NameCensus.

UK surname

Culley

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "wood or clearing frequented by hawks."

In the 1881 census there were 1,267 people recorded with the Culley surname, ranking it #3,216 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,037, ranked #3,166, up from #3,216 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Basford, Kintbury and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Knowsley and North Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Culley is 2,211 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.8%.

1881 census count

1,267

Ranked #3,216

Modern count

2,037

2016, ranked #3,166

Peak year

1998

2,211 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Culley had 1,267 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,216 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,037 in 2016, ranked #3,166.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,971 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Culley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Culley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Culley 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 805 #3,328
1861 historical 718 #3,788
1881 historical 1,267 #3,216
1891 historical 1,409 #3,094
1901 historical 1,676 #3,079
1911 historical 1,971 #2,518
1997 modern 2,127 #2,903
1998 modern 2,211 #2,908
1999 modern 2,205 #2,938
2000 modern 2,187 #2,938
2001 modern 2,141 #2,935
2002 modern 2,177 #2,947
2003 modern 2,129 #2,946
2004 modern 2,108 #2,969
2005 modern 2,045 #3,019
2006 modern 2,047 #3,023
2007 modern 2,062 #3,035
2008 modern 2,053 #3,076
2009 modern 2,096 #3,088
2010 modern 2,157 #3,070
2011 modern 2,098 #3,103
2012 modern 2,035 #3,145
2013 modern 2,065 #3,160
2014 modern 2,090 #3,140
2015 modern 2,061 #3,152
2016 modern 2,037 #3,166

Geography

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Where Culleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Basford, Kintbury, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Knowsley, North Norfolk, East Lindsey and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 Basford Nottinghamshire
2 Kintbury Berkshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
2 Knowsley 010 Knowsley
3 North Norfolk 001 North Norfolk
4 East Lindsey 006 East Lindsey
5 Basingstoke and Deane 020 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Culley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Culley

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

Culley is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Culley

The surname Culley is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words 'cul' or 'coll', meaning 'charcoal burner' or 'coal miner', and the suffix '-ey', indicating a place name. This suggests that the surname may have been derived from a place where charcoal burning or coal mining was a prevalent industry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Culley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Colley'. This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides a comprehensive record of land ownership and taxation in England at the time.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname was commonly spelled as 'Colly' or 'Collie', reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation. These variations likely stemmed from the name's association with various place names, such as Colley in Worcestershire or Colley Gate in Lancashire.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Culley throughout history include Sir John Culley (1733-1785), a renowned agriculturist and improver of livestock breeds in Northumberland. His pioneering work on selective breeding and animal husbandry made significant contributions to the development of modern farming practices.

Another prominent figure was Robert Culley (1737-1810), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Sedgefield in County Durham. He published several works on theology and natural history, including a treatise on the flora and fauna of the Northumbrian coast.

In the realm of literature, Jonathon Culley (1785-1862) was a noted English poet and writer from Newcastle upon Tyne. His poetic works, often inspired by the landscapes of Northumberland and Durham, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

Thomas Culley (1741-1818), a brother of Sir John Culley, was a renowned farmer and livestock breeder who significantly influenced the development of the Shorthorn cattle breed in England.

Additionally, Richard Culley (1875-1946) was a notable English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Culley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Culley 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. Norfolk leads with 168 Culleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.83x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 168 8.83x
Middlesex 141 1.14x
Nottinghamshire 103 6.17x
Yorkshire 90 0.73x
Lancashire 70 0.48x
Berkshire 67 7.21x
Surrey 59 0.98x
Suffolk 55 3.65x
Wiltshire 47 4.29x
Kent 41 0.97x
Warwickshire 36 1.15x
Durham 32 0.87x
Buckinghamshire 31 4.14x
Lincolnshire 27 1.36x
Devon 26 1.01x
Hampshire 26 1.02x
Leicestershire 23 1.68x
Oxfordshire 22 2.88x
Cornwall 19 1.36x
Ayrshire 18 1.94x
Lanarkshire 16 0.40x
Essex 15 0.61x
Cheshire 14 0.51x
Derbyshire 14 0.72x
Northumberland 13 0.71x
Somerset 13 0.65x
Midlothian 9 0.54x
Cumberland 8 0.75x
Flintshire 8 2.40x
Renfrewshire 8 0.83x
Angus 7 0.61x
Glamorgan 7 0.32x
Dunbartonshire 6 1.80x
Northamptonshire 6 0.52x
Worcestershire 6 0.37x
Hertfordshire 5 0.59x
Sussex 4 0.19x
Staffordshire 3 0.07x
Inverness-shire 2 0.54x
Royal Navy 2 1.36x
Berwickshire 1 0.67x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kintbury in Berkshire leads with 51 Culleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 710.31x.

