NameCensus.

UK surname

Cawley

An Irish occupational surname referring to a descendant of a callow youth or an inexperienced person.

In the 1881 census there were 1,571 people recorded with the Cawley surname, ranking it #2,695 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,402, ranked #2,001, up from #2,695 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bletchingley, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, Conwy and North Barlanark and Easterhouse South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cawley is 3,496 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 116.5%.

1881 census count

1,571

Ranked #2,695

Modern count

3,402

2016, ranked #2,001

Peak year

2010

3,496 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cawley had 1,571 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,695 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,402 in 2016, ranked #2,001.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,212 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Cawley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cawley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cawley 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 969 #2,877
1861 historical 974 #2,855
1881 historical 1,571 #2,695
1891 historical 1,718 #2,640
1901 historical 2,010 #2,655
1911 historical 2,212 #2,276
1997 modern 3,245 #1,981
1998 modern 3,367 #1,986
1999 modern 3,388 #1,997
2000 modern 3,346 #2,014
2001 modern 3,287 #2,005
2002 modern 3,314 #2,036
2003 modern 3,236 #2,033
2004 modern 3,253 #2,026
2005 modern 3,266 #1,994
2006 modern 3,297 #1,987
2007 modern 3,302 #2,011
2008 modern 3,319 #2,016
2009 modern 3,398 #2,016
2010 modern 3,496 #1,989
2011 modern 3,447 #1,995
2012 modern 3,333 #2,021
2013 modern 3,412 #2,008
2014 modern 3,419 #2,022
2015 modern 3,391 #2,017
2016 modern 3,402 #2,001

Geography

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Where Cawleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bletchingley, London parishes, Manchester, Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, Conwy, North Barlanark and Easterhouse South, Glenwood South and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Bletchingley Surrey
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 002 Hartlepool
2 Conwy 015 Conwy
3 North Barlanark and Easterhouse South Glasgow City
4 Glenwood South Glasgow City
5 Cheshire West and Chester 002 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cawley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cawley

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Cawley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Cawley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Cawley 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

Cawley 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

Cawley 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 Cawley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cawley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cawley

The surname Cawley has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words 'calu' and 'leah,' which together translate to 'bare or bald clearing.' This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals who lived near a treeless or sparsely vegetated area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Calewei.' This entry pertains to a location in Staffordshire, which lends credence to the theory that the surname originated from a place name.

In the 13th century, records mention a Robert de Caleweye, who lived in Cheshire during the reign of King Henry III. This spelling variation further reinforces the name's connection to a geographical location.

During the 14th century, the surname began to take on its more modern form, with references to individuals such as William Cawley, who resided in Derbyshire in 1332.

Notable historical figures bearing the Cawley surname include Sir William Cawley (1602-1677), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London from 1665 to 1666. Another prominent individual was Reverend William Cawley (1778-1858), an English clergyman and author who published works on theology and church history.

In the 19th century, John Cawley (1822-1898) gained recognition as a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Liverpool, including the Church of St. Margaret of Antioch.

Other notable individuals with the Cawley surname include James Cawley (1914-2005), an American television producer and director known for his work on the popular sitcom "The Honeymooners," and Daniel Cawley (1780-1859), an Irish banker and entrepreneur who co-founded the Provincial Bank of Ireland.

While the name may have originated from a specific geographical location in England, it has since spread across various regions and cultures, with individuals bearing the Cawley surname making significant contributions in diverse fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cawley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cawley 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 471 Cawleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.57x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 471 2.57x
Cheshire 300 8.78x
Yorkshire 129 0.84x
Surrey 118 1.57x
Middlesex 90 0.58x
Devon 79 2.45x
Warwickshire 45 1.15x
Staffordshire 37 0.71x
Kent 28 0.53x
Suffolk 25 1.33x
Essex 21 0.69x
Glamorgan 21 0.78x
Durham 19 0.41x
Gloucestershire 19 0.63x
Worcestershire 15 0.74x
Northamptonshire 13 0.89x
Northumberland 13 0.56x
Shropshire 13 0.97x
Sussex 12 0.46x
Channel Islands 11 2.40x
Berkshire 10 0.86x
Cumberland 10 0.75x
Dorset 9 0.89x
Lanarkshire 9 0.18x
Monmouthshire 9 0.80x
Oxfordshire 9 0.94x
Flintshire 8 1.92x
Lincolnshire 7 0.28x
Norfolk 6 0.25x
Angus 5 0.35x
Hampshire 4 0.13x
Royal Navy 4 2.17x
Fife 3 0.33x
Bedfordshire 2 0.25x
Derbyshire 2 0.08x
Leicestershire 2 0.12x
Anglesey 1 0.36x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.10x
Cornwall 1 0.06x
Denbighshire 1 0.17x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.24x
Hertfordshire 1 0.09x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.33x
Nottinghamshire 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. Salford in Lancashire leads with 70 Cawleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.96x.

