NameCensus.

UK surname

Earley

Derived from a place name meaning "dweller by the earl's wood or clearing" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 619 people recorded with the Earley surname, ranking it #5,695 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,744, ranked #3,592, up from #5,695 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newchurch and Southampton St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Uttlesford and East Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Earley is 1,813 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 181.7%.

1881 census count

619

Ranked #5,695

Modern count

1,744

2016, ranked #3,592

Peak year

2009

1,813 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Earley had 619 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,695 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,744 in 2016, ranked #3,592.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,046 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Earley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Earley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Earley 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 419 #5,808
1861 historical 517 #5,061
1881 historical 619 #5,695
1891 historical 804 #5,008
1901 historical 874 #5,249
1911 historical 1,046 #4,393
1997 modern 1,737 #3,434
1998 modern 1,792 #3,457
1999 modern 1,804 #3,467
2000 modern 1,765 #3,530
2001 modern 1,740 #3,492
2002 modern 1,767 #3,524
2003 modern 1,756 #3,472
2004 modern 1,761 #3,462
2005 modern 1,730 #3,489
2006 modern 1,736 #3,485
2007 modern 1,723 #3,534
2008 modern 1,749 #3,517
2009 modern 1,813 #3,481
2010 modern 1,809 #3,547
2011 modern 1,783 #3,562
2012 modern 1,760 #3,537
2013 modern 1,761 #3,590
2014 modern 1,779 #3,576
2015 modern 1,762 #3,579
2016 modern 1,744 #3,592

Geography

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Where Earleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newchurch, Southampton St Mary and Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Uttlesford, East Dorset, Portsmouth and Wakefield. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
5 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 065 Cornwall
2 Uttlesford 007 Uttlesford
3 East Dorset 003 East Dorset
4 Portsmouth 014 Portsmouth
5 Wakefield 023 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Earley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Earley

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Earley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Earley is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Earley

The surname Earley is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "ēar" meaning "ear" and "lēah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow." It is likely that the name originated as a descriptive term referring to a person who lived in a meadow or clearing resembling the shape of an ear.

Earley is believed to have emerged as a surname in the 12th or 13th century, during the era of surname adoption in England. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mention individuals named Erley and Arley.

The name is also found in various historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1197, which reference a person named William de Erleye. This suggests that the name may have originated as a place name, possibly referring to a location called Earley or a similar variation.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a person named John Erley was listed. The Subsidy Rolls were tax records, indicating that the Earley surname was well-established by this time.

Notable individuals with the surname Earley throughout history include:

1. Robert Earley (c. 1490 - c. 1550), an English printer and publisher who worked in London during the reign of Henry VIII.

2. William Earley (1574 - 1635), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the early 17th century.

3. John Earley (1610 - 1675), an English Puritan clergyman and author known for his religious writings and sermons.

4. Elizabeth Earley (1684 - 1757), an English landowner and philanthropist who made significant contributions to education and social welfare in Berkshire.

5. Thomas Earley (1762 - 1835), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and achieved the rank of Admiral.

It is worth noting that variations in spelling, such as Erley, Arley, and Erly, were common in earlier centuries due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Earley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Earley 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. Hampshire leads with 145 Earleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.70x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 145 11.70x
Middlesex 72 1.19x
Lancashire 59 0.82x
Berkshire 52 11.45x
Kent 51 2.47x
Yorkshire 49 0.82x
Wiltshire 28 5.24x
Surrey 17 0.58x
Northumberland 15 1.67x
Lanarkshire 13 0.66x
Worcestershire 13 1.65x
Durham 10 0.56x
Dunbartonshire 9 5.54x
East Lothian 8 9.99x
Buckinghamshire 7 1.91x
Dorset 6 1.51x
Cheshire 5 0.37x
Glamorgan 5 0.47x
Gloucestershire 5 0.42x
Lincolnshire 5 0.52x
Staffordshire 5 0.24x
West Lothian 5 5.49x
Devon 4 0.32x
Leicestershire 4 0.60x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.49x
Suffolk 4 0.54x
Pembrokeshire 3 1.56x
Derbyshire 2 0.21x
Essex 2 0.17x
Northamptonshire 2 0.35x
Oxfordshire 2 0.54x
Somerset 2 0.21x
Stirlingshire 2 0.90x
Cumberland 1 0.19x
Renfrewshire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 1.39x
Sussex 1 0.10x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Southampton St Mary in Hampshire leads with 25 Earleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.07x.

