NameCensus.

UK surname

Cleverly

A surname possibly derived from the Old English words "clifer" meaning cliff or "clæfre" meaning clover.

In the 1881 census there were 656 people recorded with the Cleverly surname, ranking it #5,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 541, ranked #9,407, down from #5,464 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington and Pewsham, Chippenham, Langley Burrell, Hardenhuish, Kington, Slaughterford, Biddestone St Nicholas an. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, Swindon and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cleverly is 727 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.5%.

1881 census count

656

Ranked #5,464

Modern count

541

2016, ranked #9,407

Peak year

1911

727 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cleverly had 656 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,464 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 541 in 2016, ranked #9,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 727 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Cleverly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cleverly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cleverly 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 561 #4,515
1861 historical 486 #5,372
1881 historical 656 #5,464
1891 historical 611 #6,291
1901 historical 687 #6,379
1911 historical 727 #5,889
1997 modern 570 #8,442
1998 modern 582 #8,555
1999 modern 570 #8,736
2000 modern 564 #8,774
2001 modern 559 #8,699
2002 modern 570 #8,740
2003 modern 562 #8,700
2004 modern 554 #8,812
2005 modern 534 #8,997
2006 modern 521 #9,193
2007 modern 527 #9,193
2008 modern 526 #9,271
2009 modern 535 #9,366
2010 modern 539 #9,510
2011 modern 548 #9,300
2012 modern 529 #9,461
2013 modern 543 #9,432
2014 modern 546 #9,446
2015 modern 544 #9,406
2016 modern 541 #9,407

Geography

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Where Cleverlys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington, Pewsham, Chippenham, Langley Burrell, Hardenhuish, Kington, Slaughterford, Biddestone St Nicholas an, Christian Malford, Bremhill and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, Swindon, Wiltshire and Caerphilly. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington Wiltshire
3 Pewsham, Chippenham, Langley Burrell, Hardenhuish, Kington, Slaughterford, Biddestone St Nicholas an Wiltshire
4 Christian Malford, Bremhill Wiltshire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 004 Taunton Deane
2 Swindon 028 Swindon
3 Wiltshire 013 Wiltshire
4 Caerphilly 006 Caerphilly
5 Caerphilly 020 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cleverly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cleverly

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Cleverly 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

Cleverly is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cleverly

The surname Cleverly originates from England, first appearing in the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "clæfer" meaning clover and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, suggesting the name may have been a locational surname referring to someone who lived near a clover field.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Yorkshire from 1273, where it appears as "Cleverley". This spelling variation is also seen in later records like the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1344, indicating the name was well-established in various regions of England by the 14th century.

The Cleverly name has its roots in the village of Claverley in Shropshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Claverleia". It's likely that some early bearers of the surname hailed from this area or nearby locations with similar place names, such as Claverham in Somerset or Cleverley in Lancashire.

Notable individuals with the surname Cleverly include Thomas Cleverly (1675-1749), an English clergyman and author known for his works on theology and philosophy. Another significant figure was Sir William Cleverly (1826-1895), a British naval officer who served in the Crimean War and later became a Member of Parliament.

In the realm of literature, the name is associated with the late 19th century English writer and poet Mary Cleverly (1854-1932), who published several volumes of poetry and worked as a librarian in London. The 20th century saw the rise of the British actor Jack Cleverly (1914-1988), who had a successful career on stage and television, particularly in Shakespearean roles.

More recently, the name gained recognition through the novelist J.L. Cleverly (1914-1996), best known for his mystery novels featuring the character Chief Inspector John Napoleonic Steed, which were later adapted into the popular television series "The Avengers".

While the Cleverly surname may not be as common as some others, its rich history and connections to various notable figures across different fields make it a fascinating name to explore and appreciate its enduring legacy throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cleverly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cleverly 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. Wiltshire leads with 265 Cleverlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.83x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 265 46.83x
Hampshire 75 5.72x
Middlesex 58 0.91x
Surrey 47 1.51x
Gloucestershire 36 2.87x
Somerset 34 3.30x
Kent 31 1.42x
Essex 26 2.06x
Sussex 18 1.67x
Berkshire 15 3.12x
Monmouthshire 13 2.81x
Glamorgan 8 0.72x
Hertfordshire 8 1.81x
Durham 5 0.26x
Lancashire 5 0.07x
Devon 4 0.30x
Denbighshire 3 1.24x
Bedfordshire 1 0.30x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Northamptonshire 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 1.31x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Calne in Wiltshire leads with 110 Cleverlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 944.21x.

