NameCensus.

UK surname

Buckley

Derived from a place name meaning "meadow of the deer" or "meadow of the he-goat" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 16,269 people recorded with the Buckley surname, ranking it #239 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 22,285, ranked #265, down from #239 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Manchester and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Tameside and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buckley is 23,039 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.0%.

1881 census count

16,269

Ranked #239

Modern count

22,285

2016, ranked #265

Peak year

2010

23,039 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buckley had 16,269 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #239 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 22,285 in 2016, ranked #265.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 20,319 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Buckley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buckley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buckley 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 10,310 #246
1861 historical 10,186 #252
1881 historical 16,269 #239
1891 historical 16,409 #249
1901 historical 19,000 #259
1911 historical 20,319 #221
1997 modern 21,688 #264
1998 modern 22,727 #262
1999 modern 22,919 #262
2000 modern 22,708 #261
2001 modern 22,182 #262
2002 modern 22,686 #262
2003 modern 22,082 #261
2004 modern 22,027 #260
2005 modern 21,648 #263
2006 modern 21,742 #261
2007 modern 21,899 #261
2008 modern 21,972 #262
2009 modern 22,572 #262
2010 modern 23,039 #263
2011 modern 22,568 #262
2012 modern 22,107 #264
2013 modern 22,542 #263
2014 modern 22,679 #265
2015 modern 22,416 #265
2016 modern 22,285 #265

Geography

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Where Buckleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Manchester, London parishes and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Tameside and Oldham. 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 Manchester Lancashire
3 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 2
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Tameside 001 Tameside
3 Oldham 009 Oldham
4 Oldham 012 Oldham
5 Oldham 020 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buckley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buckley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Buckley, 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 Buckley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Buckley 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Buckley 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

Buckley is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Buckley

The surname Buckley is of English origin, deriving from the Old English personal name Bucca, a diminutive of Buc, meaning "buck" or "male deer." The name likely originated from areas around Buckley in Flintshire, Wales, and Buckley in Northamptonshire, England.

Buckley can also be traced back to the Old English word "boc-leah," meaning a meadow or clearing frequented by bucks or male deer. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near such a clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Buckley surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landholder named Bucheli in Essex, England. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

In the 13th century, the Buckley surname appeared in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which list a Robert de Buckeley in Oxfordshire. The "de" prefix indicates the name was originally a place name before becoming a hereditary surname.

Notable individuals bearing the Buckley surname include:

1. William Buckley (c. 1776-1856), an English convict who escaped and lived with Aboriginal Australians for over 30 years. 2. Edmund Buckley (1684-1735), an English clergyman and author known for his work on ancient geography. 3. Arabella Buckley (1840-1929), an English writer and popularizer of science who authored several influential children's books. 4. William Edward Buckley (1857-1910), an American politician who served as the 21st Governor of Connecticut. 5. Edgar Buckley (1864-1912), an English-born Australian poet and journalist known for his work in promoting Australian literature.

The Buckley surname has been widely dispersed throughout the English-speaking world, with many variants and spellings emerging over time, such as Buckly, Bukley, and Buckeley. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in its Old English beginnings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buckley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buckley 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 6,782 Buckleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.59x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 6,782 3.59x
Yorkshire 2,942 1.87x
Cheshire 1,630 4.64x
Middlesex 921 0.58x
Staffordshire 684 1.27x
Derbyshire 563 2.26x
Surrey 339 0.44x
Warwickshire 335 0.84x
Glamorgan 171 0.62x
Kent 165 0.30x
Shropshire 161 1.17x
Durham 142 0.30x
Worcestershire 141 0.68x
Nottinghamshire 123 0.57x
Leicestershire 105 0.60x
Lanarkshire 97 0.19x
Monmouthshire 96 0.84x
Gloucestershire 73 0.23x
Northamptonshire 72 0.48x
Essex 69 0.22x
Devon 63 0.19x
Montgomeryshire 51 1.40x
Northumberland 49 0.21x
Hampshire 38 0.12x
Somerset 35 0.14x
Cumberland 30 0.22x
Sussex 27 0.10x
Wiltshire 27 0.19x
Bedfordshire 23 0.28x
Suffolk 22 0.11x
Brecknockshire 21 0.66x
Channel Islands 20 0.42x
Lincolnshire 20 0.08x
Norfolk 20 0.08x
Denbighshire 18 0.30x
Carmarthenshire 15 0.22x
Flintshire 15 0.35x
Midlothian 15 0.07x
Royal Navy 15 0.79x
Anglesey 14 0.50x
Berkshire 14 0.12x
Merionethshire 14 0.48x
Caernarfonshire 13 0.20x
Herefordshire 13 0.20x
Cambridgeshire 12 0.12x
Westmorland 12 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.10x
Dorset 10 0.10x
Isle of Man 8 0.27x
Oxfordshire 8 0.08x
Cardiganshire 6 0.15x
Pembrokeshire 6 0.12x
Hertfordshire 5 0.05x
Angus 4 0.03x
Renfrewshire 3 0.02x
Rutland 3 0.26x
Argyllshire 2 0.05x
Cornwall 2 0.01x
East Lothian 2 0.10x
Perthshire 2 0.03x
Fife 1 0.01x
Radnorshire 1 0.08x
Wigtownshire 1 0.05x

