NameCensus.

UK surname

Calverley

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "clearing of a calf or calves" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 634 people recorded with the Calverley surname, ranking it #5,595 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 672, ranked #7,966, down from #5,595 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Whalley and Huddersfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lancaster, Calderdale and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Calverley is 1,004 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.0%.

1881 census count

634

Ranked #5,595

Modern count

672

2016, ranked #7,966

Peak year

1911

1,004 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Calverley had 634 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,595 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 672 in 2016, ranked #7,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,004 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Calverley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Calverley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Calverley 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 462 #5,372
1861 historical 415 #6,187
1881 historical 634 #5,595
1891 historical 736 #5,392
1901 historical 841 #5,411
1911 historical 1,004 #4,532
1997 modern 649 #7,664
1998 modern 680 #7,648
1999 modern 690 #7,604
2000 modern 685 #7,618
2001 modern 662 #7,683
2002 modern 673 #7,753
2003 modern 644 #7,877
2004 modern 639 #7,931
2005 modern 618 #8,081
2006 modern 637 #7,923
2007 modern 640 #7,962
2008 modern 653 #7,890
2009 modern 647 #8,107
2010 modern 674 #8,014
2011 modern 660 #8,064
2012 modern 664 #7,933
2013 modern 682 #7,897
2014 modern 693 #7,837
2015 modern 688 #7,828
2016 modern 672 #7,966

Geography

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Where Calverleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Whalley, Huddersfield and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lancaster, Calderdale, Hyndburn, Oldham and West Dorset. 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 Whalley Lancashire
3 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lancaster 016 Lancaster
2 Calderdale 015 Calderdale
3 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn
4 Oldham 006 Oldham
5 West Dorset 003 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Calverley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Calverley

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

Calverley is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Calverley

The surname Calverley is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the town of Calverley in West Yorkshire, England. The name Calverley is believed to have originated from the Old English words "calf" meaning "calf" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing or meadow."

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the town of Calverley was recorded as "Calorlei" and "Caluerleia." This suggests that the name Calverley has evolved from these early spellings over time. The earliest known record of the surname Calverley dates back to 1275, when it appeared as "de Calverleia" in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Calverley was Sir Walter Calverley (1315-1349), an English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was a prominent figure during the reign of King Edward III and was rewarded with lands for his military service.

Another historically significant individual was Sir John Calverley (c. 1360-1420), a Member of Parliament for Yorkshire during the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV. He was involved in the suppression of the Peasants' Revolt in 1381 and was appointed as a Commissioner of Array for Yorkshire in 1399.

In the 16th century, Sir Walter Calverley (1503-1572) was a Member of Parliament for Yorkshire and served as Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1566. He was known for his involvement in the Pilgrimage of Grace, a popular uprising against the religious reforms of King Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, Edmund Calverley (1628-1710) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Causes of the Contempt of the Clergy" and "Thesaurus Theologicus."

