NameCensus.

UK surname

Edgley

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "meadow or open area near a ridge or ledge."

In the 1881 census there were 474 people recorded with the Edgley surname, ranking it #7,040 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 663, ranked #8,048, down from #7,040 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Silkstone, Wickhambrook and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, Torridge and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Edgley is 761 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.9%.

1881 census count

474

Ranked #7,040

Modern count

663

2016, ranked #8,048

Peak year

1999

761 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Edgley had 474 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,040 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 663 in 2016, ranked #8,048.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 669 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Edgley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Edgley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Edgley 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 331 #7,044
1861 historical 339 #7,522
1881 historical 474 #7,040
1891 historical 566 #6,713
1901 historical 572 #7,333
1911 historical 669 #6,294
1997 modern 720 #7,082
1998 modern 732 #7,236
1999 modern 761 #7,065
2000 modern 730 #7,259
2001 modern 724 #7,169
2002 modern 747 #7,131
2003 modern 717 #7,239
2004 modern 713 #7,287
2005 modern 679 #7,526
2006 modern 689 #7,457
2007 modern 698 #7,432
2008 modern 693 #7,547
2009 modern 695 #7,682
2010 modern 712 #7,679
2011 modern 710 #7,615
2012 modern 671 #7,869
2013 modern 676 #7,960
2014 modern 683 #7,933
2015 modern 672 #7,973
2016 modern 663 #8,048

Geography

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Where Edgleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Silkstone, Wickhambrook, London parishes, Chatteris and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, Torridge, Huntingdonshire, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Cheshire East. 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 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Wickhambrook Suffolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Chatteris Cambridgeshire
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 011 Fenland
2 Torridge 009 Torridge
3 Huntingdonshire 003 Huntingdonshire
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 008 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Cheshire East 036 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Edgley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Edgley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Edgley 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

Edgley is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Edgley

The surname Edgley has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval era. It is a locational name, derived from the place name "Edgeley" or "Edgelow," which means "the dweller by the ridge" or "the dweller by the edge of a hill or slope."

The name is believed to have emerged in the counties of Cheshire and Staffordshire, where the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John de Edgelay, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1282.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various spellings, including Edgeley, Edgelow, Edgelay, and Edgelegh, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling conventions at the time.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there is no direct mention of the name Edgley or its variants. However, it is possible that the name may have been derived from place names or descriptive terms recorded in the Domesday Book.

One notable individual with the surname Edgley was Sir Ralph Edgley (1612-1674), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire during the English Civil War.

Another historical figure with this surname was John Edgley (1677-1734), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Botolph's Church in Bishopsgate, London.

In the 18th century, a prominent bearer of the name was Thomas Edgley (1738-1805), an English industrialist and entrepreneur who established a successful cotton spinning mill in Lancashire.

The 19th century saw the birth of George Edgley (1824-1895), a British architect known for his work on churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

One of the more recent historical figures with the surname Edgley was Frederick Edgley (1891-1970), a British aviator and engineer who played a significant role in the development of early aircraft designs and the aviation industry in the United Kingdom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Edgley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Edgley 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. Middlesex leads with 80 Edgleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.73x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 80 1.73x
Suffolk 45 7.97x
Kent 38 2.40x
Cheshire 34 3.32x
Surrey 34 1.51x
Lancashire 32 0.58x
Lincolnshire 30 4.05x
Yorkshire 24 0.52x
Huntingdonshire 23 25.00x
Staffordshire 22 1.41x
Northamptonshire 20 4.59x
Worcestershire 18 2.97x
Cambridgeshire 16 5.45x
Warwickshire 15 1.28x
Leicestershire 12 2.34x
Norfolk 4 0.56x
Fife 3 1.09x
Glamorgan 3 0.37x
Midlothian 3 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.48x
Rutland 3 8.82x
Gloucestershire 2 0.22x
Hampshire 2 0.21x
Anglesey 1 1.22x
Berwickshire 1 1.78x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.36x
Denbighshire 1 0.57x
Dorset 1 0.33x
Essex 1 0.11x
Monmouthshire 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 1.81x
Shropshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ramsey in Huntingdonshire leads with 22 Edgleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 298.51x.

