NameCensus.

UK surname

Carley

Derived from the Old English words "ceorl" or "carl," meaning a free peasant or man of the common people.

In the 1881 census there were 670 people recorded with the Carley surname, ranking it #5,386 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 828, ranked #6,712, down from #5,386 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes and Ashburnham, Dallington, Brightling, Ninfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Suffolk Coastal, Doncaster and Stockport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carley is 932 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.6%.

1881 census count

670

Ranked #5,386

Modern count

828

2016, ranked #6,712

Peak year

1861

932 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carley had 670 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,386 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 828 in 2016, ranked #6,712.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 932 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Carley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carley 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 636 #4,081
1861 historical 932 #2,977
1881 historical 670 #5,386
1891 historical 887 #4,648
1901 historical 843 #5,400
1911 historical 857 #5,179
1997 modern 834 #6,331
1998 modern 870 #6,321
1999 modern 902 #6,192
2000 modern 887 #6,237
2001 modern 870 #6,219
2002 modern 905 #6,170
2003 modern 859 #6,299
2004 modern 855 #6,321
2005 modern 833 #6,398
2006 modern 837 #6,387
2007 modern 847 #6,393
2008 modern 848 #6,439
2009 modern 871 #6,445
2010 modern 877 #6,531
2011 modern 859 #6,563
2012 modern 834 #6,628
2013 modern 856 #6,594
2014 modern 880 #6,484
2015 modern 856 #6,564
2016 modern 828 #6,712

Geography

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Where Carleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Ashburnham, Dallington, Brightling, Ninfield, Easthothly and Downham Market, Stow Bardolph, Wimbotsham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Suffolk Coastal, Doncaster, Stockport, Surrey Heath and South Gloucestershire. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Ashburnham, Dallington, Brightling, Ninfield Sussex
4 Easthothly Sussex
5 Downham Market, Stow Bardolph, Wimbotsham Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Suffolk Coastal 002 Suffolk Coastal
2 Doncaster 037 Doncaster
3 Stockport 004 Stockport
4 Surrey Heath 008 Surrey Heath
5 South Gloucestershire 029 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carley

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Carley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

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

Carley is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carley falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Carley

The surname Carley is an English name that originated in the county of Yorkshire, England, in the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "carr," meaning a rocky hill or crag, and the word "ley," meaning a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name may have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a rocky hill or meadow.

The earliest recorded mention of the name Carley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1166, where a person named Willelmus de Carleya is listed. This indicates that the name was already in use in the 12th century and had likely been established in the region for some time before that.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a few place names similar to Carley can be found, such as Carleton and Carlisle, which further supports the theory that the name is derived from the Old English words "carr" and "ley."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Carley was Sir John Carley, who was born in Yorkshire in the late 13th century and served as a knight during the Scottish Wars of Independence under King Edward I.

Another notable figure was William Carley, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who lived in the 15th century and was mentioned in several city records from that time.

In the 16th century, a family of Carleys resided in the village of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, where they were prominent landowners and farmers. One member of this family, Richard Carley (1534-1602), was a renowned wool merchant and benefactor who funded the construction of several buildings in the town.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain Thomas Carley (1615-1683) served in the Parliamentarian army and was noted for his bravery in several battles against the Royalist forces.

In the 18th century, the Carley surname spread to other parts of England, with notable individuals such as the poet and satirist John Carley (1738-1803), who was born in Oxfordshire and published several popular works during his lifetime.

Throughout its history, the surname Carley has maintained a strong presence in Yorkshire and other parts of northern England, with various branches of the family contributing to the cultural and economic fabric of the region over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carley 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 106 Carleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.36x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 106 1.36x
Middlesex 75 1.15x
Sussex 71 6.43x
Kent 66 2.96x
Yorkshire 61 0.94x
Norfolk 33 3.28x
Surrey 32 1.00x
Hampshire 29 2.16x
Essex 19 1.47x
Gloucestershire 18 1.40x
Northamptonshire 16 2.60x
Suffolk 16 2.01x
Staffordshire 13 0.59x
Warwickshire 13 0.79x
Cambridgeshire 10 2.41x
Durham 9 0.46x
Berkshire 7 1.42x
Cumberland 7 1.24x
Derbyshire 7 0.68x
Glamorgan 7 0.61x
Lincolnshire 7 0.67x
Northumberland 7 0.72x
Lanarkshire 6 0.28x
Midlothian 6 0.68x
Cheshire 5 0.35x
Bedfordshire 4 1.18x
Hertfordshire 4 0.89x
Angus 3 0.49x
Devon 2 0.15x
Shropshire 2 0.35x
Somerset 2 0.19x
Ayrshire 1 0.20x
Dorset 1 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.48x
Renfrewshire 1 0.20x
Royal Navy 1 1.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brightling in Sussex leads with 17 Carleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1125.83x.

