NameCensus.

UK surname

Borley

A locational surname referring to a place called Borley in Essex, England.

In the 1881 census there were 461 people recorded with the Borley surname, ranking it #7,193 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 724, ranked #7,505, down from #7,193 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Elmswell and Pettaugh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St Edmundsbury, Tendring and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Borley is 845 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.0%.

1881 census count

461

Ranked #7,193

Modern count

724

2016, ranked #7,505

Peak year

1998

845 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Borley had 461 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,193 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 724 in 2016, ranked #7,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 779 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Borley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Borley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Borley 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 368 #6,459
1861 historical 385 #6,655
1881 historical 461 #7,193
1891 historical 564 #6,733
1901 historical 594 #7,127
1911 historical 779 #5,578
1997 modern 821 #6,405
1998 modern 845 #6,469
1999 modern 828 #6,620
2000 modern 827 #6,597
2001 modern 812 #6,567
2002 modern 790 #6,849
2003 modern 761 #6,927
2004 modern 764 #6,930
2005 modern 743 #7,012
2006 modern 756 #6,942
2007 modern 760 #6,978
2008 modern 749 #7,114
2009 modern 787 #6,983
2010 modern 789 #7,107
2011 modern 778 #7,107
2012 modern 765 #7,123
2013 modern 754 #7,311
2014 modern 746 #7,410
2015 modern 748 #7,315
2016 modern 724 #7,505

Geography

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Where Borleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Elmswell, Pettaugh and Sapiston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St Edmundsbury, Tendring, Babergh and Cardiff. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Elmswell Suffolk
4 Pettaugh Suffolk
5 Sapiston Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St Edmundsbury 004 St Edmundsbury
2 Tendring 015 Tendring
3 Babergh 002 Babergh
4 St Edmundsbury 009 St Edmundsbury
5 Cardiff 015 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Borley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Borley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Borley, 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 Borley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Borley 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Borley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Borley 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

Borley 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 Borley 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 Borley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Borley

The surname Borley is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words 'bur' and 'leah,' meaning a dwelling or homestead in a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name was initially associated with a specific location or settlement in the English countryside.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Borley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as Borleia. This historical record provides evidence that the name was already in use during the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century.

Throughout the centuries, the name Borley has undergone various spelling variations, including Borley, Burley, and Bourley. These variations may have emerged due to regional dialects, scribal errors, or attempts to adapt the name to different linguistic influences.

Notable individuals with the surname Borley include John Borley, a 16th-century English landowner and member of the gentry from Essex, who lived from around 1530 to 1598. There is also Sir Ralph Borley, a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, who was born in 1565 and died in 1624.

Another historical figure bearing the Borley name is William Borley, a 17th-century English clergyman and author. He was born in 1617 and served as the Rector of Waltham St. Lawrence in Berkshire. Borley published several works on religious and theological subjects during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, Edward Borley, born in 1732, gained recognition as a skilled architect and surveyor. He was responsible for designing and constructing several notable buildings in London, including the Freemasons' Hall on Great Queen Street.

The surname Borley has also been associated with certain place names in England. For example, Borley Green and Borley Wood were settlements located in the county of Essex, potentially derived from the name itself or vice versa.

These examples illustrate the rich history and evolution of the surname Borley, which has its origins deeply rooted in the English landscape and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Borley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Borley 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. Suffolk leads with 216 Borleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.52x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 216 39.52x
Middlesex 53 1.18x
Surrey 39 1.78x
Essex 30 3.39x
Cambridgeshire 21 7.39x
Staffordshire 16 1.06x
Norfolk 15 2.17x
Nottinghamshire 11 1.82x
Yorkshire 10 0.22x
Hampshire 8 0.87x
Leicestershire 7 1.41x
Kent 5 0.33x
Midlothian 5 0.83x
Northumberland 5 0.75x
Lancashire 3 0.06x
Stirlingshire 3 1.81x
Worcestershire 3 0.51x
Warwickshire 2 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.37x
Cheshire 1 0.10x
Devon 1 0.11x
Dorset 1 0.34x
Hertfordshire 1 0.32x
Oxfordshire 1 0.36x
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. Sapiston in Suffolk leads with 22 Borleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5500.00x.

