NameCensus.

UK surname

Carlisle

A locational surname referring to a person from the city of Carlisle in Cumbria, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,580 people recorded with the Carlisle surname, ranking it #2,681 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,354, ranked #2,779, down from #2,681 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Bolton-le-Moors. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, Ashfield and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carlisle is 2,404 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.0%.

1881 census count

1,580

Ranked #2,681

Modern count

2,354

2016, ranked #2,779

Peak year

2013

2,404 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carlisle had 1,580 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,681 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,354 in 2016, ranked #2,779.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,867 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Carlisle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carlisle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carlisle 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 921 #2,995
1861 historical 950 #2,918
1881 historical 1,580 #2,681
1891 historical 1,673 #2,689
1901 historical 1,867 #2,818
1911 historical 1,764 #2,786
1997 modern 2,194 #2,830
1998 modern 2,301 #2,811
1999 modern 2,320 #2,802
2000 modern 2,267 #2,847
2001 modern 2,228 #2,838
2002 modern 2,295 #2,817
2003 modern 2,222 #2,841
2004 modern 2,176 #2,898
2005 modern 2,209 #2,824
2006 modern 2,191 #2,850
2007 modern 2,212 #2,848
2008 modern 2,230 #2,849
2009 modern 2,305 #2,831
2010 modern 2,398 #2,787
2011 modern 2,384 #2,773
2012 modern 2,367 #2,746
2013 modern 2,404 #2,751
2014 modern 2,397 #2,769
2015 modern 2,382 #2,762
2016 modern 2,354 #2,779

Geography

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Where Carlisles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Bolton-le-Moors, Glasgow and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, Ashfield, Leeds, Preston and Cheshire East. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 001 Swansea
2 Ashfield 005 Ashfield
3 Leeds 057 Leeds
4 Preston 007 Preston
5 Cheshire East 026 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carlisle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carlisle

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Carlisle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Carlisle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Carlisle 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

Carlisle 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

Carlisle falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Carlisle

The surname Carlisle originated in England, and its roots can be traced back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the city of Carlisle, which is located in Cumbria, near the Scottish border. The name Carlisle itself comes from the Old English words "Caer Luel," meaning "the fort of Luel," referring to a Roman fort that was established in the area.

The earliest known record of the surname Carlisle appears in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1192, where a person named William de Carliol is mentioned. This spelling variation was common during that time, as surnames were still evolving and often derived from the names of places.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the city of Carlisle is recorded as "Caerleol," further reinforcing the origins of the name. The Domesday Book also mentions a landholder named Ranulf de Carliol, who was likely one of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname.

One of the most notable figures in history with the surname Carlisle was Sir Andrew Carlisle (1542-1636), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1626 to 1628. Another prominent individual was Nicholas Carlisle (1771-1847), an English antiquary and topographer who served as the Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

The surname Carlisle also has connections to several place names, such as Carlisle Bay in Antigua and Barbuda, which was named after the Earl of Carlisle, as well as the city of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which was founded in 1751 and named after the English city.

Other notable individuals with the surname Carlisle include George Carlisle (1768-1848), an American politician and judge who served as a Representative from Kentucky; Lusiah P. Carlisle (1825-1905), an American politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Vincennes, Indiana; and Thomas Carlisle (1803-1855), an English mathematician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of calculus.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carlisle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carlisle 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 399 Carlisles recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.19x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 399 2.19x
Yorkshire 231 1.52x
Middlesex 92 0.60x
Durham 87 1.90x
Nottinghamshire 80 3.86x
Northumberland 72 3.15x
Lanarkshire 54 1.09x
Lincolnshire 53 2.15x
Derbyshire 48 1.99x
Surrey 41 0.55x
Cumberland 40 3.02x
Cheshire 37 1.09x
Westmorland 30 8.87x
Kent 25 0.48x
Midlothian 24 1.16x
Ayrshire 23 2.00x
Gloucestershire 21 0.70x
Dunbartonshire 18 4.35x
West Lothian 18 7.77x
Hampshire 17 0.54x
Sussex 16 0.62x
Renfrewshire 15 1.26x
Stirlingshire 15 2.64x
Suffolk 15 0.80x
Devon 14 0.44x
Leicestershire 11 0.64x
Staffordshire 11 0.21x
Essex 10 0.33x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 3.14x
East Lothian 6 2.94x
Hertfordshire 5 0.47x
Wigtownshire 5 2.45x
Angus 4 0.28x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.64x
Buteshire 3 3.22x
Glamorgan 3 0.11x
Norfolk 3 0.13x
Royal Navy 3 1.64x
Warwickshire 3 0.08x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.59x
Oxfordshire 2 0.21x
Perthshire 2 0.29x
Somerset 2 0.08x
Channel Islands 1 0.22x
Cornwall 1 0.06x
Flintshire 1 0.24x
Roxburghshire 1 0.36x
Rutland 1 0.89x
Shropshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 34 Carlisles recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.96x.