Another notable figure was Sir John Calverley (1670-1749), an English politician who served as Member of Parliament for Scarborough from 1708 to 1722. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant of the North Riding of Yorkshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Calverley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Calverley 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 383 Calverleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.25x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 383 6.25x
Lancashire 189 2.58x
Middlesex 20 0.32x
Cheshire 9 0.66x
Durham 5 0.27x
Surrey 5 0.17x
Leicestershire 4 0.58x
Essex 3 0.25x
Merionethshire 3 2.65x
Bedfordshire 2 0.62x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.77x
Northamptonshire 2 0.34x
Berkshire 1 0.22x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.26x
Denbighshire 1 0.43x
Derbyshire 1 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.51x
Somerset 1 0.10x
Sussex 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 46 Calverleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.29x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 46 13.29x
Huddersfield 32 35.84x
Clitheroe 27 125.00x
Accrington 24 35.97x
Hunslet 24 25.12x
Spotland 24 29.42x
Golcar 23 141.98x
Elland Cum Greetland 21 76.06x
Habergham Eaves 13 19.38x
Blackburn 12 6.15x
Longwood 12 121.46x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 12 241.45x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 11 71.15x
Wakefield 10 21.25x
Barkisland 9 202.25x
Brogden With Admirgill 9 3913.04x
Calverley Cum Farsley 9 51.72x
Bentham 8 171.31x
Burton Leonard 8 879.12x
Chatburn 8 487.80x
Keighley 8 12.25x
Rothwell 8 64.62x
Wardleworth 8 19.07x
Bradford 7 4.72x
Lockwood 7 31.75x
Oldham 7 2.96x
Potter Newton 7 64.75x
Azerley 6 410.96x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 6 28.63x
Birkenhead 6 5.51x
Burnley 6 9.71x
Church 6 57.92x
Grindleton 6 454.55x
West Ardsley 6 81.30x
Bromley London 5 3.67x
Cockerton 5 84.75x
Eccleshill 5 33.53x
Hulme 5 3.26x
Islington London 5 0.83x
Kirkdale 5 4.05x
Linthwaite 5 38.82x
Padiham 5 28.20x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 5 17.56x
Halifax 4 4.45x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 10.14x
Horsforth 4 29.76x
Horton In Bradford 4 4.18x
Kegworth 4 87.72x
Newton 4 7.07x
Preston 4 2.04x
Skipton 4 20.74x
Slaidburn 4 380.95x
Snainton 4 243.90x
Stretford 4 9.91x
West Derby 4 1.86x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 1.87x
Austwick 3 300.00x
Castleton 3 4.09x
Dewsbury 3 4.77x
Falsgrave 3 33.22x
Hackney London 3 0.87x
Lancaster 3 6.87x
Little Bolton 3 3.18x
Llandderfel 3 136.36x
Soyland 3 40.82x
Templenewsam 3 67.57x
Wortley In Bramley 3 6.18x
Barwick In Elmet 2 42.55x
Carmarthen St Peter 2 8.98x
Church Brampton 2 526.32x
Clophill 2 85.11x
Gargrave 2 73.26x
Great Little Marsden 2 5.95x
Higher Bebington 2 22.88x
Ireby 2 1176.47x
Lambeth 2 0.37x
Middlesbrough 2 2.51x
Mile End Old Town London 2 1.52x
Paddington London 2 0.88x
Wray With Botton 2 150.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 49
Sarah 31
Jane 21
Elizabeth 20
Alice 12
Ann 12
Margaret 11
Ellen 10
Emma 10
Annie 9
Emily 9
Martha 9
Eliza 8
Hannah 7
Ada 4
Florence 4
Grace 4
Isabella 4
Louisa 4
Nancy 4
Anne 3
Clara 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Maria 3
Matilda 3
Agnes 2
Betsey 2
Blanche 2
Caroline 2
Ethel 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Laura 2
Lydia 2
Rosamond 2
Ruth 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Susanah 2
Amy 1
Charrlotte 1
Constance 1
Eugenie 1
Fanney 1
Lizzy 1
Lois 1
Louise 1
M.E. 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 47
William 32
Thomas 23
Robert 22
James 21
Joseph 17
George 15
Arthur 8
Richard 8
Alfred 7
Charles 7
Henry 7
Walter 7
Fred 4
Joe 4
Nathan 4
Chas. 3
Dan 3
Edmund 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Benjm. 2
Brook 2
Deighton 2
Edgar 2
Frank 2
Horace 2
Jonathan 2
Sam 2
Craven 1
David 1
Ely 1
Ernest 1
Fred.A. 1
Gabriel 1
Geo.Henry 1
Giles 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Levi 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Mallinson 1
Mark 1
Morton 1
Oliver 1
Richd. 1

FAQ

Calverley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Calverley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 634 people were recorded with the Calverley surname. That placed it at #5,595 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Calverley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 672 in 2016. That gives Calverley a modern rank of #7,966.

What does the Calverley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "clearing of a calf or calves" in Old English.

What does the Calverley map show?

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