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 1,520 Buckleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.96x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 1,520 24.96x
Saddleworth 841 69.19x
Ashton Under Lyne 698 16.92x
Crompton 335 62.34x
Spotland 310 14.78x
Manchester 243 2.86x
Salford 211 3.80x
Castleton 168 8.91x
Liverpool 156 1.36x
Royton 156 27.03x
Chadderton 146 15.83x
Leeds 146 1.64x
Dukinfield 140 8.63x
Butterworth 132 28.71x
Birmingham 131 0.98x
Aston 125 1.13x
Stoke Upon Trent 121 2.13x
Gorton 108 6.09x
Halifax 105 4.54x
Bury 103 4.78x
Hulme 100 2.54x
Skircoat 97 15.61x
Radcliffe 94 10.33x
Newchurch 93 6.02x
Glossop Dale 92 7.89x
Warrington 92 4.11x
Wuerdle Wardle 91 15.89x
Pendleton In Salford 90 4.00x
Stayley 85 21.18x
Chorlton On Medlock 76 2.54x
Everton 74 1.23x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 72 23.04x
Macclesfield 71 4.55x
Wardleworth 71 6.58x
Sheffield 69 1.38x
Lambeth 67 0.48x
Batley 65 4.34x
Huddersfield 62 2.70x
Islington London 61 0.40x
Bradford 60 1.57x
Wigan 60 2.28x
Dewsbury 58 3.59x
West Derby 58 1.05x
Soothill 55 9.66x
Bradfield 54 8.89x
Heap 54 5.40x
Middleton In Oldham 54 9.54x
Camberwell 49 0.48x
St Marylebone London 49 0.58x
Kensington London 48 0.54x
Tintwistle 48 25.59x
Ardwick 46 2.70x
Tranmere 46 3.57x
Lockwood 45 7.94x
Dudley 44 1.74x
Mile End Old Town London 44 1.30x
Wolverhampton 44 1.07x
Doncaster 43 3.73x
Keighley 43 2.56x
Bethnal Green London 42 0.61x
Little Bolton 42 1.73x
Chester St Mary On Hill 41 13.62x
Hackney London 41 0.46x
Horton In Bradford 41 1.67x
Measham 41 44.80x
Toxteth Park 41 0.64x
North Meols 40 2.17x
St George In East London 40 2.67x
St Pancras London 40 0.31x
Barnsley 39 2.40x
Broughton In Salford 39 2.26x
Mirfield 39 4.51x
Monks Coppenhall 39 2.94x
Over 39 10.93x
Rastrick 39 8.91x
Bermondsey 38 0.80x
Bowling 38 2.43x
Derby St Alkmund 38 5.09x
Heckmondwike 38 7.50x
Whitechapel London 38 2.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,330
Sarah 778
Elizabeth 587
Ann 412
Alice 314
Hannah 311
Jane 298
Ellen 264
Eliza 229
Emma 221
Martha 217
Annie 208
Margaret 205
Emily 117
Catherine 113
Harriet 113
Betty 106
Ada 93
Clara 83
Esther 77
Maria 74
Louisa 66
Fanny 64
Anne 57
Edith 56
Frances 54
Lucy 54
Florence 52
Caroline 46
Agnes 45
Charlotte 45
Bridget 40
Betsy 39
Elizth. 37
Isabella 36
Susan 36
Susannah 34
Amelia 33
Ruth 33
Kate 31
Nancy 27
Rachel 27
Selina 27
Amy 25
Bertha 25
Julia 24
Minnie 22
Matilda 20
Harriett 18
Rose 18

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1,147
William 757
James 747
Thomas 489
Joseph 404
George 388
Samuel 231
Henry 214
Charles 207
Robert 198
Edward 154
Alfred 110
Richard 106
Arthur 102
Albert 94
Harry 80
Herbert 73
Walter 69
Daniel 68
Frank 66
Fred 65
Benjamin 64
Edmund 63
Frederick 63
Edwin 60
Patrick 58
Michael 50
Ernest 49
David 47
Wm. 46
Abraham 39
Peter 38
Isaac 34
Thos. 33
Timothy 33
Abel 32
Jeremiah 29
Jonathan 28
Cornelius 25
Ralph 25
Ben 23
Jas. 21
Lewis 21
Dennis 20
Francis 20
Geo. 20
Andrew 18
Mark 17
Joe 16
Robt. 15

FAQ

Buckley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buckley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 16,269 people were recorded with the Buckley surname. That placed it at #239 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buckley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 22,285 in 2016. That gives Buckley a modern rank of #265.

What does the Buckley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "meadow of the deer" or "meadow of the he-goat" in Old English.

What does the Buckley map show?

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