NameCensus.

UK surname

Eckersley

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "Meadow of Eckard's people."

In the 1881 census there were 1,874 people recorded with the Eckersley surname, ranking it #2,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,727, ranked #3,613, down from #2,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eccles, Manchester and Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eckersley is 2,443 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.8%.

1881 census count

1,874

Ranked #2,324

Modern count

1,727

2016, ranked #3,613

Peak year

1911

2,443 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Eckersley had 1,874 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,727 in 2016, ranked #3,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,443 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Eckersley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Eckersley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Eckersley 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 922 #2,992
1861 historical 1,156 #2,440
1881 historical 1,874 #2,324
1891 historical 1,994 #2,311
1901 historical 2,282 #2,382
1911 historical 2,443 #2,100
1997 modern 1,868 #3,226
1998 modern 1,879 #3,335
1999 modern 1,898 #3,322
2000 modern 1,835 #3,407
2001 modern 1,832 #3,340
2002 modern 1,837 #3,398
2003 modern 1,804 #3,390
2004 modern 1,772 #3,443
2005 modern 1,730 #3,489
2006 modern 1,712 #3,521
2007 modern 1,749 #3,494
2008 modern 1,746 #3,524
2009 modern 1,786 #3,529
2010 modern 1,808 #3,550
2011 modern 1,786 #3,555
2012 modern 1,734 #3,582
2013 modern 1,749 #3,610
2014 modern 1,741 #3,645
2015 modern 1,728 #3,632
2016 modern 1,727 #3,613

Geography

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Where Eckersleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eccles, Manchester, Dean, Leigh and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton and Wigan. 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 Eccles Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Dean Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 034 Bolton
2 Bolton 032 Bolton
3 Wigan 022 Wigan
4 Wigan 023 Wigan
5 Wigan 017 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Eckersley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Eckersley

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Eckersley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Eckersley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Eckersley 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

Eckersley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Eckersley 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 Eckersley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Eckersley

The surname Eckersley is of English origin, hailing from the county of Lancashire in the north-west of England. It is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from a combination of the Old English words "ec," meaning oak, and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing, with the suffix "-ley" being a common place-name ending. Thus, Eckersley likely referred to a meadow or settlement near an oak tree or oak grove.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Eckersley can be found in the Whalley Abbey Coucher Book, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This record documents the transfer of land in the township of Eccleshill, near Blackburn, to a family with the surname Eckersley. The spelling at the time was "Eckerslegh," reflecting the name's evolution over time.

In the centuries that followed, the Eckersley name appeared in various historical records, such as parish registers, tax rolls, and land deeds. One notable example is the mention of a William Eckersley in the Whalley Parish Registers in 1594, indicating the family's long-standing presence in the region.

Several individuals with the surname Eckersley have made their mark throughout history. One such figure was Peter Eckersley (1805-1880), a prominent English industrialist and inventor who patented several improvements to textile machinery. Another was Thomas Eckersley (1847-1914), a renowned English architect responsible for designing numerous public buildings, including the Royal College of Music in London.

In the realm of literature, the name Eckersley is associated with Arthur Eckersley (1917-1990), an English poet and writer known for his works exploring themes of nature and the countryside. His poetry collection, "The Voices of the Land," published in 1959, garnered critical acclaim.

The world of sports has also seen its fair share of notable Eckersleys. One example is David Eckersley (born 1954), an English former professional footballer who played for various clubs, including Manchester United and Aston Villa, during the 1970s and 1980s.

Additionally, the name Eckersley has been linked to various place names throughout Lancashire and neighboring counties. For instance, the village of Eccleshill near Blackburn, mentioned earlier, is believed to have derived its name from a similar linguistic root as the surname Eckersley, further reinforcing the connection between the name and the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Eckersley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eckersley 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. Lancashire leads with 1,752 Eckersleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.08x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,752 8.08x
Yorkshire 41 0.23x
Cheshire 25 0.62x
Cumberland 10 0.64x
Westmorland 8 1.99x
Monmouthshire 6 0.45x
Hampshire 5 0.13x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.16x
Staffordshire 4 0.06x
Surrey 4 0.04x
Northumberland 3 0.11x
Derbyshire 2 0.07x
Dorset 2 0.17x
Durham 2 0.04x
Devon 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.08x
Kent 1 0.02x
Middlesex 1 0.01x
Sussex 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tyldesley Cum Shakerley in Lancashire leads with 93 Eckersleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 149.01x.

