NameCensus.

UK surname

Chidley

A locational surname originating from a place called Chidley in Devon, England.

In the 1881 census there were 408 people recorded with the Chidley surname, ranking it #7,852 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 475, ranked #10,375, down from #7,852 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gwynedd, Torridge and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chidley is 564 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.4%.

1881 census count

408

Ranked #7,852

Modern count

475

2016, ranked #10,375

Peak year

1911

564 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chidley had 408 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,852 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 475 in 2016, ranked #10,375.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 564 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Chidley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chidley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chidley 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 319 #7,273
1861 historical 266 #9,318
1881 historical 408 #7,852
1891 historical 453 #8,038
1901 historical 542 #7,601
1911 historical 564 #7,159
1997 modern 504 #9,246
1998 modern 522 #9,288
1999 modern 518 #9,410
2000 modern 508 #9,519
2001 modern 496 #9,526
2002 modern 527 #9,285
2003 modern 529 #9,109
2004 modern 536 #9,032
2005 modern 520 #9,187
2006 modern 517 #9,246
2007 modern 510 #9,432
2008 modern 503 #9,590
2009 modern 501 #9,843
2010 modern 501 #10,047
2011 modern 506 #9,873
2012 modern 490 #10,027
2013 modern 487 #10,227
2014 modern 482 #10,371
2015 modern 478 #10,343
2016 modern 475 #10,375

Geography

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Where Chidleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, London parishes, Manchester and Worthen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gwynedd, Torridge, Shropshire and Cornwall. 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 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Worthen Montgomeryshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gwynedd 014 Gwynedd
2 Torridge 008 Torridge
3 Shropshire 030 Shropshire
4 Cornwall 002 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 003 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chidley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chidley

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Chidley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Chidley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Chidley is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chidley is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chidley falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Chidley

The surname Chidley is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "cild" meaning child and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a meadow where children played.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert de Childeleye residing in Oxfordshire. The spelling variations during this period included Childeleye, Childelee, and Childley.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Buckinghamshire in 1327 as John Childeley. This document was a record of taxation imposed on the laity to support the military campaigns of King Edward III.

The Chidley surname can also be linked to various place names in England, such as Chidley in Devonshire and Chidley Marsh in Dorset. These locations likely took their names from early settlers with the Chidley surname.

One notable bearer of the name was John Chidley (c. 1610-1668), an English sea captain and explorer who is credited with discovering the Hudson Strait and sailing into Hudson Bay in 1631. His voyage paved the way for the establishment of the Hudson's Bay Company and the fur trade in Canada.

Another prominent figure was Samuel Chidley (1677-1752), a British politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Devonshire from 1715 to 1727.

In the 18th century, Sir Benjamin Chidley (1722-1804) was a British naval officer who served in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War, rising to the rank of Admiral.

The Chidley name can also be found in literary works, such as the novels of Charles Dickens, where he mentions characters with this surname, reflecting its presence in Victorian England.

Thomas Chidley (1831-1892) was a notable British architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style in the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chidley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chidley 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. Middlesex leads with 99 Chidleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.48x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 99 2.48x
Shropshire 93 26.98x
Staffordshire 31 2.30x
Surrey 29 1.49x
Essex 25 3.17x
Gloucestershire 20 2.56x
Somerset 19 2.96x
Kent 18 1.32x
Devon 17 2.05x
Lancashire 14 0.30x
Worcestershire 14 2.69x
Cumberland 5 1.46x
Cornwall 4 0.89x
Sussex 4 0.59x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.56x
Dorset 2 0.76x
Glamorgan 2 0.29x
Herefordshire 2 1.22x
Warwickshire 2 0.20x
Cheshire 1 0.11x
Hertfordshire 1 0.36x
Monmouthshire 1 0.35x
Montgomeryshire 1 1.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.27x
Royal Navy 1 2.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edmonton in Middlesex leads with 18 Chidleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.99x.

