NameCensus.

UK surname

Bottomley

A locational surname deriving from a place name meaning "bottom meadow" or "lower clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 4,974 people recorded with the Bottomley surname, ranking it #894 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,160, ranked #1,632, down from #894 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bottomley is 6,077 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.4%.

1881 census count

4,974

Ranked #894

Modern count

4,160

2016, ranked #1,632

Peak year

1911

6,077 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bottomley had 4,974 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #894 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,160 in 2016, ranked #1,632.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,077 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Bottomley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bottomley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bottomley 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 3,104 #932
1861 historical 3,103 #935
1881 historical 4,974 #894
1891 historical 5,103 #921
1901 historical 5,793 #961
1911 historical 6,077 #849
1997 modern 4,543 #1,441
1998 modern 4,579 #1,484
1999 modern 4,610 #1,486
2000 modern 4,613 #1,476
2001 modern 4,480 #1,485
2002 modern 4,495 #1,506
2003 modern 4,387 #1,509
2004 modern 4,329 #1,526
2005 modern 4,253 #1,532
2006 modern 4,249 #1,537
2007 modern 4,299 #1,537
2008 modern 4,323 #1,537
2009 modern 4,356 #1,565
2010 modern 4,401 #1,579
2011 modern 4,396 #1,555
2012 modern 4,251 #1,575
2013 modern 4,251 #1,611
2014 modern 4,256 #1,618
2015 modern 4,199 #1,623
2016 modern 4,160 #1,632

Geography

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Where Bottomleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Bradford and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 017 Calderdale
2 Calderdale 026 Calderdale
3 Calderdale 015 Calderdale
4 Calderdale 025 Calderdale
5 Calderdale 027 Calderdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bottomley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bottomley

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bottomley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bottomley is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bottomley

The surname Bottomley is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "botm" meaning valley or low-lying land, and "leah" meaning a clearing or meadow. The name was initially used to describe someone who lived in a valley or near a low-lying area.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Bottomley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 12th century. These were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, which listed individuals and their lands. The name was also mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1202, which were legal records documenting the transfer of land ownership.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Botmeley, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1288. These were court records that documented legal disputes over property and land ownership. The surname was also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327, which were tax records used to collect subsidies for the Crown.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Bottomley was particularly prevalent in the West Riding of Yorkshire, particularly in areas around Huddersfield and Halifax. The name was sometimes spelled differently, such as Bottomley, Botomley, or Botmeley, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

Notable individuals with the surname Bottomley include:

1. John Bottomley (c. 1500 - c. 1570), an English clergyman and author from Halifax. 2. James Bottomley (1818 - 1900), a English industrialist and textile manufacturer from Huddersfield. 3. Horatio Bottomley (1860 - 1933), an English financier, swindler, and Member of Parliament. 4. William Bottomley (1734 - 1818), an English poet and schoolmaster from Yorkshire. 5. Gordon Bottomley (1874 - 1948), an English poet and playwright from Yorkshire.