Place Total Index
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 93 149.01x
Kearsley 83 181.94x
Farnworth 80 61.59x
Atherton 77 97.57x
Salford 77 12.08x
Worsley 76 56.87x
Little Hulton 74 206.13x
Manchester 74 7.59x
Little Bolton 71 25.47x
Great Bolton 59 20.55x
Middle Hulton 53 412.77x
Oldham 50 7.15x
Wigan 48 15.84x
Westhoughton 47 81.23x
Hindley 42 45.43x
Barton Upon Irwell 37 22.67x
Pennington In Leigh 37 88.94x
Radcliffe 33 31.58x
Bedford 28 61.74x
Pendleton In Salford 27 10.45x
Westleigh 26 52.81x
Lowton 25 169.49x
Over Hulton 25 405.84x
Clifton 24 147.51x
Pilkington 22 26.71x
Golborne 18 63.69x
Pendlebury 18 39.33x
Ardwick 17 8.69x
Heap 17 14.78x
Newton 17 10.17x
Newton In Makerfield 17 25.61x
Hulme 16 3.53x
Elton 14 18.69x
Halliwell 14 17.74x
Sharples 14 59.52x
Aspull 13 25.49x
Failsworth 13 26.21x
Spotland 13 5.39x
Great Lever 11 47.83x
Ulverston 11 17.42x
Blackrod 10 37.12x
Castleton 10 4.62x
Dukinfield 10 5.37x
Prestwich 10 18.49x
Tonge With Haulgh 10 23.70x
Bradford 9 8.87x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 9 62.59x
Rumworth 9 29.05x
Windle 9 7.38x
Wiswell 9 194.81x
Hayton 8 89.69x
Kirkland 8 93.46x
Walmersley Cum 8 23.09x
Walton Le Dale 8 13.73x
Astley 7 41.87x
Darcy Lever 7 56.09x
Gorton 7 3.43x
Heath Charnock 7 121.32x
Pilsworth 7 146.75x
Macclesfield 6 3.35x
Manningham 6 2.69x
Preston 6 1.03x
Trevethin 6 4.81x
Warrington 6 2.33x
Burnley 5 2.74x
Bury 5 2.02x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 1.45x
Habergham Eaves 5 2.52x
Latchford 5 18.66x
Liverpool 5 0.38x
Padiham 5 9.55x
Portsea 5 0.68x
Standish With Langtree 5 18.73x
Wakefield 5 3.60x
Barrow In Furness 4 1.36x
Blackley 4 10.52x
Bowling 4 2.23x
Bradford 4 0.91x
Hunslet 4 1.42x
Toxteth Park 4 0.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 165
Sarah 90
Elizabeth 87
Alice 68
Ann 54
Martha 50
Ellen 38
Jane 38
Margaret 34
Annie 21
Hannah 20
Emma 18
Betsy 17
Eliza 15
Harriet 15
Betty 12
Catherine 12
Esther 12
Nancy 10
Emily 9
Maria 9
Edith 8
Isabella 8
Elizth. 7
Rachel 7
Ada 4
Anne 4
Bertha 4
Caroline 4
Clara 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Frances 4
Lucy 4
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Dinah 3
Eleanor 3
Eliz. 3
Gertrude 3
Kate 3
May 3
Rebecca 3
Susan 3
Susannah 3
Betsey 2
Lizzie 2
Maggie 2
Margeret 2
Margt. 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 142
William 129
James 116
Thomas 65
Joseph 39
Robert 27
Richard 24
Henry 22
George 20
Peter 18
Samuel 18
Wm. 13
Giles 12
Alfred 10
Charles 10
Isaac 9
Abraham 8
Arthur 8
Edwin 8
Edward 7
Ralph 7
Thos. 7
David 6
Ellis 6
Frank 6
Fred 6
Matthew 6
Walter 6
Christopher 5
Ernest 5
Holland 5
Richd. 5
Robt. 5
Albert 4
Benjamin 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Jas. 4
Moses 4
Philip 4
Adam 3
Jesse 3
Jno. 3
Mark 3
Francis 2
Hiram 2
Jame 2
Nathan 2
Rodger 2
Wright 2

FAQ

Eckersley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Eckersley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,874 people were recorded with the Eckersley surname. That placed it at #2,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Eckersley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,727 in 2016. That gives Eckersley a modern rank of #3,613.

What does the Eckersley surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "Meadow of Eckard's people."

What does the Eckersley map show?

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