NameCensus.

UK surname

Duley

Derived from a place name meaning "dwell by the wood" in Old English, referring to the bearer's residence.

In the 1881 census there were 214 people recorded with the Duley surname, ranking it #12,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 232, ranked #17,694, down from #12,284 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Darlaston and Langley Marish. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Warwickshire, Scarborough and Wolverhampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duley is 390 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.4%.

1881 census count

214

Ranked #12,284

Modern count

232

2016, ranked #17,694

Peak year

1891

390 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Duley had 214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,284 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016, ranked #17,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 390 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Duley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Duley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Duley 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 180 #11,300
1861 historical 245 #10,057
1881 historical 214 #12,284
1891 historical 390 #9,058
1901 historical 277 #12,281
1911 historical 381 #9,635
1997 modern 291 #13,792
1998 modern 293 #14,094
1999 modern 300 #13,958
2000 modern 297 #14,008
2001 modern 281 #14,329
2002 modern 291 #14,275
2003 modern 281 #14,443
2004 modern 285 #14,344
2005 modern 274 #14,663
2006 modern 269 #14,952
2007 modern 276 #14,855
2008 modern 265 #15,425
2009 modern 273 #15,436
2010 modern 283 #15,363
2011 modern 276 #15,471
2012 modern 248 #16,618
2013 modern 247 #16,935
2014 modern 234 #17,662
2015 modern 235 #17,530
2016 modern 232 #17,694

Geography

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Where Duleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Darlaston, Langley Marish and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Warwickshire, Scarborough, Wolverhampton, Ealing and Reigate and Banstead. 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 1
2 Darlaston Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Langley Marish Buckinghamshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Warwickshire 002 North Warwickshire
2 Scarborough 014 Scarborough
3 Wolverhampton 034 Wolverhampton
4 Ealing 024 Ealing
5 Reigate and Banstead 014 Reigate and Banstead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Duley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Duley

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Duley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Duley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Duley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Duley 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

Duley falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Duley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Duley

The surname Duley is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill or down, and "leah" meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. Together, these elements suggest that the name may have referred to someone who lived in a meadow near a hill or down.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Duley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "de Dunlega", which is believed to be an early spelling variation of Duley.

During the 13th century, there are records of a family with the surname Duley residing in the village of Duley, located in the county of Wiltshire. This village likely took its name from the same Old English words that gave rise to the surname, suggesting a strong connection between the place name and the family name.

Notable individuals with the surname Duley throughout history include:

1. Sir John Duley (c. 1450-1516), an English soldier and member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VII. 2. Thomas Duley (1572-1633), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Bradwell-juxta-Mare in Essex. 3. Mary Duley (1677-1757), an English Quaker writer and preacher who published several religious tracts and journals. 4. Samuel Duley (1720-1790), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. 5. William Duley (1798-1874), an English businessman and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of his hometown of Huddersfield.

Other variations of the spelling of the surname include Duly, Dooley, and Dowley, all of which share a similar etymology and origin in England. The name has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement, but its roots can be traced back to the hills and meadows of medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Duley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duley 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. Surrey leads with 47 Duleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.69x.

County Total Index
Surrey 47 4.69x
Middlesex 36 1.75x
Warwickshire 28 5.39x
Sussex 16 4.61x
Hampshire 15 3.56x
Yorkshire 9 0.44x
Kent 8 1.14x
Northamptonshire 8 4.13x
Berkshire 7 4.53x
Norfolk 7 2.21x
Devon 6 1.40x
Cardiganshire 5 9.96x
Staffordshire 5 0.72x
Gloucestershire 4 0.99x
Buckinghamshire 3 2.41x
Durham 3 0.49x
Cheshire 1 0.22x
Cumberland 1 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.36x
Worcestershire 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 27 Duleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.61x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 27 15.61x
Penge 13 98.86x
St Marylebone London 12 10.92x
Alciston 10 7142.86x
Fulham London 10 33.50x
Aldershot 8 56.62x
Whitwood 8 275.86x
Ash Normandy 7 514.71x
Great Yarmouth 7 26.71x
Egham 6 97.40x
Northampton St Giles 6 81.41x
Portsea 6 7.26x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 14.49x
St Clement Danes London 6 140.85x
Lambeth 5 2.79x
Silian 5 2500.00x
Carshalton 4 104.17x
Willenhall 4 30.75x
Willesden 4 20.62x
Clewer 3 47.39x
East Stonehouse 3 35.55x
Hastings St Clement 3 91.74x
Horfield 3 73.89x
Speldhurst 3 83.80x
Winkfield 3 117.19x
Witton Gilbert 3 123.97x
Kensington London 2 1.75x
Langley Marish 2 130.72x
Southwark St Saviour 2 18.90x
Stoke Damerel 2 6.67x
Tonbridge 2 7.90x
Aston 1 0.70x
Bromley 1 9.35x
Cheltenham 1 3.21x
Cranleigh 1 68.03x
Croydon 1 1.80x
Devonport 1 20.33x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 14.71x
Ealing 1 5.44x
Eastbourne 1 6.26x
Easton Neston 1 1111.11x
Eton 1 35.46x
Harborne 1 4.49x
Hastings All Sts 1 30.58x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 13.51x
Kingston On Thames 1 4.15x
Lewisham 1 2.67x
New Windsor 1 19.27x
Northampton All Sts 1 15.22x
Ockley 1 227.27x
Paddington London 1 1.32x
Portsmouth 1 10.30x
Radford 1 7.10x
Rawmarsh 1 13.89x
Tranmere 1 5.99x
Whitehaven 1 10.59x
Yardley 1 14.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Eliza 6
Elizabeth 6
Annie 5
Emma 4
Jane 4
Martha 4
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Matilda 3
Susan 3
Bridget 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Ada 1
Angelina 1
Ann 1
Bessie 1
Careline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Hariett 1
Harriet 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Lizzie 1
Lottie 1
Margraet 1
Mathilda 1
Maud 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
Thomas 10
Charles 8
James 8
Henry 7
Walter 7
John 6
Arthur 5
Edward 4
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Amos 1
Charley 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
George 1
Harry 1
Infant 1
Jack 1
Jafries 1
Martin 1
Oliver 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Riley 1
Samuel 1
Timothy 1
Willie 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Duley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Duley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 214 people were recorded with the Duley surname. That placed it at #12,284 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Duley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016. That gives Duley a modern rank of #17,694.

What does the Duley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "dwell by the wood" in Old English, referring to the bearer's residence.

What does the Duley map show?

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