NameCensus.

UK surname

Birtley

A locational surname derived from a place in England.

In the 1881 census there were 153 people recorded with the Birtley surname, ranking it #15,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 135, ranked #25,505, down from #15,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Houghton-le-Spring (West Rainton), Pittington (Pittington) and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Craven and Nottingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Birtley is 158 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.8%.

1881 census count

153

Ranked #15,320

Modern count

135

2016, ranked #25,505

Peak year

1891

158 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Birtley had 153 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 135 in 2016, ranked #25,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 158 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Birtley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Birtley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Birtley 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 95 #17,707
1861 historical 110 #19,562
1881 historical 153 #15,320
1891 historical 158 #17,705
1901 historical 148 #18,212
1911 historical 139 #18,745
1997 modern 119 #24,302
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 115 #25,620
2000 modern 113 #25,843
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 123 #24,735
2003 modern 123 #24,497
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 119 #25,193
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 124 #25,371
2009 modern 128 #25,427
2010 modern 141 #24,460
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 134 #25,525
2014 modern 138 #25,218
2015 modern 135 #25,481
2016 modern 135 #25,505

Geography

Back to top

Where Birtleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Houghton-le-Spring (West Rainton), Pittington (Pittington), Gateshead, Bishop Wearmouth and Houghton-le-Spring. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Craven, Nottingham, Newark and Sherwood and Portsmouth. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Houghton-le-Spring (West Rainton), Pittington (Pittington) Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham
5 Houghton-le-Spring Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 059 Liverpool
2 Craven 006 Craven
3 Nottingham 029 Nottingham
4 Newark and Sherwood 002 Newark and Sherwood
5 Portsmouth 014 Portsmouth

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Birtley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Birtley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Birtley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Birtley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Birtley 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

Birtley 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

Birtley 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 Birtley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Birtley

The surname Birtley has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. This surname is a toponymic one, meaning it is derived from a place name. The name Birtley likely comes from villages around the counties of Northumberland and County Durham. The name itself is believed to originate from Old English elements; "byrig," meaning "fortress," and "leah," meaning "wood" or "clearing." Therefore, Birtley might be interpreted as "a clearing near a fort."

One of the earliest references to the name Birtley can be found in historical documents from the 13th century. There are several mentions of a place called Birtley in medieval records, such as those found in property transactions and local lawsuits. The name appears in varied spellings, including Bertley and Brithley, which were likely influenced by regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

In the Poll Tax records of 1379 for the West Riding of Yorkshire, there is a man named John de Birtley, indicating that the surname had already been established. These records help provide valuable insight into the distribution and social standing of individuals bearing the surname.

Sir Thomas Birtley, a notable figure from the early 16th century, served as a member of the clergy and held various ecclesiastical positions. Born around 1480 and known to have passed away in 1540, Sir Thomas was a significant figure in his community and contributed to the documentation of the name in parish records.

Another significant bearer of the surname Birtley was William Birtley, an English soldier who fought during the English Civil War in the mid-17th century. Born in 1615 and dying in 1680, William's military service records provide further historical references to the surname and its prominence during turbulent times in English history.

The name also finds mention in later centuries with individuals like Henry Birtley, an industrialist in the 19th century, who was born in 1835 and passed away in 1885. Henry's contributions to the early phases of the industrial revolution in England are well-documented in local historical archives.

In addition to these notable individuals, another key historical reference is Elizabeth Birtley, an author and playwright born in 1860. Her works offer a glimpse into the socio-cultural context of the late Victorian era, contributing not only to literature but also to the historical narrative of the surname.

The name Birtley, through its various historical references and notable figures, provides a rich tapestry of English history, illustrating the surname’s deep roots and the significant contributions of its bearers over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Birtley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Birtley 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. Durham leads with 125 Birtleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.16x.

County Total Index
Durham 125 28.16x
Northumberland 12 5.40x
Yorkshire 9 0.61x
Essex 3 1.02x
Lancashire 2 0.11x
Derbyshire 1 0.43x
Devon 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Rainton in Durham leads with 17 Birtleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1240.88x.

Place Total Index
West Rainton 17 1240.88x
Gateshead 16 48.13x
Collierley 14 707.07x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 13 67.60x
Penshaw 12 902.26x
Bishopwearmouth 9 23.62x
Iveston 8 390.24x
Middlesbrough 8 41.54x
Elswick 6 33.86x
West Herrington 6 384.62x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 57.67x
Kyo 4 191.39x
Seaham 4 246.91x
Colchester All Sts 3 1304.35x
Little Lumley 3 1153.85x
Newbottle 3 123.97x
Barrow In Furness 2 8.31x
Hexham 2 58.14x
Pelton 2 94.79x
Ryhope 2 64.94x
Seghill 2 183.49x
Southwick 2 47.62x
St Giles 2 72.20x
Darlington 1 5.83x
Hetton Le Hole 1 17.76x
Ilkley 1 41.32x
Medomsley 1 48.31x
Mickley 1 142.86x
Pentrich 1 76.34x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 4.18x
Whitley 1 138.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Margaret 10
Elizabeth 7
Jane 6
Isabella 5
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Martha 4
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Hannah 3
Alice 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Anney 1
Bridget 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Dorothy 1
Ellinor 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Lavinia 1
Mirra 1
Nancy 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
William 10
Thomas 9
James 5
Robert 5
George 4
Benjamin 3
Joseph 3
Ralph 3
Nicholas 2
Patrick 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Cuthbert 1
Fred.Tom. 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Job 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Stephen 1
Wibert 1
Wilkinson 1

FAQ

Birtley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Birtley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 153 people were recorded with the Birtley surname. That placed it at #15,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Birtley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 135 in 2016. That gives Birtley a modern rank of #25,505.

What does the Birtley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place in England.

What does the Birtley map show?

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