NameCensus.

UK surname

Chorley

An English habitational surname referring to someone from Chorley, a town in Lancashire.

In the 1881 census there were 1,013 people recorded with the Chorley surname, ranking it #3,867 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,163, ranked #5,078, down from #3,867 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Cardiff St John and St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, Warrington and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chorley is 1,358 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.8%.

1881 census count

1,013

Ranked #3,867

Modern count

1,163

2016, ranked #5,078

Peak year

1911

1,358 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chorley had 1,013 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,867 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,163 in 2016, ranked #5,078.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,358 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Chorley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chorley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chorley 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 682 #3,812
1861 historical 699 #3,872
1881 historical 1,013 #3,867
1891 historical 1,049 #3,992
1901 historical 1,198 #4,112
1911 historical 1,358 #3,535
1997 modern 1,287 #4,429
1998 modern 1,312 #4,529
1999 modern 1,290 #4,627
2000 modern 1,249 #4,743
2001 modern 1,205 #4,787
2002 modern 1,263 #4,698
2003 modern 1,243 #4,660
2004 modern 1,234 #4,692
2005 modern 1,216 #4,708
2006 modern 1,214 #4,735
2007 modern 1,215 #4,760
2008 modern 1,212 #4,805
2009 modern 1,247 #4,790
2010 modern 1,262 #4,841
2011 modern 1,251 #4,816
2012 modern 1,194 #4,934
2013 modern 1,183 #5,056
2014 modern 1,196 #5,034
2015 modern 1,166 #5,094
2016 modern 1,163 #5,078

Geography

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Where Chorleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Bridgwater, Goathurst, Durleigh, Wembdon, Chilton Trinity. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, Warrington, South Lakeland and St. Helens. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
4 Bridgwater, Goathurst, Durleigh, Wembdon, Chilton Trinity Somerset
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 005 Taunton Deane
2 Warrington 006 Warrington
3 Warrington 013 Warrington
4 South Lakeland 003 South Lakeland
5 St. Helens 004 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chorley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chorley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Chorley is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chorley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Chorley

The surname Chorley is of English origin, derived from the name of a town in Lancashire, England. The name Chorley is thought to be derived from the Old English words "cyre" meaning a turn or winding, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, suggesting that the area where the town developed had a winding path or stream running through a meadow.

The town of Chorley has existed since at least the 11th century, with records of the name appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Chernelei" and "Chernelie." Over the centuries, the name has had various spellings, including Cherneley, Chernely, and Chornelay, before settling on the modern spelling of Chorley.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Chorley was William de Chorley, who lived in the late 13th century and is mentioned in Lancashire Inquests and Extents from the reign of Edward I (1272-1307). Another early bearer of the name was John de Chorley, who is recorded in the Poll Tax of Yorkshire in 1379.

In the 16th century, a notable individual with the surname was Richard Chorley (c. 1500-1569), who served as a member of the English Parliament for Lancashire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was Henry Fothergill Chorley (1808-1872), an English literary critic, writer, and editor who was born in Blackley Hurst, Lancashire.

Other historical figures with the surname Chorley include John Rutter Chorley (1806-1867), an English barrister and antiquarian who wrote extensively on local history and archaeology; and Sir John Chorley (1882-1971), a British judge and Lord Justice of Appeal who served on the Court of Appeal from 1944 to 1957.

More recently, John Chorley (1912-1995) was a British playwright and screenwriter, best known for his work on the television series "The Newcomers" and "Z Cars," while Robert Chorley (1917-2002) was a British artist and sculptor whose works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious venues.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chorley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chorley 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 269 Chorleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.29x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 269 2.29x
Somerset 232 14.57x
Middlesex 97 0.98x
Glamorgan 60 3.48x
Devon 55 2.67x
Gloucestershire 53 2.73x
Yorkshire 47 0.48x
Durham 33 1.12x
Surrey 30 0.62x
Cheshire 29 1.33x
Kent 19 0.56x
Westmorland 15 6.90x
Hampshire 9 0.44x
Staffordshire 9 0.27x
Cumberland 8 0.94x
Sussex 7 0.42x
Warwickshire 7 0.28x
Berkshire 6 0.81x
Essex 6 0.31x
Monmouthshire 5 0.70x
Northumberland 4 0.27x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.30x
Dorset 3 0.46x
Bedfordshire 1 0.20x
Denbighshire 1 0.27x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.46x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Shropshire 1 0.12x
Wiltshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Prescot in Lancashire leads with 31 Chorleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 146.02x.