Place Total Index
Brightling 17 1125.83x
Mile End Old Town London 17 12.20x
Bitton Oldland 15 114.33x
Downham Market 15 217.08x
Lambeth 15 2.63x
Manchester 14 4.01x
Hastings St Mary 12 43.70x
Peasmarsh 12 638.30x
Ardwick 11 15.70x
Birmingham 11 2.00x
Leeds 10 2.73x
Wimbotsham 10 781.25x
East Hoathly 9 468.75x
Islington London 9 1.42x
Liverpool 9 1.91x
Preston 9 4.33x
Badingham 8 529.80x
Deptford St Paul 8 4.64x
Dover St Mary Virgin 8 37.02x
Everton 8 3.23x
Headcorn 8 238.81x
Sculcoates 8 7.78x
Walthamstow 8 17.20x
Warrington 8 8.69x
Croydon 7 3.95x
Great Grimsby 7 10.54x
March 7 50.43x
Margate St John Baptist 7 17.12x
Odiham 7 118.85x
Poplar London 7 5.67x
Sandhurst 7 73.53x
Spotland 7 8.11x
Walsall Foreign 7 6.13x
Wardleworth 7 15.77x
West Derby 7 3.08x
West Ham 7 2.45x
Badlesmere 6 1714.29x
Bromley London 6 4.17x
Clerkenwell London 6 3.88x
Cottingham 6 42.92x
Hackney London 6 1.64x
Holme Abbey 6 284.36x
Llansamlet Lower 6 58.14x
Pinner 6 104.71x
St Andrew Holborn London 6 21.17x
Tilney St Lawrence 6 370.37x
Accrington 5 7.08x
Bury 5 5.64x
Derby St Werburgh 5 8.45x
Dewsbury 5 7.52x
Ebberston 5 375.94x
Edinburgh Old 5 93.99x
Elswick 5 6.43x
Harty 5 1428.57x
Hastings St Clement 5 48.17x
Milton In Gravesend 5 14.93x
Newport 5 68.68x
Sheffield 5 2.42x
Chelmsford 4 18.04x
Framlingham 4 70.67x
Holy Trinity 4 2.56x
Oldham 4 1.60x
Ringwood 4 46.62x
Ryde 4 13.88x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 1.71x
Wakefield 4 8.03x
Abroath St Vigeans 3 120.48x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 3 12.74x
Bothwell 3 5.23x
Camberwell 3 0.72x
Chalvington 3 1071.43x
Charlton 3 20.23x
Chelsea London 3 1.52x
Cheltenham 3 3.03x
Lingfield 3 48.23x
Maryhill 3 7.24x
Oundle 3 43.60x
Staplehurst 3 81.74x
Stowmarket 3 32.57x
Winlaton 3 16.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 56
Elizabeth 23
Sarah 22
Emily 17
Ellen 11
Jane 11
Bridget 10
Caroline 10
Annie 9
Ann 7
Charlotte 7
Eliza 7
Louisa 7
Alice 6
Emma 6
Fanny 6
Harriet 5
Margaret 5
Susan 5
Catherine 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Matilda 4
Susannah 4
Agnes 3
Eleanor 3
Florence 3
Kate 3
Rose 3
Amelia 2
Edith 2
Elizebath 2
Elizth. 2
Ethel 2
Flora 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Amorly 1
Catharine 1
Elleanor 1
Emmy 1
Esther 1
Janet 1
Jennie 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 46
William 29
James 27
Thomas 24
George 22
Henry 11
Charles 10
Edward 9
Alfred 8
Robert 8
Arthur 7
Michael 7
David 6
Frederick 6
Patrick 5
Stephen 5
Walter 5
Austin 4
Frank 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Bartholomew 3
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Wm. 3
Edwin 2
Jeremiah 2
Joshua 2
Mathew 2
Noah 2
Augustus 1
Bryan 1
Edmund 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Golden 1
H. 1
Herry 1
Horace 1
J. 1
Louis 1
Malichi 1
Martin 1
Montague 1
Owen 1
Pat 1
Patk. 1

FAQ

Carley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 670 people were recorded with the Carley surname. That placed it at #5,386 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 828 in 2016. That gives Carley a modern rank of #6,712.

What does the Carley surname mean?

Derived from the Old English words "ceorl" or "carl," meaning a free peasant or man of the common people.

What does the Carley map show?

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