NameCensus.

UK surname

Byerley

An English surname originating from a place name meaning "bright clearing or meadow".

In the 1881 census there were 99 people recorded with the Byerley surname, ranking it #19,877 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 136, ranked #25,377, down from #19,877 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ovingham and South Bersted and Bognor. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Byerley is 161 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.4%.

1881 census count

99

Ranked #19,877

Modern count

136

2016, ranked #25,377

Peak year

1911

161 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Byerley had 99 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,877 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016, ranked #25,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 161 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Byerley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Byerley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Byerley 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 73 #20,581
1861 historical 95 #21,768
1881 historical 99 #19,877
1891 historical 136 #19,601
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 161 #17,072
1997 modern 138 #22,227
1998 modern 147 #21,935
1999 modern 149 #21,924
2000 modern 146 #22,170
2001 modern 146 #21,857
2002 modern 151 #21,809
2003 modern 146 #22,069
2004 modern 145 #22,289
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 141 #22,833
2007 modern 133 #24,059
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 129 #25,673
2012 modern 125 #26,298
2013 modern 131 #25,932
2014 modern 131 #26,089
2015 modern 136 #25,352
2016 modern 136 #25,377

Geography

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Where Byerleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ovingham, South Bersted and Bognor, Portsmouth, Portsea and Warwick St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Warwick, Stratford-on-Avon and Scarborough. 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 3
2 Ovingham Northumberland
3 South Bersted and Bognor Sussex
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Warwick St Mary Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 036 Northumberland
2 Warwick 014 Warwick
3 Northumberland 019 Northumberland
4 Stratford-on-Avon 004 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Scarborough 007 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Byerley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Byerley

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Byerley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Byerley 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

Byerley falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Byerley 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 Byerley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Byerley

The surname Byerley has its origins in England, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a place name, specifically a location known as 'Byerley' in the county of Lancashire. This place name itself is thought to have originated from the Old English words 'byre' and 'leah', which together mean 'barn' or 'grange clearing'.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Byerley can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname were present in England during the Norman conquest.

In the 13th century, records show a Richard de Byerley holding lands in Lancashire. This is one of the earliest known examples of an individual carrying the Byerley surname. Over the following centuries, the name appears in various historical documents and records, often associated with the Lancashire region.

Notably, in the 16th century, a Sir Francis Byerley served as a member of Parliament for Liverpool during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Thomas Byerley, born in 1642, who was a renowned English mathematician and logician.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Byerley name continued to be predominantly concentrated in northern England, particularly around the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. John Byerley, born in 1691, was a notable figure from this era, serving as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Bramber in Sussex.

In the 19th century, a prominent individual with the Byerley surname was Sir John Byerley, born in 1820. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist, known for his charitable works and contributions to education in the city of Liverpool.

As the name spread and evolved over time, various spelling variations emerged, including Birley, Byrley, and Burley. Despite these variations, the core origin and meaning of the surname have remained rooted in the place name from Lancashire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Byerley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Byerley 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. Hampshire leads with 17 Byerleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.59x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 17 8.59x
Northumberland 16 11.14x
Warwickshire 16 6.57x
Middlesex 15 1.55x
Sussex 9 5.53x
Lincolnshire 6 3.89x
Gloucestershire 5 2.64x
Surrey 5 1.06x
Lancashire 3 0.26x
Staffordshire 3 0.92x
Yorkshire 2 0.21x
Cheshire 1 0.47x
Durham 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 17 Byerleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.83x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 17 43.83x
Welton 11 55000.00x
Warwick St Mary 10 473.93x
Great Grimsby 6 61.22x
Camberwell 5 8.11x
Cheeseburn Grange 5 16666.67x
Chichester St Andrew 5 2941.18x
Harefield 5 1000.00x
Brighton 4 12.18x
St Clement Danes London 4 200.00x
Wotton Under Edge 4 357.14x
Burton Upon Trent 3 39.37x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 71.77x
Toxteth Park 3 7.73x
Stratford On Avon 2 148.15x
Warwick St Nicholas 2 111.73x
Brompton In 1 232.56x
Clifton 1 10.45x
Cocken 1 555.56x
Coventry St Michael 1 12.79x
Limehouse London 1 9.43x
Nether Hallam 1 7.73x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 1 40.82x
Sherbourne 1 1428.57x
St Marylebone London 1 1.94x
Stoke Newington London 1 13.30x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 6
Thomas 6
Alfred 4
Isaac 4
William 4
John 3
Robert 3
Frederick 2
Albert 1
B.N. 1
Charles 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Morris 1
Nicholas 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Byerley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Byerley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 99 people were recorded with the Byerley surname. That placed it at #19,877 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Byerley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016. That gives Byerley a modern rank of #25,377.

What does the Byerley surname mean?

An English surname originating from a place name meaning "bright clearing or meadow".

What does the Byerley map show?

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