and notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Barley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barley 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. Yorkshire leads with 303 Barleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 303 1.88x
Lincolnshire 207 7.98x
Middlesex 169 1.04x
Worcestershire 126 5.94x
Norfolk 80 3.21x
Surrey 77 0.97x
Lancashire 68 0.35x
Buckinghamshire 53 5.40x
Suffolk 52 2.63x
Huntingdonshire 42 13.03x
Bedfordshire 41 4.88x
Staffordshire 39 0.71x
Kent 35 0.63x
Cambridgeshire 34 3.31x
Hertfordshire 34 3.04x
Cheshire 32 0.89x
Derbyshire 29 1.14x
Essex 29 0.91x
Warwickshire 26 0.64x
Northamptonshire 25 1.64x
Nottinghamshire 21 0.96x
Hampshire 19 0.57x
Durham 16 0.33x
Wiltshire 16 1.11x
Sussex 14 0.51x
Berkshire 13 1.07x
Devon 12 0.36x
Somerset 9 0.34x
Lanarkshire 7 0.13x
Leicestershire 7 0.39x
Shropshire 7 0.50x
Gloucestershire 5 0.16x
Channel Islands 3 0.62x
Cornwall 2 0.11x
Cumberland 2 0.14x
Denbighshire 2 0.33x
Glamorgan 2 0.07x
Midlothian 2 0.09x
Dorset 1 0.09x
Monmouthshire 1 0.09x
Northumberland 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 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. Thorne in Yorkshire leads with 36 Barleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 180.45x.

Place Total Index
Thorne 36 180.45x
Holy Trinity 32 8.27x
Bromsgrove 31 43.45x
Southcoates 25 28.00x
St Marylebone London 25 2.88x
Whitton 24 2264.15x
Islington London 23 1.46x
Sheffield 21 4.10x
Staveley 21 46.55x
Stony Stratford West 20 295.86x
Wolverton 19 93.55x
Braughing 18 314.69x
Monks Coppenhall 18 13.31x
Aldeburgh 17 145.30x
Aston 17 1.51x
St Pancras London 17 1.30x
Barrow In Furness 16 6.11x
Barrow On Humber 16 106.24x
Heigham 16 11.94x
Bermondsey 15 3.10x
Biggleswade 15 54.49x
Chelsea London 14 2.86x
St Neots 14 79.91x
Thornton On The Hill 14 2745.10x
West Ham 14 1.98x
Barton St Mary 13 99.85x
Claines 13 22.35x
Topcliffe 13 381.23x
Broughton 12 165.06x
Kensington London 12 1.33x
Reading St Giles 12 10.04x
Scunthorpe 12 102.83x
Stock And Bradley 12 967.74x
West Derby 11 1.95x
Croydon 10 2.28x
Hanbury 10 174.52x
Methwold 10 123.92x
Scotter 10 168.07x
South Duffield 10 934.58x
Wereham 10 292.40x
Camberwell 9 0.87x
Denver 9 193.55x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 9 20.08x
Great Catworth 9 269.46x
Middlesbrough 9 4.30x
Newstead 9 2727.27x
Runcorn 9 10.89x
Wolstanton 9 5.41x
Wortley In Bramley 9 7.06x
Appleby 8 264.90x
Beverley St Martin 8 29.80x
Hornsey 8 3.90x
Ilkley 8 30.43x
Kidderminster Borough 8 6.45x
Ridgacre 8 191.85x
Stapleford 8 45.02x
Sutton Stoneferry 8 17.38x
Thirsk 8 43.10x
Thornton Le Moor 8 1509.43x
Tickhill 8 77.97x
Tottenham 8 3.09x
Uttoxeter 8 28.52x
Alkborough 7 315.32x
Brading 7 15.83x
Bromley London 7 1.96x
Burringham 7 232.56x
Burscough 7 238.10x
Doncaster 7 5.96x
Frostenden 7 327.10x
Garthorpe 7 224.36x
Govan 7 0.54x
Great Grimsby 7 4.25x
Hill Moor 7 374.33x
Messingham 7 111.29x
Northampton All Sts 7 13.51x
Rotherhithe 7 3.49x
Roydon 7 148.62x
Warlingham 7 109.03x
Wymington 7 254.55x
Snodland 6 38.22x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 109
John 92
George 75
Thomas 48
James 36
Joseph 31
Henry 29
Robert 26
Samuel 22
Alfred 21
Charles 21
Walter 18
Arthur 15
Frederick 14
Richard 13
Edward 12
Fred 12
Frank 11
David 7
Edwin 7
Ernest 7
Harry 7
Herbert 7
Stephen 7
Wm. 6
Albert 5
Francis 5
Abraham 4
Benjamin 4
Christopher 4
Frederic 4
Tom 4
Fredrick 3
Geo. 3
Jabez 3
Jas. 3
Josiah 3
Louis 3
Sidney 3
W. 3
Armell 2
Cornelius 2
Edmond 2
Mark 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Newbitt 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Roland 2

FAQ

Barley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,671 people were recorded with the Barley surname. That placed it at #2,568 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,101 in 2016. That gives Barley a modern rank of #3,078.

What does the Barley surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a barley grower, seller, or someone who lived near a barley field.

What does the Barley map show?

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