NameCensus.

UK surname

Binley

A locational surname derived from Binley, a location in Warwickshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 165 people recorded with the Binley surname, ranking it #14,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 241, ranked #17,233, down from #14,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cottingham, East Carlton, Desborough and Kettering. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Corby, Rutland and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Binley is 274 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.1%.

1881 census count

165

Ranked #14,559

Modern count

241

2016, ranked #17,233

Peak year

1861

274 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Binley had 165 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016, ranked #17,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Binley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Binley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Binley 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 124 #14,792
1861 historical 274 #9,111
1881 historical 165 #14,559
1891 historical 253 #12,645
1901 historical 220 #14,245
1911 historical 255 #12,719
1997 modern 229 #16,168
1998 modern 242 #16,037
1999 modern 236 #16,404
2000 modern 229 #16,695
2001 modern 227 #16,573
2002 modern 225 #16,994
2003 modern 217 #17,176
2004 modern 214 #17,435
2005 modern 222 #16,983
2006 modern 231 #16,636
2007 modern 240 #16,392
2008 modern 245 #16,295
2009 modern 241 #16,848
2010 modern 237 #17,368
2011 modern 234 #17,383
2012 modern 235 #17,242
2013 modern 238 #17,354
2014 modern 239 #17,429
2015 modern 235 #17,530
2016 modern 241 #17,233

Geography

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Where Binleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cottingham, East Carlton, Desborough, Kettering, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Corby, Rutland, East Riding of Yorkshire and Kettering. 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 Cottingham, East Carlton Northamptonshire
2 Desborough Northamptonshire
3 Kettering Northamptonshire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Corby 004 Corby
2 Rutland 004 Rutland
3 Corby 001 Corby
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 021 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Kettering 010 Kettering

Forenames

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First names often paired with Binley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Binley

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Binley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Binley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Binley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Binley 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

Binley falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Binley

The surname Binley is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the late medieval period. The name is thought to have derived from the Old English words "byn" and "ley," which together mean "the dweller on the hill." This suggests that the name was initially borne by individuals who resided on or near a hill or elevated land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Binley can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1332, which mentions a John de Bynley. This indicates that the name was already in use during the 14th century and may have been associated with a specific location or place name.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Thomas Binley (c. 1490-1553) was a Benedictine monk and the last Catholic bishop of Mercia before the English Reformation. He played a significant role in the religious upheaval of that era and was ultimately deprived of his bishopric for refusing to conform to the new Protestant doctrines.

During the 17th century, the Binley surname appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Warwickshire and Worcestershire. In the Visitation of Worcestershire from 1634, a family bearing the name Binley is recorded as residing in the parish of Kyre.

In the late 18th century, John Binley (1766-1847) was a prominent English agriculturist and writer on rural affairs. He published several works, including "Essays on the Management of Wheat and Barley Crops" (1815), which offered practical advice to farmers.

Another notable figure was Charles Binley (1789-1865), an English architect and surveyor who was involved in the construction of several churches and public buildings in the Midlands region during the early 19th century.

The Binley surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Binley Farm in Warwickshire, which may have been named after individuals bearing the surname who resided or owned land in that area.

While the Binley name may not be among the most common surnames in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history and connections to various regions, professions, and individuals throughout several centuries of English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Binley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Binley 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. Northamptonshire leads with 57 Binleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.12x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 57 38.12x
Warwickshire 38 9.48x
Leicestershire 11 6.24x
Middlesex 9 0.57x
Durham 8 1.69x
Norfolk 6 2.45x
Kent 5 0.92x
Staffordshire 5 0.93x
Yorkshire 5 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.87x
Lincolnshire 3 1.18x
Surrey 3 0.39x
Dorset 2 1.92x
Rutland 2 17.14x
Berkshire 1 0.84x
Derbyshire 1 0.40x
Devon 1 0.30x
Gloucestershire 1 0.32x
Monmouthshire 1 0.87x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 20 Binleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.12x.

Place Total Index
Aston 20 18.12x
Cottingham 17 3269.23x
Corby 9 2195.12x
Desborough 9 803.57x
Little Bowden 8 1538.46x
Willington 8 293.04x
Finedon 6 458.02x
Geddington 6 1250.00x
Hempnall 6 1250.00x
Leicester St Margaret 6 13.96x
St Pancras London 6 4.69x
Willenhall 6 8571.43x
Beckenham 5 70.52x
Burton Upon Trent 5 39.81x
Claverdon 4 1290.32x
Garton Cum Grimstone 4 4444.44x
Leicester St Mary 4 28.09x
Nottingham St Mary 4 7.22x
Birmingham 3 2.25x
Stamford St George 3 263.16x
Westminster St John 3 15.50x
Alcester 2 151.52x
Charminster 2 240.96x
Uppingham 2 143.88x
Aldbrough In Skirlaugh 1 344.83x
Bray 1 28.49x
Caldicot 1 131.58x
Cheltenham 1 4.16x
Dingley 1 1428.57x
East Horsley 1 625.00x
Foxton 1 526.32x
Kettering 1 16.53x
Monks Kirby 1 113.64x
Ockham 1 333.33x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 3.92x
Solihull 1 34.72x
Stoke 1 27.32x
Tibshelf 1 81.97x
Warwick St Mary 1 28.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 12
George 11
Thomas 6
Frederick 5
Charles 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
James 2
Jeffrey 2
Joseph 2
Abraham 1
Arthur 1
Bernerd 1
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Geo.R. 1
Harry 1
Infant 1
Lewis 1
Lovel 1
Percy 1
Samuel 1
Uriah 1
Wallin 1
Zephaniah 1

FAQ

Binley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Binley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 165 people were recorded with the Binley surname. That placed it at #14,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Binley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016. That gives Binley a modern rank of #17,233.

What does the Binley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from Binley, a location in Warwickshire, England.

What does the Binley map show?

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