Place Total Index
Kintbury 51 710.31x
Arnold 25 102.63x
Birmingham 24 2.31x
Islington London 24 2.00x
Nottingham St Mary 20 4.63x
Tottenham 20 10.14x
Basford 19 24.71x
Leicester St Margaret 16 4.78x
Twyford 15 630.25x
Camberwell 13 1.64x
Foots Cray 13 160.89x
Heigham 13 12.73x
Hunslet 13 6.80x
Radford 13 15.34x
Huddersfield 12 6.71x
Plymouth St Andrew 12 6.05x
Ramsbury 12 120.97x
Sidestrand 12 1791.04x
Hackney London 11 1.59x
Stowmarket 11 63.15x
Barrow In Furness 10 5.01x
Battersea 9 1.98x
Bermondsey 9 2.44x
Costessey 9 220.05x
Dewsbury 9 7.15x
Dilham 9 497.24x
Dry Doddington 9 947.37x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 3.61x
Kensington London 9 1.31x
Kings Somborne 9 169.17x
Aldborough 8 536.91x
Aylsham 8 70.61x
Bow London 8 5.08x
Cadder 8 27.05x
Caldewgate 8 13.70x
Girvan 8 34.41x
Gorleston 8 20.88x
Great Yarmouth 8 5.07x
Harwich St Nicholas 8 42.40x
Lenton 8 20.36x
Lowestoft 8 11.23x
Nether Hallam 8 4.82x
Preshute 8 118.87x
Tuttington 8 952.38x
Watton 8 133.78x
Beccles 7 28.84x
Bingham 7 98.73x
Bishopwearmouth 7 2.21x
Corton 7 292.89x
Ditchingham 7 153.51x
Dundee 7 1.64x
Easton 7 510.95x
Greenwich 7 3.55x
Lambeth 7 0.65x
Liverpool 7 0.78x
Mile End New Town London 7 28.62x
Piddington 7 588.24x
Pilsley 7 109.38x
Preston 7 1.78x
St Pancras London 7 0.70x
Barton Turf 6 405.41x
Bradford 6 2.02x
Clapham 6 3.88x
Coundon 6 40.19x
Coupland 6 1250.00x
Cumbernauld 6 32.91x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 8.14x
Elsing 6 361.45x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 10.17x
Kilwinning 6 20.05x
Macclesfield 6 4.94x
Mile End Old Town London 6 2.28x
Rawmarsh 6 13.85x
Roath 6 6.13x
St Luke London 6 3.02x
Thornton In Fylde 6 18.67x
West Greenock 6 3.48x
Wraxall 6 157.89x
Chislehurst 5 22.08x
Guildford St Mary 5 67.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 69
Elizabeth 44
Sarah 39
Jane 29
Eliza 27
Alice 23
Ellen 23
Ann 21
Annie 16
Emma 16
Hannah 15
Margaret 13
Emily 12
Maria 11
Ada 9
Edith 8
Florence 8
Harriet 8
Louisa 8
Clara 7
Kate 7
Catherine 6
Martha 6
Agnes 5
Fanny 5
Frances 5
Lucy 5
Rose 5
Anne 4
Charlotte 4
Elizth. 4
Henrietta 4
Susan 4
Susanna 4
Amelia 3
Anna 3
Caroline 3
Ethel 3
Eva 3
Isabella 3
Matilda 3
Minnie 3
Sophia 3
Bertha 2
Esther 2
Kathleen 2
Laura 2
Mabel 2
Margret 2
Maud 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 74
William 69
George 43
Thomas 38
James 35
Charles 29
Henry 27
Edward 17
Robert 17
Samuel 17
Arthur 15
Frederick 13
Alfred 12
Albert 11
Walter 11
Herbert 10
Richard 10
Joseph 9
Benjamin 8
Harry 7
Edwin 6
Ernest 5
Francis 5
Wm. 5
Thos. 4
Daniel 3
David 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Jonathan 3
Matthew 3
Stephen 3
Tom 3
Alexander 2
Bertie 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Lewis 2
Mark 2
Michael 2
Noah 2
Bazil 1
Benj. 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
Gorrge 1
Harbord 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Culley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Culley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,267 people were recorded with the Culley surname. That placed it at #3,216 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Culley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,037 in 2016. That gives Culley a modern rank of #3,166.

What does the Culley surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "wood or clearing frequented by hawks."

What does the Culley map show?

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