Place Total Index
Salford 70 12.96x
Oldham 45 7.59x
Manchester 42 5.09x
Birmingham 27 2.08x
Bletchingley 26 264.50x
Over 26 74.91x
Haydock 21 66.39x
Seaton 21 169.22x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 21 69.08x
Islington London 18 1.20x
Lambeth 16 1.19x
Wardleworth 16 15.25x
Tarporley 15 209.79x
Burslem 14 9.36x
Chester St John Baptist 14 22.81x
Ixworth 14 263.16x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 2.53x
Toxteth Park 14 2.25x
Axminster 13 86.09x
Barnsley 13 8.22x
Brightside Bierlow 13 4.32x
Congleton 13 22.03x
Beddington 12 41.17x
Blackburn 12 2.46x
Camberwell 12 1.21x
Caterham 12 36.01x
Denton 12 413.79x
Holy Trinity 12 3.25x
Liverpool 12 1.08x
Rixton With Glazebrook 12 256.96x
Clitheroe 11 20.36x
Hackney London 11 1.27x
Leeds 11 1.27x
Parr 11 16.75x
Roath 11 8.99x
Shipley 11 13.83x
West Ham 11 1.63x
Wharton 11 59.14x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 2.49x
Bury 10 4.77x
Newton By Daresbury 10 1000.00x
Over Darwen 10 6.82x
St Helier 10 6.70x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 10 18.92x
Westgate 10 7.01x
Wigan 10 3.90x
Bermondsey 9 1.95x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 3.09x
Golborne 9 37.61x
Hornton 9 339.62x
Hulme 9 2.35x
Sale 9 21.48x
Stourbridge 9 17.31x
Warrington 9 4.14x
Westminster St James 9 5.66x
Bunbury 8 170.94x
Chelmsford 8 15.27x
Clewer 8 16.82x
Marshfield 8 290.91x
Mobberley 8 102.56x
Newport 8 49.60x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 8 20.37x
Sidmouth 8 43.38x
York St George 8 66.23x
Arclid 7 406.98x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 7 4.90x
Bingley 7 7.17x
Crumpsall 7 16.18x
Didsbury 7 28.71x
Eaton In Nantwich 7 284.55x
Lostock Gralam 7 170.32x
Lower Booths 7 21.28x
Portland 7 12.82x
St Pancras London 7 0.56x
Atherton 6 8.98x
Barony 6 0.47x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 2.10x
Stranton 6 3.87x
Thanington Wilton In 6 242.92x
Tranmere 6 4.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 133
Elizabeth 62
Sarah 58
Ann 33
Jane 32
Ellen 30
Margaret 22
Bridget 21
Alice 17
Annie 17
Emily 17
Emma 17
Martha 16
Catherine 15
Hannah 15
Eliza 14
Ada 10
Frances 10
Anne 9
Caroline 9
Harriet 8
Lucy 8
Maria 8
Florence 7
Kate 7
Louisa 7
Susan 7
Charlotte 6
Clara 6
Amelia 5
Edith 5
Elizth. 5
Fanny 5
Harriett 5
Rose 5
Ruth 5
Amy 4
Ethel 4
Henrietta 4
Isabella 4
Julia 4
Sophia 4
Anna 3
Francis 3
Gertrude 3
Maud 3
Rebecca 3
Agnes 2
Maggie 2
Margret 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 117
William 86
Thomas 78
James 59
George 41
Joseph 28
Robert 26
Patrick 24
Charles 22
Edward 21
Samuel 21
Henry 16
Michael 16
Richard 15
Frederick 13
Alfred 12
Peter 11
Frank 10
Francis 8
Martin 8
Walter 8
Albert 7
Arthur 6
Herbert 6
Thos. 6
Wm. 6
Anthony 4
Daniel 4
David 4
Harold 4
Harry 4
Jno. 4
Denis 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Gilbert 3
Hugh 3
Alexander 2
Dennis 2
Edmund 2
Elijah 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Owen 2
Rewben 2
Stephen 2
Timothy 2
Wm.James 2
Young 1

FAQ

Cawley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cawley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,571 people were recorded with the Cawley surname. That placed it at #2,695 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cawley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,402 in 2016. That gives Cawley a modern rank of #2,001.

What does the Cawley surname mean?

An Irish occupational surname referring to a descendant of a callow youth or an inexperienced person.

What does the Cawley map show?

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