Place Total Index
Prescot 31 146.02x
Islington London 30 3.13x
Llandaff 30 52.36x
Bridgewater 26 60.16x
Oldham 26 6.86x
Warrington 23 16.53x
Bristol St Paul In 20 38.70x
Whiston 20 218.34x
Bishopwearmouth 17 6.73x
Long Ashton 16 202.53x
Bathwick 15 85.13x
Wellington 15 69.48x
Dalton In Furness 14 30.90x
Taunton St Mary 14 47.90x
Windle 14 21.20x
Bishops Hull 13 252.92x
Bradford 12 764.33x
Exeter Heavitree 12 78.18x
Plumstead 12 10.67x
Tarbock 12 563.38x
Leeds 11 1.99x
Pendleton In Salford 11 7.87x
Kirkland 10 215.52x
Lymm 10 63.01x
Manningham 10 8.28x
Walcot 10 11.79x
West Derby 10 2.91x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 3.51x
Barrow In Furness 9 5.64x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 4.83x
Dartmouth St Saviour 9 153.06x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 15.27x
Fitzhead 9 1000.00x
Headingley Cum Burley 9 14.26x
Lancaster 9 12.89x
Lyncombe Widcombe 9 21.59x
Williton 9 168.86x
Ystradyfodwg 9 5.96x
Battersea 8 2.20x
Hackney London 8 1.44x
Parr 8 19.05x
Roath 8 10.23x
Tewkesbury 8 46.22x
Bedminster 7 4.68x
Chipstable 7 630.63x
Darlaston 7 15.17x
Kensington London 7 1.27x
Milverton 7 119.25x
Newington 7 1.92x
St Andrew Holborn London 7 16.35x
Taunton St James 7 30.15x
Tiverton 7 19.74x
Wiveliscombe 7 78.92x
Bristol St George 6 6.69x
Camberwell 6 0.95x
Chapel Allerton 6 40.90x
Dawdon 6 16.57x
Isle Abbotts 6 508.47x
Lambeth 6 0.70x
St George Hanover Square 6 3.44x
Uffculme 6 97.72x
Ulverston 6 17.55x
West Ham 6 1.39x
Whitechapel London 6 6.15x
Cardiff St Mary 5 5.27x
Clayhanger 5 617.28x
Clerkenwell London 5 2.14x
Gateshead 5 2.27x
Hollingworth 5 55.56x
Huyton With Roby 5 36.36x
Kendal 5 12.57x
Latchford 5 34.46x
Shoreditch London 5 1.17x
Southampton St Mary 5 3.92x
Tolland 5 1111.11x
St Decumans 4 261.44x
Swell 4 833.33x
Ufton Nervet 4 373.83x
West Bagborough 4 248.45x
Whitehaven 4 8.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 67
John 61
James 46
Thomas 37
Henry 24
George 15
Robert 15
Charles 14
Alfred 12
Richard 11
Edward 10
Frederick 10
Joseph 10
Frank 8
Samuel 8
Matthew 7
Walter 6
Wm. 6
Albert 5
Ernest 5
Francis 5
Harry 5
Mark 5
Fred 4
Peter 4
Tom 4
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Josiah 3
Cleasby 2
Herbert 2
Lawrence 2
Leonard 2
Luke 2
Aaron 1
Benjn. 1
Christopher 1
Clifford 1
Eli 1
Eward 1
Fedc.Hy. 1
Frances 1
G. 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Jno.W. 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1

FAQ

Chorley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chorley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,013 people were recorded with the Chorley surname. That placed it at #3,867 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chorley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,163 in 2016. That gives Chorley a modern rank of #5,078.

What does the Chorley surname mean?

An English habitational surname referring to someone from Chorley, a town in Lancashire.

What does the Chorley map show?

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