Place Total Index
Calne 110 944.21x
Portsea 28 10.89x
Waltham Holy Cross 23 194.75x
Bristol St George 18 31.01x
Islington London 16 2.58x
Chippenham 13 109.52x
Bremhill 12 470.59x
Whaddon 12 10909.09x
Yatton Keynell 12 1043.48x
Bedminster 10 10.33x
Battersea 9 3.82x
Crayford 9 94.44x
Devizes St James 9 119.68x
Melksham 8 81.38x
Pewsham 8 952.38x
Bromham 7 274.51x
Chilton Foliat 7 569.11x
Croydon 7 4.04x
Hertford St John 7 106.54x
Langley Burrell 7 297.87x
Lewisham 7 6.01x
Little Somborne 7 4375.00x
Manningford Bohun 7 1372.55x
South Stoneham 7 24.60x
St Pancras London 7 1.36x
Tetbury 7 98.45x
Trevethin 7 16.02x
Wandsworth 7 11.36x
Bowood 6 3000.00x
Gillingham 6 13.33x
Hastings St Clement 6 59.11x
Margate St John Baptist 6 15.01x
Ore 6 74.72x
St Faith Winchester 6 98.20x
Swindon 6 13.67x
Whippingham 6 60.42x
Wilsford 6 740.74x
Wimbledon 6 17.14x
Bath St James 5 46.55x
Batheaston 5 141.64x
Friern Barnet 5 35.46x
Gateshead 5 3.51x
Hackney London 5 1.39x
Hammersmith London 5 3.17x
Lyncombe Widcombe 5 18.54x
Newbury 5 32.49x
Walcot 5 9.11x
Aberavon 4 39.02x
Alverstoke 4 8.43x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 4 35.00x
Cherhill 4 634.92x
Hastings St Mary In The 4 17.38x
Holdenhurst 4 11.63x
Malmesbury St Paul 4 82.14x
Potterne Worton 4 540.54x
Toxteth Park 4 1.56x
Bishops Cannings 3 142.86x
Cliffe Pypard 3 176.47x
Guildford Holy Trinity 3 50.51x
Heston 3 14.12x
Isleworth 3 10.54x
Kensington London 3 0.84x
Kings Somborne 3 109.09x
Lambeth 3 0.54x
Llanover 3 18.99x
Llantillio Pertholey 3 111.11x
Marden 3 652.17x
Poulton 3 300.00x
Preshute 3 86.21x
Shoreditch London 3 1.08x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.33x
St John Winchester 3 108.70x
West Ham 3 1.08x
Wrexham Regis 3 16.71x
Wroughton 3 61.22x
Camberwell 2 0.49x
Cowbridge 2 74.35x
Ealing 2 3.50x
Southwark St Olave 2 40.98x
Wanborough 2 103.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 27
Sarah 19
Ellen 18
Eliza 16
Annie 12
Emily 12
Alice 11
Ann 11
Fanny 10
Emma 9
Jane 9
Ada 8
Caroline 8
Edith 7
Hannah 7
Louisa 7
Florence 6
Kate 6
Margaret 6
Maria 5
Elizth. 4
Harriett 4
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Julia 3
Lucy 3
Martha 3
Rose 3
Susan 3
Amelia 2
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Dinah 2
Elizth.C. 2
Esther 2
Henrietta 2
Lilly 2
Lydia 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Rosa 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Christina 1
Elizabth 1
Ellinor 1
Thyrsa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 41
George 34
Henry 25
John 23
James 13
Thomas 11
Alfred 10
Charles 10
Frederick 9
Joseph 8
Robert 8
Albert 7
Edward 7
Stephen 7
Ernest 6
Samuel 6
Harry 5
Herbert 5
Arthur 4
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Jesse 3
Phillip 3
Tom 3
Walter 3
Aaron 2
Adam 2
David 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Mark 2
Richard 2
Ruben 2
Wm. 2
Arron 1
Claude 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Frederic 1
G.R. 1
Geo. 1
H. 1
H.W. 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Lionel 1
Simon 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Cleverly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cleverly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 656 people were recorded with the Cleverly surname. That placed it at #5,464 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cleverly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 541 in 2016. That gives Cleverly a modern rank of #9,407.

What does the Cleverly surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the Old English words "clifer" meaning cliff or "clæfre" meaning clover.

What does the Cleverly map show?

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