Place Total Index
Preston 34 6.96x
Liverpool 30 2.71x
Barnsley 25 15.90x
Barrow In Furness 25 10.07x
Ecclesall Bierlow 24 7.74x
Stockton On Tees 23 10.43x
Garston 21 38.98x
Orston 21 823.53x
St Pancras London 21 1.70x
Toxteth Park 21 3.40x
Everton 20 3.44x
Great Grimsby 20 12.81x
Kendal 20 32.32x
Warrington 20 9.24x
Barony 18 1.43x
Elswick 18 9.85x
Little Bolton 18 7.67x
Rawdon 18 100.28x
Blackburn 16 3.29x
Glasgow 15 1.70x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 15 7.57x
Newton 15 10.66x
Openshaw 15 17.55x
Sheffield 15 3.09x
Torphichen 14 173.48x
Monkwearmouth Shore 13 14.55x
New Kilpatrick 13 33.06x
Baildon 12 41.81x
Great Bolton 12 4.96x
Holy Trinity 12 3.27x
Southwark St George Martyr 12 3.88x
Whittington 12 36.01x
Lambeth 11 0.82x
Maryhill 11 11.29x
Nottingham St Mary 11 2.05x
South Normanton 11 65.01x
Stapleton 11 19.22x
Abbey 10 5.50x
Bow London 10 5.11x
Byker 10 8.84x
Eastbourne 10 8.38x
Heworth 10 11.09x
Kilbirnie 10 36.17x
Westhoughton 10 20.53x
Woodplumpton 10 153.37x
Ashby 9 116.88x
Basford 9 9.42x
Bowdon 9 66.77x
Clee With Weelsby 9 16.71x
Newmarket St Mary 9 62.59x
Slamannan 9 28.97x
Thornton In Craven 9 73.59x
West Ham 9 1.34x
Westgate 9 6.35x
Wigan 9 3.53x
Birkenhead 8 2.96x
Bulwell 8 17.75x
Falsgrave 8 35.62x
Govan 8 0.65x
Hampstead London 8 3.34x
Idle 8 11.32x
Kensington London 8 0.94x
Manchester 8 0.97x
Moss Side 8 8.33x
Portsea 8 1.29x
Thornaby 8 14.04x
Yeadon 8 23.24x
Backworth 7 115.32x
Bilborough 7 666.67x
Broughton In Salford 7 4.19x
Burnsall 7 1093.75x
Caldewgate 7 9.65x
Carlton 7 29.59x
Cheadle 7 10.79x
Doncaster 7 6.29x
Dronfield 7 22.68x
Heskin 7 348.26x
Seaton Delaval 7 34.83x
South Ferriby 6 154.24x
Wallsend 6 8.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 88
William 77
Thomas 55
James 36
George 32
Charles 30
Robert 28
Edward 22
Joseph 22
Henry 21
Samuel 19
Richard 16
Arthur 12
Frederick 10
Harry 10
Matthew 8
Albert 7
Alfred 7
Wm. 7
Benjamin 6
Fred 6
Thos. 6
Tom 6
David 5
Geo. 5
Walter 5
Frank 4
Abraham 3
Archibald 3
Edmund 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Harold 3
Hugh 3
Isaac 3
Percy 3
Anthony 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Fredk. 2
Herbert 2
Jas. 2
Leonard 2
Lewis 2
Peter 2
Reuben 2
Sidney 2
Douglas 1
Edgar 1

FAQ

Carlisle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carlisle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,580 people were recorded with the Carlisle surname. That placed it at #2,681 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carlisle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,354 in 2016. That gives Carlisle a modern rank of #2,779.

What does the Carlisle surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a person from the city of Carlisle in Cumbria, England.

What does the Carlisle map show?

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