NameCensus.

UK surname

Corbishley

A habitational surname derived from a place name corrupted from Cuerby's Lea.

In the 1881 census there were 468 people recorded with the Corbishley surname, ranking it #7,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 667, ranked #8,009, down from #7,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Horton and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Staffordshire Moorlands, Tower Hamlets and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Corbishley is 738 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.5%.

1881 census count

468

Ranked #7,114

Modern count

667

2016, ranked #8,009

Peak year

2000

738 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Corbishley had 468 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 667 in 2016, ranked #8,009.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 623 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Corbishley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Corbishley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Corbishley 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 236 #9,174
1861 historical 310 #8,175
1881 historical 468 #7,114
1891 historical 472 #7,778
1901 historical 513 #7,901
1911 historical 623 #6,640
1997 modern 601 #8,133
1998 modern 695 #7,514
1999 modern 735 #7,256
2000 modern 738 #7,201
2001 modern 714 #7,250
2002 modern 718 #7,363
2003 modern 702 #7,377
2004 modern 699 #7,412
2005 modern 685 #7,480
2006 modern 664 #7,691
2007 modern 654 #7,827
2008 modern 650 #7,918
2009 modern 669 #7,908
2010 modern 674 #8,014
2011 modern 662 #8,039
2012 modern 658 #7,996
2013 modern 677 #7,949
2014 modern 670 #8,060
2015 modern 660 #8,101
2016 modern 667 #8,009

Geography

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Where Corbishleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Horton, Manchester, Preston and Knutsford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Staffordshire Moorlands, Tower Hamlets, Stoke-on-Trent, East Staffordshire 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Horton Staffordshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Knutsford Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Staffordshire Moorlands 001 Staffordshire Moorlands
2 Tower Hamlets 019 Tower Hamlets
3 Stoke-on-Trent 034 Stoke-on-Trent
4 East Staffordshire 001 East Staffordshire
5 Cheshire East 020 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Corbishley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Corbishley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Corbishley, 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 Corbishley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Corbishley 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Corbishley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Corbishley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Corbishley

The surname CORBISHLEY is of English origin, derived from an old place name, and is believed to have first emerged in the 16th century. The name is thought to be derived from the region of Corby in Lincolnshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Corebi". The suffix "-ley" means a clearing or meadow, indicating that the name likely referred to someone from the meadow or clearing near Corby.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name CORBISHLEY can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Corby, Lincolnshire, where a William Corbishley was recorded as being baptized in 1612. Another early reference is a John Corbishley, born around 1625, who was listed as a landowner in the village of Wigsley, near Corby.

In the 17th century, the name CORBISHLEY began to spread beyond Lincolnshire, with records showing individuals with this surname in other parts of England. For instance, a Thomas Corbishley was recorded in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Islington, London, in 1682.

One notable figure bearing the CORBISHLEY name was Sir John Corbishley (1776-1857), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He was commended for his bravery and skill in several battles, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Another individual of note was William Corbishley (1853-1923), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas, including the Royal Albert Hall extension and the Westgate-on-Sea Pavilion.

In the 19th century, the CORBISHLEY surname began to spread beyond England, with records showing individuals with this name in various parts of the British Empire, including Australia and Canada. For example, James Corbishley (1821-1892) was a prominent Canadian businessman and landowner who founded the town of Corbishley, Ontario.

Throughout its history, the CORBISHLEY surname has maintained a strong presence, particularly in England, and has been associated with various notable individuals in fields such as military service, architecture, and business.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Corbishley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Corbishley 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. Cheshire leads with 156 Corbishleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.48x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 156 15.48x
Staffordshire 142 9.21x
Lancashire 110 2.03x
Middlesex 14 0.31x
Shropshire 10 2.54x
Surrey 8 0.36x
Yorkshire 8 0.18x
Durham 7 0.52x
Derbyshire 4 0.56x
Essex 3 0.33x
Bedfordshire 1 0.42x
Devon 1 0.11x
Kent 1 0.06x
Somerset 1 0.14x
Warwickshire 1 0.09x
Worcestershire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 57 Corbishleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.88x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 57 34.88x
Horton 37 1957.67x
Knutsford Nether 37 607.55x
Macclesfield 37 82.61x
Preston 27 18.63x
Leek Lowe 23 112.20x
Toft 12 4444.44x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 9.29x
Shifnal 10 93.37x
Bexton 8 5333.33x
Biddulph 8 92.06x
Heaton Norris 8 25.95x
Sutton In Macclesfield 8 76.48x
Bradford 7 6.39x
Droylsden 7 39.62x
Thurnham 7 843.37x
Wincle 7 1590.91x
Camberwell 6 2.06x
Cheadle 6 31.17x
Checkley 6 150.00x
Cheetham 6 14.85x
Chelsea London 6 4.36x
Chester Le Street 6 57.53x
Hackney London 6 2.34x
Manchester 6 2.46x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 6 66.89x
Blackburn 5 3.47x
Dilhorne 5 195.31x
Gorton 5 9.82x
Haighton 5 1470.59x
Hurdsfield 5 80.65x
Pickmere 5 1315.79x
Altrincham 4 22.71x
Brereton Cum Smethwick 4 416.67x
Cockersand Abbey 4 6666.67x
Macclesfield Forest 4 1250.00x
Poulton Le Fylde 4 208.33x
Everton 3 1.74x
Hartington Upper 3 87.98x
Plumbley 3 526.32x
West Ham 3 1.51x
Croydon 2 1.62x
Ipstones 2 90.50x
Islington London 2 0.45x
Kibblestone 2 606.06x
Little Leigh 2 277.78x
Reddish 2 26.81x
Stapeley 2 212.77x
Stockport 2 3.86x
Timperley 2 57.14x
Widnes 2 5.12x
Wolstanton 2 4.27x
Birmingham 1 0.26x
Bishops Hull 1 42.19x
Chadderton 1 3.78x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.16x
Droitwich St Andrew 1 66.67x
Dunstable 1 13.77x
Esh 1 10.12x
Fairfield 1 20.92x
Forton 1 107.53x
Heaton With Oxcliffe 1 476.19x
Hunslet 1 1.42x
Layton With Warbreck 1 5.03x
Liverpool 1 0.30x
Moss Side 1 3.51x
Offerton 1 181.82x
Salford 1 0.63x
Tabley Superior 1 140.85x
Walmer 1 14.77x
West Teignmouth 1 13.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 24
Sarah 19
Ann 17
Hannah 12
Annie 11
Martha 10
Margaret 7
Maria 7
Jane 6
Alice 5
Deborah 4
Emily 4
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Harriet 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Bertha 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Marion 2
Olive 2
Penelope 2
Prudence 2
Teresa 2
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Deria 1
Elizth 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
June 1
Levinia 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Lizie 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
Thomas 26
William 21
George 19
James 18
Joseph 17
Charles 11
Henry 10
Ralph 6
Albert 5
Herbert 5
Arthur 4
Samuel 4
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Isaac 3
Richard 3
David 2
Elijah 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Jephthah 2
Joshua 2
Josiah 2
Mark 2
Moses 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Alfred 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geoffrey 1
Harold 1
Hugh 1
Jacob 1
Orlander 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Rafe 1
Robt. 1
Stephen 1
W.H.D. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Corbishley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Corbishley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 468 people were recorded with the Corbishley surname. That placed it at #7,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Corbishley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 667 in 2016. That gives Corbishley a modern rank of #8,009.

What does the Corbishley surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name corrupted from Cuerby's Lea.

What does the Corbishley map show?

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