Place Total Index
Southampton St Mary 25 32.07x
Reading St Giles 20 44.90x
Ringwood 17 214.38x
Leeds 15 4.43x
Northwood 14 79.32x
Earl Stoke 13 2321.43x
Brockenhurst 12 560.75x
Dartford 12 56.87x
Erith 11 54.11x
Northfleet 11 60.51x
Willesden 11 19.29x
Dewsbury 10 16.27x
Kidderminster Foreign 10 89.53x
Wigan 10 9.97x
Bethnal Green London 9 3.43x
Cowpen 9 43.44x
Aldershot 8 19.26x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 5.10x
Camberwell 8 2.07x
Michelmersh 8 333.33x
North Waltham 8 930.23x
Reading St Mary 8 22.00x
Tranent 8 73.94x
West Grimstead 8 1632.65x
Clewer 7 37.63x
Harlington 7 219.44x
Liverpool 7 1.61x
Oldham 7 3.02x
Poplar London 7 6.13x
St Michael Winchester 7 276.68x
St Pancras London 7 1.44x
Upton Grey 7 813.95x
Bishopstoke 6 188.68x
Gateshead 6 4.45x
New Monkland 6 10.38x
Newport 6 89.29x
St Maurice Winchester 6 116.50x
Tilehurst 6 65.43x
Wotton Underwood 6 1304.35x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 4.48x
Dalmeny 5 143.68x
Deptford St Paul 5 3.14x
Gorton 5 7.41x
Govan 5 1.03x
Harbridge 5 649.35x
Middlesbrough 5 6.41x
Millbrook 5 16.02x
Neath 5 23.33x
New Kilpatrick 5 32.34x
St Luke London 5 5.15x
West Meon 5 301.20x
Dumbarton 4 17.68x
Edington 4 207.25x
Elton 4 16.14x
Harrow On The Hill 4 33.11x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 10.37x
Leicester St Leonard 4 62.99x
Manchester 4 1.24x
Snodland 4 68.38x
St Giles In Fields London 4 13.48x
Tonbridge 4 5.37x
Wallasey 4 88.11x
Westgate 4 7.18x
Weymouth 4 53.19x
Yoxford 4 181.82x
Bicker 3 200.00x
Hammersmith London 3 2.01x
New Windsor 3 19.66x
Oldbury 3 7.72x
Ovenden 3 11.25x
Reddish 3 30.33x
Salford 3 1.42x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.47x
St Faith Winchester 3 51.90x
Wednesfield 3 9.99x
Crowle 2 33.96x
East Garston 2 208.33x
Peterborough 2 4.86x
Southowram 2 10.93x
Stoke Damerel 2 2.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 49
Sarah 20
Ellen 18
Eliza 14
Catherine 12
Elizabeth 12
Margaret 11
Emily 10
Ann 9
Jane 9
Emma 7
Kate 7
Annie 6
Bridget 6
Harriet 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Alice 5
Louisa 5
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Hannah 4
Agnes 3
Amy 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Martha 3
Minnie 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Bessie 2
Florence 2
Matilda 2
Rachel 2
Rhoda 2
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Emiley 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Levinah 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lissy 1
Lucey 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 38
John 30
Thomas 24
James 23
George 19
Charles 16
Henry 12
Albert 11
Alfred 11
Frederick 10
Edward 7
Frank 6
Joseph 6
Walter 5
Harry 4
Robert 4
Daniel 3
Francis 3
Stephen 3
Anthony 2
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Mark 2
Patrick 2
Richard 2
Terance 2
Franco 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Wm. 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jacob 1
Jerry 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Mile 1
Oswald 1
Owen 1
Peter 1
Simon 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Earley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Earley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 619 people were recorded with the Earley surname. That placed it at #5,695 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Earley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,744 in 2016. That gives Earley a modern rank of #3,592.

What does the Earley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "dweller by the earl's wood or clearing" in Old English.

What does the Earley map show?

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