Place Total Index
Ramsey 22 298.51x
Wickhambrook 21 990.57x
Bethnal Green London 19 9.44x
Mile End Old Town London 17 17.24x
Barnsley 15 31.67x
Birmingham 14 3.59x
Greenwich 13 17.62x
Holbeach 12 145.45x
Bow London 11 18.65x
Newington 11 6.43x
Ashley 10 2127.66x
Audley 10 64.60x
Nantwich 10 84.18x
Sutton Bassett 10 5555.56x
Maidstone 8 16.99x
Monks Coppenhall 8 20.73x
West Bromwich 8 851.06x
Camberwell 7 2.37x
Hough 7 1590.91x
Northfleet 7 50.25x
Old Artillery Ground 7 175.44x
Sutton St Mary 7 99.86x
Bermondsey 6 4.35x
Chatteris 6 80.11x
Clerkenwell London 6 5.49x
Dudley 6 8.16x
Lambeth 6 1.49x
March 6 61.04x
Hackney London 5 1.92x
Heckington 5 177.31x
Hulme 5 4.36x
Sandbach 5 57.34x
Ardwick 4 8.07x
Belgrave 4 34.51x
Charlton Next Woolwich 4 24.26x
Deptford St Paul 4 3.28x
Guildford Holy Trinity 4 93.02x
Newton 4 9.44x
Stanstead 4 677.97x
Stretford 4 13.22x
Tipton 4 8.35x
Upperswinford 4 78.13x
Wavertree 4 22.73x
Barrowden 3 315.79x
East Dereham 3 33.33x
Gazeley 3 225.56x
Ipswich St Margaret 3 15.67x
Ipswich St Peter 3 39.47x
Leicester St Margaret 3 2.39x
Liberton 3 31.32x
Manchester 3 1.21x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 3.87x
Poplar London 3 3.43x
Wemyss 3 25.84x
Wolstanton 3 6.32x
Balterley 2 476.19x
Brantham 2 312.50x
Cheetham 2 4.88x
Edmonton 2 5.36x
Grantham 2 20.70x
Newhall In Nantwich 2 176.99x
Newmarket St Mary 2 46.19x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.24x
Oldham 2 1.13x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.45x
Stamford St George 2 60.06x
Wimblington 2 115.61x
Wolstanton Chesterton 2 25.03x
Worsbrough 2 14.87x
Alverstoke 1 2.91x
Barking 1 34.25x
Boston 1 4.45x
Chalfont St Peter 1 43.29x
Great Bowden 1 21.41x
Ipswich St Mary Key 1 68.49x
Leamington Priors 1 3.48x
Leeds 1 0.39x
Melcombe Regis 1 7.94x
Shoreditch London 1 0.50x
Walkerith 1 714.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 42
Sarah 28
Elizabeth 20
Emma 12
Annie 11
Ann 10
Jane 9
Alice 7
Eliza 7
Hannah 6
Maria 6
Martha 5
Susannah 5
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Louisa 4
Amy 3
Emily 3
Florence 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Edith 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Kathleen 2
Myra 2
Susanna 2
Agnes 1
Beatrice 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Carrie 1
E.M. 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emera 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Grace 1
Henrietta 1
Laura 1
Leopoldine 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Marie 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 35
John 23
Thomas 18
George 14
Joseph 13
Henry 12
James 12
Charles 9
Alfred 8
Edwin 7
Samuel 5
Arthur 4
Ernest 4
Richard 4
Walter 4
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Robert 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
David 2
Edmund 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Chas. 1
Crispanus 1
Crispianus 1
Daniel 1
Ephraim 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Geoffrey 1
Harvey 1
Howard 1
Jack 1
Job 1
Joel 1
Joeseph 1
Noah 1
Oscar 1
Percy 1
Ruben 1
Samson 1
Sid. 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wiliam 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Edgley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Edgley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 474 people were recorded with the Edgley surname. That placed it at #7,040 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Edgley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 663 in 2016. That gives Edgley a modern rank of #8,048.

What does the Edgley surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "meadow or open area near a ridge or ledge."

What does the Edgley map show?

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