NameCensus.

UK surname

Birley

A locational surname derived from residences in various places called Birley.

In the 1881 census there were 458 people recorded with the Birley surname, ranking it #7,234 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 589, ranked #8,846, down from #7,234 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sawley, Doncaster and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Erewash and Scarborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Birley is 611 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.6%.

1881 census count

458

Ranked #7,234

Modern count

589

2016, ranked #8,846

Peak year

2012

611 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Birley had 458 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,234 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 589 in 2016, ranked #8,846.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 515 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Birley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Birley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Birley 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 348 #6,765
1861 historical 310 #8,175
1881 historical 458 #7,234
1891 historical 455 #8,009
1901 historical 432 #8,968
1911 historical 515 #7,658
1997 modern 564 #8,501
1998 modern 589 #8,500
1999 modern 579 #8,642
2000 modern 581 #8,592
2001 modern 570 #8,590
2002 modern 583 #8,610
2003 modern 569 #8,624
2004 modern 575 #8,584
2005 modern 579 #8,482
2006 modern 557 #8,729
2007 modern 571 #8,665
2008 modern 586 #8,575
2009 modern 604 #8,557
2010 modern 607 #8,710
2011 modern 599 #8,708
2012 modern 611 #8,486
2013 modern 609 #8,636
2014 modern 610 #8,692
2015 modern 596 #8,782
2016 modern 589 #8,846

Geography

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Where Birleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sawley, Doncaster, Eccles, Manchester and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, Erewash and Scarborough. 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 Sawley Derbyshire
2 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 020 Wirral
2 Erewash 013 Erewash
3 Scarborough 009 Scarborough
4 Erewash 012 Erewash
5 Scarborough 005 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Birley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Birley

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Birley is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Birley is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Birley falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Birley

The surname Birley originates from the village of Birley in Worcestershire, England, dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "byre" meaning barn or cowshed and "leah" meaning a clearing or meadow. It likely referred to a person who lived near a barn or cowshed in a meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name was in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1175, where it appeared as "de Byrelea." The name was also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1275 as "Byreley." These early spellings reflect the evolution of the name from its Old English roots.

The Birley surname appears in several historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Birlei" in Derbyshire. This entry suggests that the name was present in England before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the 16th century, a prominent member of the Birley family was Thomas Birley (1505-1565), who served as the Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in 1542. Another notable figure was Samuel Birley (1757-1841), a successful merchant and philanthropist from Manchester, England.

During the 18th century, the Birley family established themselves as landowners and industrialists in the West Midlands region of England. One of the most famous individuals was Sir Oswald Birley (1880-1952), a renowned English portrait painter who was knighted in 1949 for his contributions to art.

Another significant figure was Robert Birley (1903-1982), an English historian and archaeologist who specialized in the Roman era. He served as the Director of the British School at Rome from 1945 to 1968 and was a Fellow of the British Academy.

The Birley surname has also been associated with several place names, such as Birley in Derbyshire, Birley Farm in Worcestershire, and Birley Moor in Sheffield, Yorkshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its geographical origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Birley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Birley 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 107 Birleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.02x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 107 2.02x
Derbyshire 97 13.90x
Yorkshire 79 1.79x
Middlesex 28 0.63x
Nottinghamshire 28 4.66x
Cheshire 18 1.83x
Devon 15 1.62x
Warwickshire 13 1.16x
Surrey 11 0.51x
Kent 9 0.59x
Staffordshire 9 0.60x
Leicestershire 6 1.21x
Lincolnshire 6 0.84x
Northumberland 4 0.60x
Berkshire 3 0.90x
Dorset 3 1.03x
Gloucestershire 3 0.34x
Hampshire 3 0.33x
Suffolk 3 0.55x
Worcestershire 3 0.52x
Rutland 2 6.11x
Bedfordshire 1 0.43x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.55x
Cornwall 1 0.20x
Durham 1 0.08x
Flintshire 1 0.83x
Sussex 1 0.13x
Wiltshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pendleton In Salford in Lancashire leads with 28 Birleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.43x.

Place Total Index
Pendleton In Salford 28 44.43x
Long Eaton 22 238.87x
Middleton By Wirksworth 18 2432.43x
Ashford 16 1553.40x
Burnley 13 29.18x
Ilkeston 12 61.32x
Sheffield 12 8.53x
Leeds 11 4.41x
Wadworth 11 1264.37x
Aston 10 3.23x
Bakewell 9 235.60x
Rotherham 9 36.14x
Deptford St Paul 8 6.82x
Hampstead London 8 11.52x
Kensington London 8 3.23x
Beverley St Mary 7 108.53x
Blackley 7 75.51x
Clifton Cum Salwick 7 1093.75x
Hyde 7 24.10x
Plymouth Charles The 7 17.12x
Scarborough 7 17.44x
Stapleford 7 143.44x
Teversall 7 1111.11x
Wardlow 7 2800.00x
Liverpool 6 1.87x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 5.95x
Doncaster 5 15.49x
Dronfield 5 55.93x
Handsworth 5 13.48x
Leicester St Margaret 5 4.15x
Pendlebury 5 44.76x
Bolton Le Sands 4 333.33x
Clayworth 4 597.01x
East Horsley 4 909.09x
Hognaston 4 930.23x
Kirkham 4 57.22x
Littleham 4 59.00x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 10.10x
Southwark St Saviour 4 17.46x
Westminster St Margaret 4 18.60x
Birmingham 3 0.80x
Bristol St Augustine 3 21.26x
Charmouth 3 312.50x
Chester Holy Trinity 3 65.08x
Chorley 3 10.11x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 3.34x
Ellastone 3 697.67x
Holbeck 3 10.25x
Newton In Makerfield 3 18.52x
Ordsall 3 65.22x
Preston 3 2.12x
Salford 3 1.93x
Stamford St George 3 93.75x
Worcester St Swithin 3 275.23x
Blackburn 2 1.42x
Breightmet 2 85.84x
Camberwell 2 0.70x
Cheadle 2 10.64x
Clifton In York 2 21.65x
Ecclesfield 2 6.17x
Exminster 2 59.88x
Finchley 2 11.70x
Hatfield In Thorne 2 72.46x
Holdenhurst 2 8.34x
Ince In Makerfield 2 8.13x
Liscard 2 11.28x
Litchurch 2 7.12x
Paddington London 2 1.22x
Radford Lenton 2 133.33x
Stockport Etchells 2 95.24x
Thurston 2 188.68x
Uppingham 2 51.28x
Clarborough 1 22.27x
Darlington 1 1.95x
Edmonton 1 2.78x
Great Hucklow 1 370.37x
Habergham Eaves 1 2.07x
Islington London 1 0.23x
Moor Town 1 2000.00x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 8.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 14
Ann 11
Alice 10
Jane 10
Hannah 8
Margaret 8
Eliza 6
Annie 5
Frances 5
Caroline 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Harriett 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Eleanor 3
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Helen 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Cecily 2
Charlotte 2
Cicely 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Evelyn 2
Julia 2
Susannah 2
Allice 1
Amelia 1
B. 1
Bertha 1
Constance 1
Elianor 1
Eliz. 1
Henrietta 1
Heredous 1
Voilet 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Birley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Birley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 458 people were recorded with the Birley surname. That placed it at #7,234 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Birley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 589 in 2016. That gives Birley a modern rank of #8,846.

What does the Birley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from residences in various places called Birley.

What does the Birley map show?

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