NameCensus.

UK surname

Bigley

Derived from the Old English words for "bee" and "wood," likely referring to a beekeeper or a place with beehives.

In the 1881 census there were 286 people recorded with the Bigley surname, ranking it #10,036 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 286, ranked #15,240, down from #10,036 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellingborough, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Herefordshire and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bigley is 344 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.

1881 census count

286

Ranked #10,036

Modern count

286

2016, ranked #15,240

Peak year

1911

344 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bigley had 286 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,036 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 286 in 2016, ranked #15,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 344 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bigley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bigley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bigley 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 191 #10,808
1861 historical 211 #11,508
1881 historical 286 #10,036
1891 historical 318 #10,583
1901 historical 310 #11,393
1911 historical 344 #10,386
1997 modern 292 #13,765
1998 modern 314 #13,483
1999 modern 312 #13,615
2000 modern 310 #13,618
2001 modern 304 #13,619
2002 modern 292 #14,236
2003 modern 290 #14,134
2004 modern 283 #14,418
2005 modern 275 #14,624
2006 modern 279 #14,577
2007 modern 281 #14,660
2008 modern 281 #14,782
2009 modern 292 #14,700
2010 modern 293 #14,974
2011 modern 294 #14,798
2012 modern 274 #15,498
2013 modern 286 #15,259
2014 modern 286 #15,378
2015 modern 280 #15,485
2016 modern 286 #15,240

Geography

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Where Bigleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellingborough, London parishes, Gateshead, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, Herefordshire, County Durham and West Lancashire. 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 Wellingborough Northamptonshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 001 Knowsley
2 Herefordshire 020 Herefordshire, County of
3 Knowsley 004 Knowsley
4 County Durham 035 County Durham
5 West Lancashire 001 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bigley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bigley

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

Bigley 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

Bigley 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 Bigley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bigley

The surname Bigley is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "big" and "leah," meaning "big meadow" or "big clearing." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a large meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bigley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, a historical record of tax payments made to the English Crown in the late 12th century. The name appeared as "Bigelai" in these rolls, indicating its presence in the region during that time period.

During the 13th century, variations of the name, such as "Biggelay" and "Biggeley," were documented in various records across England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and spelling variations common during that era.

In the 14th century, the Bigley surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire, which recorded names of taxpayers in the county. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by that time.

One notable historical figure with the surname Bigley was John Bigley, a merchant and landowner who lived in Lancashire in the late 16th century. He was involved in the textile trade and owned several properties in the region.

Another significant individual was Sir Thomas Bigley, born in 1620 in Yorkshire. He was a prominent politician and served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of King Charles II.

In the 18th century, the Bigley family had a strong presence in the village of Haworth, located in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Several members of the family were involved in the local textile industry and served as churchwardens and officials in the community.

One notable figure from this era was Reverend William Bigley, born in 1742 in Haworth. He was a respected clergyman and served as the vicar of Haworth Church for over 40 years, until his death in 1810.

In the 19th century, the Bigley surname continued to be prevalent in Yorkshire and Lancashire, with several individuals making significant contributions to their local communities. One such person was James Bigley, born in 1818 in Keighley, Yorkshire. He was a successful industrialist and philanthropist, known for his support of educational institutions and charitable causes in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bigley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bigley 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 48 Bigleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.45x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 48 1.45x
Northamptonshire 45 17.15x
Middlesex 39 1.40x
Leicestershire 17 5.50x
Lincolnshire 15 3.36x
Surrey 15 1.10x
Lanarkshire 14 1.55x
Wiltshire 14 5.67x
Yorkshire 14 0.51x
Huntingdonshire 12 21.66x
Cumberland 8 3.33x
Cambridgeshire 7 3.96x
Durham 6 0.72x
Staffordshire 6 0.64x
Worcestershire 5 1.37x
Derbyshire 4 0.92x
Hampshire 4 0.70x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.06x
Warwickshire 3 0.43x
Devon 2 0.34x
Cheshire 1 0.16x
Gloucestershire 1 0.18x
Rutland 1 4.88x
Sussex 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Irthlingborough in Northamptonshire leads with 32 Bigleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1245.14x.

Place Total Index
Irthlingborough 32 1245.14x
Kirkdale 19 34.12x
Swindon 13 67.92x
Fletton 12 677.97x
Brightside Bierlow 11 20.29x
Liverpool 9 4.48x
Millom 8 108.70x
New Sealford 8 869.57x
Croydon 6 7.95x
Govan 6 2.69x
Hammersmith London 6 8.73x
Leicester Newarke 6 372.67x
Rutherglen 6 45.32x
Wisbech St Mary 6 295.57x
Bow London 5 14.08x
Hampstead London 5 11.51x
Lilford Cum Wigsthorpe 5 3333.33x
Manchester 5 3.36x
Sedgley 5 14.29x
Shipston On Stour 5 301.20x
St Pancras London 5 2.23x
Everton 4 3.79x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 11.13x
Islington London 4 1.48x
Kensington London 4 2.58x
Leicester St Margaret 4 5.30x
Leicester St Mary 4 16.01x
Spotland 4 10.87x
West Derby 4 4.13x
Aslackby 3 697.67x
Bromley London 3 4.89x
Carshalton 3 57.69x
Derby St Peter 3 21.57x
Halifax 3 7.39x
Oundle 3 102.39x
Tatsfield 3 1875.00x
Acton 2 12.23x
Aswarby 2 1666.67x
Barony 2 0.88x
Belgrave 2 28.65x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.06x
Peterborough 2 10.53x
Plymouth Charles The 2 7.82x
Portsea 2 1.78x
South Shields 2 27.06x
Southwark St Saviour 2 13.95x
Wellesbourne Mountford 2 298.51x
Accrington 1 3.32x
Bedhampton 1 147.06x
Brandon And Bretford 1 238.10x
Burton Latimer 1 62.89x
Cheltenham 1 2.37x
Christ Church Newgate 1 76.92x
Clapton 1 500.00x
Devizes St James 1 30.49x
Ealing 1 4.01x
Gedney Hill 1 322.58x
Great Grimsby 1 3.53x
Hove 1 4.85x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.06x
Mapperley 1 243.90x
Portsmouth 1 7.59x
Radford 1 5.24x
Ratby 1 64.52x
Slipton 1 1000.00x
Snenton 1 6.77x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.03x
St Martin In Fields 1 5.99x
Stockport Etchells 1 76.34x
Thorney 1 51.02x
Uppingham 1 40.98x
West Bromwich 1 1.85x
Whittingham 1 68.49x
Widnes 1 4.19x
Willesden 1 3.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 14
Thomas 11
Henry 10
George 8
Charles 5
James 5
Alfred 4
Daniel 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Tom 4
Robert 3
Stephen 3
Frank 2
Joseph 2
Michael 2
Robinson 2
Wm.Geo. 2
Alphan 1
Arthur 1
Bartholomew 1
Bernard 1
Cockayne 1
Denis 1
Dennis 1
Edmond 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Esau 1
F.William 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Luke 1
Martin 1
Mathew 1
Newman 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Steven 1
W. 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Bigley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bigley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 286 people were recorded with the Bigley surname. That placed it at #10,036 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bigley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 286 in 2016. That gives Bigley a modern rank of #15,240.

What does the Bigley surname mean?

Derived from the Old English words for "bee" and "wood," likely referring to a beekeeper or a place with beehives.

What does the Bigley map show?

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