NameCensus.

UK surname

Daisley

From a village or place name derived from the Old English words "dægel" meaning valley and "leah" meaning meadow or clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 215 people recorded with the Daisley surname, ranking it #12,249 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 529, ranked #9,589, up from #12,249 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to King's Lynn St Margaret, Wrestlingworth and Gamlingay. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Central Bedfordshire and Greenock West and Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Daisley is 533 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 146.0%.

1881 census count

215

Ranked #12,249

Modern count

529

2016, ranked #9,589

Peak year

2010

533 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Daisley had 215 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,249 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 529 in 2016, ranked #9,589.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 381 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Daisley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Daisley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Daisley 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 137 #13,812
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 215 #12,249
1891 historical 293 #11,319
1901 historical 381 #9,799
1911 historical 326 #10,763
1997 modern 499 #9,315
1998 modern 526 #9,238
1999 modern 525 #9,307
2000 modern 527 #9,264
2001 modern 510 #9,312
2002 modern 518 #9,400
2003 modern 497 #9,526
2004 modern 499 #9,539
2005 modern 491 #9,566
2006 modern 510 #9,342
2007 modern 499 #9,574
2008 modern 504 #9,575
2009 modern 532 #9,402
2010 modern 533 #9,595
2011 modern 527 #9,584
2012 modern 500 #9,856
2013 modern 516 #9,783
2014 modern 526 #9,731
2015 modern 527 #9,645
2016 modern 529 #9,589

Geography

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Where Daisleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around King's Lynn St Margaret, Wrestlingworth, Gamlingay, Doddington and Potton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig, Central Bedfordshire, Greenock West and Central and Bow Farm, Barrs Cottage, Cowdenknowes and Overton. 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 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
2 Wrestlingworth Bedfordshire
3 Gamlingay Cambridgeshire
4 Doddington Cambridgeshire
5 Potton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braeside, Branchton, Lower Larkfield and Ravenscraig Inverclyde
2 Central Bedfordshire 002 Central Bedfordshire
3 Central Bedfordshire 003 Central Bedfordshire
4 Greenock West and Central Inverclyde
5 Bow Farm, Barrs Cottage, Cowdenknowes and Overton Inverclyde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Daisley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Daisley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Daisley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Daisley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Daisley 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

Daisley is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Daisley falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Daisley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Daisley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Daisley

The surname Daisley has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period, specifically the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a place called Daylesford, which is located in Worcestershire. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "dæg" meaning day and "ley" meaning a field or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from the year 1206, where it appears as "Daylesforde." This suggests that the name was already established and associated with the village of Daylesford by the beginning of the 13th century.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname started to appear in various forms, including Daylisforde, Daylysford, and Dailesford, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common in medieval times. The earliest known bearer of the surname was John de Daylisforde, who was mentioned in the Worcestershire Assize Rolls of 1272.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the surname began to stabilize, and the modern form of Daisley emerged. One notable figure with this surname was Sir John Daisley, who was born in 1550 and served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire in the late 16th century.

Over the centuries, the Daisley family spread across different parts of England, with branches established in counties such as Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Staffordshire. Some notable individuals with the surname Daisley include:

1. Thomas Daisley (1556-1628), an English clergyman and scholar. 2. William Daisley (1674-1741), a prominent merchant and landowner in Bristol. 3. Mary Daisley (1770-1848), a writer and educator from Gloucestershire. 4. Edward Daisley (1808-1884), a renowned engineer and inventor from Staffordshire. 5. Charles Daisley (1865-1932), a renowned artist and illustrator from Warwickshire.

While the name Daisley is not among the most common surnames in England, it has a rich history that can be traced back to the medieval period and the village of Daylesford in Worcestershire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Daisley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Daisley 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 48 Daisleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.31x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 48 36.31x
Bedfordshire 43 39.79x
Norfolk 37 11.53x
Middlesex 19 0.91x
Stirlingshire 17 22.08x
Essex 11 2.67x
Lincolnshire 8 2.40x
Surrey 7 0.69x
Lanarkshire 6 0.89x
Angus 4 2.07x
Kent 4 0.56x
Leicestershire 2 0.86x
Midlothian 2 0.72x
Suffolk 2 0.79x
Gloucestershire 1 0.24x
Hampshire 1 0.23x
Perthshire 1 1.07x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gamlingay in Cambridgeshire leads with 26 Daisleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1884.06x.

Place Total Index
Gamlingay 26 1884.06x
Wrestlingworth 22 4782.61x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 20 207.47x
Potton 15 1048.95x
Campsie 11 260.66x
Foulden 9 2727.27x
Clee With Weelsby 7 95.76x
Leyton 7 98.59x
Swavesey 7 823.53x
Falkirk 6 33.30x
Eyworth 5 4166.67x
Lambeth 5 2.75x
Old Monkland 5 18.66x
St Giles Cambridge 5 292.40x
St Andrewthe Less 4 26.49x
St Marylebone London 4 3.59x
Upwell 4 268.46x
West Ham 4 4.40x
Deptford St Paul 3 5.46x
Dundee 3 4.16x
Mile End Old Town London 3 6.75x
Paddington London 3 3.91x
St Pancras London 3 1.79x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 2 34.66x
Islington London 2 0.99x
Leicester All Sts 2 44.05x
Lowestoft 2 16.65x
Norwich St Michael At 2 107.53x
Poplar London 2 5.08x
Barony 1 0.59x
Battersea 1 1.30x
Camberwell 1 0.75x
Chatteris 1 29.67x
Chesterton 1 24.51x
Edinburgh St Johns 1 56.82x
Elsworth 1 208.33x
Fotherby 1 588.24x
Hillington 1 500.00x
Horfield 1 24.27x
Kempston 1 40.82x
Leeds 1 0.86x
Liss 1 114.94x
Montrose 1 8.53x
Perth East Church 1 11.33x
Queensferry 1 357.14x
Ramsgate 1 8.61x
St Andrewthe Great 1 58.48x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.72x
Welney 1 136.99x
Westminster St James 1 4.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 7
Jane 5
Ann 4
Sarah 4
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Isabel 2
Kate 2
Rebecca 2
Sophia 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Jesse 1
Lavinia 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maltilda 1
Maria 1
Maryann 1
Merian 1
Precilla 1
Rose 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Daisley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Daisley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 215 people were recorded with the Daisley surname. That placed it at #12,249 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Daisley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 529 in 2016. That gives Daisley a modern rank of #9,589.

What does the Daisley surname mean?

From a village or place name derived from the Old English words "dægel" meaning valley and "leah" meaning meadow or clearing.

What does the Daisley map show?

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