NameCensus.

UK surname

Barsley

In the 1881 census there were 126 people recorded with the Barsley surname, ranking it #17,245 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #17,245 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bebbington, Algarkirk (incl. Algarkirk Allotments) and Bicker. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Wealden and Tunbridge Wells.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barsley is 307 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.7%.

1881 census count

126

Ranked #17,245

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

1861

307 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barsley had 126 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,245 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 307 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Barsley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barsley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barsley 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 150 #12,905
1861 historical 307 #8,262
1881 historical 126 #17,245
1891 historical 241 #13,089
1901 historical 128 #19,822
1911 historical 252 #12,834
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 125 #24,198
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 130 #23,785
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 122 #24,628
2004 modern 128 #24,117
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 116 #25,813
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 119 #26,637
2010 modern 123 #26,728
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 113 #28,016
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Barsleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bebbington, Algarkirk (incl. Algarkirk Allotments), Bicker, Ruskington, Haverholme Priory, Anwick and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, Wealden, Tunbridge Wells and Boston. 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 Bebbington Cheshire
2 Algarkirk (incl. Algarkirk Allotments) Lincolnshire
3 Bicker Lincolnshire
4 Ruskington, Haverholme Priory, Anwick Lincolnshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 001 South Holland
2 Wealden 020 Wealden
3 Tunbridge Wells 004 Tunbridge Wells
4 Boston 003 Boston
5 South Holland 007 South Holland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barsley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barsley

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Barsley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Barsley 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

Barsley falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Barsley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barsley 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 32 Barsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.63x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 32 2.63x
Lincolnshire 31 15.78x
Lancashire 19 1.30x
Cheshire 10 3.69x
Warwickshire 8 2.58x
Sussex 6 2.90x
Middlesex 5 0.41x
Essex 4 1.65x
Shropshire 2 1.88x
Surrey 2 0.33x
Derbyshire 1 0.52x
Durham 1 0.27x
Hertfordshire 1 1.18x
Kent 1 0.24x
Leicestershire 1 0.73x
Ross-shire 1 2.96x
Staffordshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pinchbeck in Lincolnshire leads with 9 Barsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 714.29x.

Place Total Index
Pinchbeck 9 714.29x
Birkenhead 8 36.99x
Ruskington 8 1600.00x
Pudsey 7 107.53x
Atherstone 6 379.75x
Bicker 6 2000.00x
Eastbourne 6 62.89x
Hunslet 6 31.60x
Manningham 6 40.00x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 45.54x
Toxteth Park 5 10.13x
Algarkirk 4 1818.18x
Birdbrook 4 1666.67x
Liversedge 4 73.80x
Stansfield 4 89.29x
Chiswick 3 44.64x
Everton 3 6.45x
Holy Trinity 3 10.24x
Aston 2 2.34x
Barrow In Furness 2 10.09x
Little Hale 2 1333.33x
Shifnal 2 69.44x
St Luke London 2 10.15x
Barnsley 1 7.96x
Bermondsey 1 2.73x
Chertsey 1 25.84x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 4.32x
Church Gresley 1 32.68x
Halifax 1 5.59x
Hampton Bickley 1 312.50x
Harton 1 69.44x
Killearnan 1 222.22x
Kimpton 1 250.00x
Kirton 1 126.58x
Leicester St Margaret 1 3.01x
Macclesfield 1 8.29x
Plumstead 1 7.15x
Spotland 1 6.17x
Sutterton 1 256.41x
Walton On Hill 1 12.66x
West Bromwich 1 4.21x
West Derby 1 2.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 6
Sarah 5
Emma 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Harriet 2
Rebecca 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Estiel 1
Euphimea 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Isador 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Margt. 1
Polly 1
Priscilla 1
Rachael 1
Rose 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
George 6
James 6
Edward 5
William 5
Joseph 3
Charles 2
Frank 2
Henry 2
Isaac 2
Thomas 2
Bertram 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jack 1
Leonard 1
Leyland 1
Longbottom 1
Reginald 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Rowland 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Willy 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Barsley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barsley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 126 people were recorded with the Barsley surname. That placed it at #17,245 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barsley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Barsley a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Barsley map show?

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