NameCensus.

UK surname

Bottley

From a topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a roadside booth or toll house.

In the 1881 census there were 52 people recorded with the Bottley surname, ranking it #26,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 152, ranked #23,516, up from #26,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Rochford and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bottley is 152 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 192.3%.

1881 census count

52

Ranked #26,281

Modern count

152

2016, ranked #23,516

Peak year

2016

152 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bottley had 52 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016, ranked #23,516.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 93 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Bottley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bottley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bottley 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 49 #27,768
1881 historical 52 #26,281
1891 historical 52 #30,061
1901 historical 54 #28,178
1911 historical 93 #23,492
1997 modern 131 #22,927
1998 modern 142 #22,406
1999 modern 147 #22,110
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 141 #22,344
2002 modern 150 #21,913
2003 modern 147 #21,977
2004 modern 149 #21,905
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 148 #22,111
2007 modern 148 #22,406
2008 modern 143 #23,160
2009 modern 149 #23,031
2010 modern 149 #23,598
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 138 #24,614
2013 modern 143 #24,434
2014 modern 148 #24,075
2015 modern 148 #23,934
2016 modern 152 #23,516

Geography

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Where Bottleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Rochford, Babergh and Huntingdonshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 006 Dudley
2 Dudley 005 Dudley
3 Rochford 010 Rochford
4 Babergh 004 Babergh
5 Huntingdonshire 014 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bottley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bottley

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Bottley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bottley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Bottley is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bottley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bottley

The surname Bottley is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "botl" and "leah," meaning "a dwelling or homestead near a building or structure." The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, where it was first recorded.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bottley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1195, where a William de Botteleye is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 12th century.

The Bottley surname is also found in the Domesday Book, a record of landholders in England compiled in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror. While the spelling may have varied slightly, entries such as "Botteleia" and "Bottelege" are thought to refer to the modern-day Bottley.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various records with different spellings, including Bottelee, Bottelye, and Botteleigh. These variations likely reflect the regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

One notable Bottley in history was Sir John Bottley, who lived in the 15th century and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1474. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Bottley, a successful merchant and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in the early 17th century.

Other individuals of historical significance bearing the Bottley surname include:

1. William Bottley (1599-1677), an English clergyman and author known for his works on theology and philosophy. 2. Elizabeth Bottley (1728-1804), a renowned 18th-century English botanist and plant collector. 3. James Bottley (1802-1879), a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of steam engines. 4. Richard Bottley (1854-1931), a prominent English architect and designer responsible for several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas. 5. Margaret Bottley (1889-1964), a pioneering British aviator and one of the first women to obtain a pilot's license in the United Kingdom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bottley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bottley 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. Surrey leads with 15 Bottleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.07x.

County Total Index
Surrey 15 6.07x
Warwickshire 14 10.95x
Staffordshire 5 2.92x
Oxfordshire 4 12.77x
Worcestershire 4 6.04x
Derbyshire 3 3.78x
Middlesex 2 0.39x
Herefordshire 1 4.81x
Kent 1 0.58x
Lancashire 1 0.17x
Sussex 1 1.17x
Yorkshire 1 0.20x

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 12 Bottleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.07x.

Place Total Index
Aston 12 34.07x
Lambeth 7 15.83x
Ambrosden 4 3333.33x
Godstone 4 909.09x
Bushbury 3 967.74x
Derby St Peter 3 118.58x
Dudley 3 37.27x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 29.38x
St George Bloomsbury 2 68.73x
Wolverhampton 2 15.20x
Brighton 1 5.80x
Camberwell 1 3.09x
Deptford St Paul 1 7.49x
Droitwich St Andrew 1 588.24x
Edgbaston 1 25.19x
Exhall 1 526.32x
Hook 1 90.09x
Liverpool 1 2.74x
Sollershope 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 3
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Cecil 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Gurtrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Leah 1
Letitia 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Louiza 1
Pheobe 1
Priscilla 1
Rebecca 1
Rosina 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bottley households.

FAQ

Bottley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bottley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 52 people were recorded with the Bottley surname. That placed it at #26,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bottley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 152 in 2016. That gives Bottley a modern rank of #23,516.

What does the Bottley surname mean?

From a topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a roadside booth or toll house.

What does the Bottley map show?

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