Place Total Index
Edmonton 18 55.99x
Hammersmith London 16 16.28x
Worthen Hope 16 2191.78x
Rochester St Margaret 15 104.53x
Bethnal Green London 13 7.50x
Smethcott 13 3333.33x
Pancrasweek 11 2444.44x
West Ham 11 6.33x
Battersea 10 6.81x
Hodnet 10 371.75x
Camberwell 9 3.53x
Newent 9 226.13x
Rushall 9 113.49x
Islington London 8 2.07x
Newcastle Under Lyme 8 33.57x
Wem 8 155.95x
West Derby 8 5.78x
Aller 7 1076.92x
Bermondsey 7 5.89x
Clerkenwell London 7 7.43x
Cutsdean 7 3043.48x
Upminster 7 426.83x
Bromley London 6 6.84x
Edgmond 6 158.31x
Gosforth 5 299.40x
Hackney London 5 2.24x
Heston 5 37.74x
Kensington London 5 2.25x
Milton Abbott 5 416.67x
Pontesbury 5 119.33x
Stanton 5 1351.35x
Tottenham 5 7.87x
Wentnor 5 500.00x
Hulme 4 4.05x
Kings Norton 4 8.56x
Leyton 4 29.48x
North Tamerton 4 615.38x
West Bromwich 4 5.19x
Chatham 3 8.01x
Christ Church Newgate 3 161.29x
Curry Rivell 3 139.53x
Keynsham 3 65.08x
Leckhampton 3 62.24x
Madeley 3 23.73x
Southwell 3 76.73x
Alveley 2 145.99x
Aston 2 0.72x
Barking 2 8.68x
Bishops Lydeard 2 121.95x
Brighton 2 1.47x
Burslem 2 5.18x
Burton Extra 2 25.91x
Chetwynd 2 180.18x
Church Stretton 2 86.58x
Dawley 2 15.95x
Lambeth 2 0.57x
Ledbury 2 35.59x
Milverton 2 84.39x
Much Wenlock 2 62.89x
Ombersley 2 68.97x
Portland 2 14.20x
Prees 2 47.62x
Shrewsbury St Mary 2 14.71x
South Bersted 2 34.97x
St Clement Danes London 2 24.21x
Stanton Long 2 555.56x
Stanton Upon Hine Heath 2 219.78x
Titteworth 2 96.62x
Wolverhampton 2 1.93x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 14.03x
Chiswick 1 4.59x
Church Pulverbach 1 181.82x
Drayton In Hales 1 14.06x
Great Malvern 1 9.20x
Lilleshall 1 18.98x
Macclesfield 1 2.55x
North Meols 1 2.16x
Royal Navy 1 2.46x
Stowe 1 196.08x
Wroxeter 1 149.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 13
Sarah 13
Jane 12
Alice 7
Ann 7
Catherine 5
Ellen 5
Ada 4
Edith 4
Emily 4
Fanny 4
Hannah 4
Martha 4
Sophia 4
Beatrice 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Maria 3
Susan 3
Amy 2
Annie 2
Arabella 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Margaret 2
Rebecca 2
Susanna 2
Arrabella 1
Carloane 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Eliz. 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Emma 1
Emmeline 1
Georgiana 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Harriat 1
Harriette 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Zoe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
William 22
Edward 17
Thomas 16
James 15
Richard 15
Charles 8
Frank 7
George 7
Arthur 6
Frederick 5
Henry 5
Robert 5
Alfred 4
Joseph 4
Albert 3
Samuel 3
Archibald 2
Charley 2
David 2
Fredk. 2
Sydney 2
Walter 2
Alan 1
Cyril 1
E.F.B. 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Florance 1
Francis 1
Geo.Albert 1
Geo.W. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Rock 1
Rosey 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Chidley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chidley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 408 people were recorded with the Chidley surname. That placed it at #7,852 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chidley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 475 in 2016. That gives Chidley a modern rank of #10,375.

What does the Chidley surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place called Chidley in Devon, England.

What does the Chidley map show?

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