NameCensus.

UK surname

Easley

Derived from a place name meaning "east clearing" or "east wood" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 102 people recorded with the Easley surname, ranking it #19,518 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 150, ranked #23,724, down from #19,518 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Redcar and Cleveland and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Easley is 178 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.1%.

1881 census count

102

Ranked #19,518

Modern count

150

2016, ranked #23,724

Peak year

1997

178 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Easley had 102 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,518 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016, ranked #23,724.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 149 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Easley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Easley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Easley 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 110 #16,093
1861 historical 128 #17,375
1881 historical 102 #19,518
1891 historical 149 #18,420
1901 historical 147 #18,270
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 178 #18,958
1998 modern 170 #20,030
1999 modern 169 #20,233
2000 modern 163 #20,657
2001 modern 159 #20,710
2002 modern 157 #21,261
2003 modern 150 #21,669
2004 modern 150 #21,830
2005 modern 150 #21,786
2006 modern 149 #22,013
2007 modern 147 #22,510
2008 modern 157 #21,766
2009 modern 156 #22,351
2010 modern 150 #23,482
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 155 #22,762
2013 modern 152 #23,438
2014 modern 157 #23,101
2015 modern 148 #23,934
2016 modern 150 #23,724

Geography

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Where Easleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes, St Pancras, Charton-next-Woolwich and Kirk Leatham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Redcar and Cleveland, Cornwall, Barnhill and Doncaster. 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 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Charton-next-Woolwich London (South Districts)
5 Kirk Leatham Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 017 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Redcar and Cleveland 006 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Cornwall 065 Cornwall
4 Barnhill Dundee City
5 Doncaster 012 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Easley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Easley

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Easley 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

Easley 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

Easley falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Easley 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 Easley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Easley

The surname Easley has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "east" and "leah," which collectively refer to a meadow or woodland clearing located to the east. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify individuals residing in such areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Easley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where it appears as "de Estleia." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, as regional dialects and phonetic shifts influenced its written form.

During the 13th century, the name Easley appeared in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1273, which mentions a William de Estleye. This document serves as a valuable source for tracing the geographical distribution of the name within England.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Easley. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Eastleigh in Hampshire and Eastley in Northamptonshire.

Over the centuries, the Easley surname has been associated with notable individuals in various fields. One such figure was Sir Ralph Easley (c. 1500-1580), a prominent English politician who served as a Member of Parliament and held the position of High Sheriff of Northamptonshire.

Another noteworthy bearer of the name was John Easley (1777-1834), an American politician and lawyer who served as the 12th Governor of Missouri from 1833 to 1834.

In the realm of literature, William Easley (1851-1926), an American author and poet, gained recognition for his works, including "The Trumpet of the West" and "Songs of Old Valor and Victory."

The name Easley has also been associated with places, such as the town of Easley in South Carolina, which was named after Gideon Riley Easley (1788-1848), a local landowner and community leader.

Furthermore, the Easley family has left its mark on history through individuals like Brigadier General Claudius Easley (1904-1987), a highly decorated United States Army officer who served during World War II and received the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery.

These examples serve to illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds associated with the surname Easley, which has endured for centuries and continues to be carried by individuals worldwide.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Easley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Easley 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. Yorkshire leads with 29 Easleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.89x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 29 2.89x
Middlesex 13 1.28x
Kent 11 3.18x
Gloucestershire 9 4.52x
Surrey 9 1.82x
Wiltshire 9 10.03x
Devon 5 2.37x
Dorset 4 6.01x
Lancashire 4 0.33x
Lanarkshire 3 0.91x
Royal Navy 2 16.54x
Sussex 2 1.17x
Berkshire 1 1.31x
Essex 1 0.50x
Hertfordshire 1 1.43x
Suffolk 1 0.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanghow in Yorkshire leads with 11 Easleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2682.93x.

Place Total Index
Stanghow 11 2682.93x
Charlton Next Woolwich 9 249.31x
Cheltenham 9 58.63x
St Gilesin Fields London 7 813.95x
Thornaby 6 159.57x
Wilton In Guisbrough 6 1333.33x
Fordington 4 279.72x
Highworth 4 347.83x
Newington 4 10.68x
Camberwell 3 4.63x
Govan 3 3.70x
Ormesby 3 111.11x
Swindon 3 43.10x
Thirsk 3 258.62x
Blackawton 2 540.54x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 20.92x
Hackney London 2 3.52x
Milton Lilborne 2 952.38x
Plymouth Charles The 2 21.51x
Royal Navy 2 19.36x
St Pancras London 2 2.45x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 3.80x
Canterbury St Mary 1 43.10x
Cheshunt 1 40.98x
Clerkenwell London 1 4.18x
Eastbourne 1 12.71x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 20.66x
Hammersmith London 1 4.00x
Lambeth 1 1.13x
Lewisham 1 5.42x
Rainham 1 227.27x
Reigate Foreign 1 18.69x
Salford 1 2.82x
Stow Upland 1 243.90x
Trotton 1 714.29x
Wargrave 1 153.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 5
Jane 3
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Margaret 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
C. 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Emly 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Martha 1
Maryon 1
Prissler 1
Sarah 1
Vashti 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 5
William 5
John 4
Frederick 3
Edward 2
Mensforth 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
George 1
Gerald 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
J.H. 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Richard 1
Rowland 1
Saml. 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Easley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Easley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 102 people were recorded with the Easley surname. That placed it at #19,518 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Easley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016. That gives Easley a modern rank of #23,724.

What does the Easley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "east clearing" or "east wood" in Old English.

What does the Easley map show?

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