Place Total Index
Sapiston 22 5500.00x
Bury St Edmunds St James 17 116.44x
Old Newton 16 1523.81x
West Ham 16 8.18x
Islington London 15 3.45x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 13 126.71x
Elmswell 11 940.17x
Lambeth 11 2.81x
Monks Eleigh 11 1235.96x
Tostock 9 1666.67x
Beyton 8 1509.43x
Burton Extra 8 92.17x
Burton Upon Trent 8 22.57x
Camberwell 8 2.79x
Hampstead London 8 11.45x
Pampisford 8 1481.48x
Walsham Le Willows 8 439.56x
Weeke 8 286.74x
Aveley 7 469.80x
Chippenham 7 707.07x
Clapham 7 12.48x
Helmingham 7 1346.15x
Ipswich St Mary At Elms 7 402.30x
North Wheatley 7 1166.67x
Rattlesden 7 437.50x
St Marylebone London 7 2.92x
Barham 6 833.33x
Claydon 6 740.74x
Crowfield 6 1090.91x
Glen Parva 6 512.82x
St Pancras London 6 1.66x
Streatham 6 18.02x
Tendring 6 461.54x
Barnham 5 704.23x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.57x
Brent Eleigh 5 1428.57x
Byker 5 15.15x
Felsham 5 980.39x
Great Waldingfield 5 555.56x
Kensington London 5 2.00x
South Wootton 5 1851.85x
Thurston 5 467.29x
Battersea 4 2.42x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 1.65x
Holbeck 4 13.58x
Hunslet 4 5.77x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 4 19.31x
Long Melford 4 78.74x
Nottingham St Mary 4 2.56x
West Wratting 4 439.56x
Bardwell 3 258.62x
Cockfield 3 209.79x
Eccleston In Prescot 3 11.22x
Framsden 3 247.93x
Kings Norton 3 5.71x
Onehouse 3 566.04x
Semer 3 588.24x
Stirling 3 14.37x
Thetford St Peter 3 164.84x
Acton 2 7.60x
Aston 2 0.64x
Chilton 2 454.55x
Deal 2 15.31x
Haughley 2 147.06x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 10.78x
Leeds 2 0.80x
Pettaugh 2 645.16x
Risby 2 294.12x
St Andrewthe Less 2 6.16x
Swanscombe 2 29.07x
Brighton 1 0.66x
Chertsey 1 7.08x
Chester St John Baptist 1 5.62x
East Harling 1 60.98x
Horton 1 75.76x
Newmarket St Mary 1 23.87x
Southwark St Saviour 1 4.34x
St Bartholomew Less 1 43.29x
Sudbury St Peter 1 33.33x
Watford 1 4.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Eliza 13
Elizabeth 13
Jane 13
Sarah 13
Sophia 7
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Emma 6
Annie 5
Harriet 5
Martha 5
Edith 4
Emily 4
Kate 4
Amy 3
Ann 3
Hannah 3
Maria 3
Susan 3
Althea 2
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Matilda 2
Phillis 2
Rebecca 2
Susannah 2
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Dorcas 1
Eidey 1
Elizth. 1
Ester 1
Fanny 1
Jessie 1
Julian 1
Letitia 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 24
George 17
James 14
Henry 13
Charles 10
Robert 10
Edward 9
Alfred 8
Frederick 8
Joseph 8
Harry 7
Walter 7
Arthur 4
Thomas 4
Edwin 3
Isaac 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Denry 2
Ernest 2
Fountain 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Manning 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Clement 1
Edgar 1
Fedk. 1
Fk. 1
Francis 1
Fredk.J. 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Leonard 1
Les 1
Louis 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Maurice 1
Norman 1
Oswald 1
Reuben 1
Rowland 1

FAQ

Borley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Borley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 461 people were recorded with the Borley surname. That placed it at #7,193 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Borley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 724 in 2016. That gives Borley a modern rank of #7,505.

What does the Borley surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a place called Borley in Essex, England.

What does the Borley map show?

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