The surname Bottomley has a rich history rooted in the geography and landscape of Yorkshire. Over the centuries, it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, industrialists, writers, and poets.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bottomley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bottomley 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. Yorkshire leads with 3,229 Bottomleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.70x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 3,229 6.70x
Lancashire 1,083 1.88x
Cheshire 135 1.26x
Middlesex 118 0.24x
Surrey 97 0.41x
Lincolnshire 70 0.90x
Derbyshire 50 0.66x
Kent 23 0.14x
Rutland 22 6.16x
Lanarkshire 17 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 16 0.24x
Norfolk 15 0.20x
Essex 13 0.14x
Hampshire 10 0.10x
Warwickshire 10 0.08x
Berkshire 8 0.22x
Channel Islands 8 0.56x
Northamptonshire 8 0.17x
Northumberland 7 0.10x
Clackmannanshire 6 1.49x
Staffordshire 6 0.04x
Suffolk 6 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.38x
Shropshire 4 0.10x
Worcestershire 4 0.06x
Dorset 3 0.09x
Devon 2 0.02x
Durham 2 0.01x
Sussex 2 0.02x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.03x
Cumberland 1 0.02x
Gloucestershire 1 0.01x
Leicestershire 1 0.02x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Oxfordshire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.17x
Westmorland 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 204 Bottomleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.95x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 204 10.95x
Saddleworth 193 51.90x
Keighley 165 32.11x
Halifax 148 20.91x
Elland Cum Greetland 144 66.31x
Bradford 120 10.28x
Hipperholme Cum 112 52.88x
Ashton Under Lyne 111 8.80x
Huddersfield 99 14.10x
Horton In Bradford 92 12.22x
Skircoat 92 48.40x
Soyland 76 131.42x
Bowling 69 14.45x
Crompton 69 41.97x
North Bierley 69 26.51x
Southowram 68 46.21x
Rastrick 65 48.54x
Dewsbury 62 12.54x
Northowram 62 18.34x
Manningham 52 8.76x
Butterworth 46 32.71x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 43 35.36x
Clifton In Halifax 42 145.78x
Manchester 40 1.54x
Sowerby In Halifax 40 25.38x
Stainland Cum Old 40 48.48x
Stayley 39 31.77x
Leeds 37 1.36x
Salford 37 2.18x
Lockwood 36 20.76x
Barkisland 35 100.00x
Hartshead 35 162.04x
Shelf 35 76.02x
Blackburn 33 2.15x
Slaithwaite 33 65.75x
Castleton 32 5.55x
Rishworth 32 172.97x
Almondbury 31 13.30x
Bermondsey 31 2.14x
Islington London 31 0.66x
Nether Hallam 30 4.60x
Kildwick 29 66.06x
Royton 29 16.42x
Upperthong 29 70.73x
Gorton 28 5.16x
Longwood 28 36.04x
Sculcoates 28 3.66x
Colne 27 15.70x
Sutton In Keighley 27 98.94x
Warley 27 19.38x
Broughton In Salford 26 4.93x
Wortley In Bramley 24 6.29x
Honley 23 27.26x
Marsden In Almondbury 22 50.16x
Glusburn 21 77.12x
Liverpool 21 0.60x
Ancaster 20 183.99x
Exton 20 183.99x
Golcar 20 15.69x
Bramley In Bramley 19 10.30x
Brightside Bierlow 19 2.01x
Little Bolton 19 2.56x
Sheffield 19 1.24x
Stansfield 19 10.71x
Kirkheaton 18 23.02x
Tong 18 19.33x
Wuerdle Wardle 18 10.27x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 1.85x
Hyde 17 5.36x
Idle 17 7.61x
Baildon 16 17.63x
Dukinfield 16 3.22x
Liversedge 16 7.46x
Mirfield 16 6.05x
Openshaw 16 5.92x
Shoreditch London 16 0.76x
Tintwistle 16 27.88x
Lambeth 15 0.35x
Rawmarsh 15 8.81x
Wakefield 15 4.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 404
Sarah 254
Elizabeth 155
Hannah 124
Ann 98
Jane 88
Emma 79
Annie 77
Alice 76
Martha 74
Eliza 67
Ellen 66
Clara 40
Harriet 38
Emily 35
Lucy 29
Margaret 29
Betty 28
Ada 27
Maria 26
Edith 24
Ruth 23
Charlotte 21
Esther 19
Frances 19
Louisa 18
Agnes 17
Fanny 17
Florence 17
Susannah 15
Harriett 13
Kate 13
Amelia 12
Anne 11
Caroline 11
Grace 11
Lydia 11
Rebecca 11
Eleanor 10
Nancy 10
Rachel 10
Ethel 9
Lilly 9
Catherine 8
Gertrude 8
Lavinia 8
Sophia 8
Amy 7
Jessie 6
Julia 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 332
William 220
James 195
Joseph 130
Thomas 108
George 99
Samuel 85
Henry 56
Charles 54
Arthur 52
Fred 49
Harry 38
Walter 37
Alfred 34
Benjamin 33
Albert 32
Edward 31
Robert 28
Herbert 27
Frank 23
Sam 23
David 22
Joe 20
Edwin 19
Frederick 19
Richard 19
Tom 19
Wm. 18
Ernest 17
Isaac 16
Willie 14
Francis 12
Eli 11
Thos. 11
Jno. 9
Jonas 9
Jas. 8
Joshua 8
Lewis 8
Percy 8
Abraham 7
Wright 7
Edgar 6
Jeremiah 6
Jonathan 6
Sidney 6
Andrew 5
Ben 5
Geo. 5
Harold 5

FAQ

Bottomley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bottomley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,974 people were recorded with the Bottomley surname. That placed it at #894 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bottomley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,160 in 2016. That gives Bottomley a modern rank of #1,632.

What does the Bottomley surname mean?

A locational surname deriving from a place name meaning "bottom meadow" or "lower clearing."

What does the Bottomley map show?

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