NameCensus.

UK surname

Embley

A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Embley.

In the 1881 census there were 263 people recorded with the Embley surname, ranking it #10,692 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 320, ranked #14,096, down from #10,692 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Mitton and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Kingston upon Hull and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Embley is 364 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.7%.

1881 census count

263

Ranked #10,692

Modern count

320

2016, ranked #14,096

Peak year

1999

364 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Embley had 263 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,692 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 320 in 2016, ranked #14,096.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 342 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Embley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Embley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Embley 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 172 #11,682
1861 historical 157 #14,732
1881 historical 263 #10,692
1891 historical 306 #10,945
1901 historical 297 #11,721
1911 historical 342 #10,445
1997 modern 330 #12,701
1998 modern 344 #12,679
1999 modern 364 #12,267
2000 modern 352 #12,510
2001 modern 342 #12,566
2002 modern 351 #12,583
2003 modern 344 #12,577
2004 modern 319 #13,342
2005 modern 316 #13,351
2006 modern 334 #12,912
2007 modern 328 #13,196
2008 modern 334 #13,142
2009 modern 343 #13,168
2010 modern 358 #13,001
2011 modern 341 #13,341
2012 modern 320 #13,868
2013 modern 331 #13,748
2014 modern 330 #13,889
2015 modern 327 #13,871
2016 modern 320 #14,096

Geography

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Where Embleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Mitton, Blackburn, Birmingham Town: Aston and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Kingston upon Hull, Hyndburn, Birmingham and North East Lincolnshire. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Mitton Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 020 East Devon
2 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Hyndburn 006 Hyndburn
4 Birmingham 106 Birmingham
5 North East Lincolnshire 007 North East Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Embley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Embley

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Embley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Embley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Embley 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.

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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

Embley 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

Embley 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 Embley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Embley

The surname Embley originates from England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ęm" meaning elm tree and "lęah" meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest, suggesting that the name initially referred to a place where elm trees grew in a meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Embley can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which list a Robert de Emmeley in Worcestershire. This indicates that the name was already in use and established in the region during the 13th century.

The Embley surname is also linked to several place names in England, including Embley in Hampshire and Embley Park in Romsey, Hampshire. These locations likely served as the origins for some branches of the Embley family, with individuals adopting the place name as their surname.

In the 14th century, the Embley surname appears in various historical documents, such as the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which mention a William Emley in Yorkshire. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Embley include Sir John Embley (c.1600-1670), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Andover in the 17th century. Another prominent figure was John Emley (1659-1728), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Chester.

In the 18th century, the Embley family was well-established in Hampshire, with Matthew Embley (1711-1787) being a prominent landowner and member of the local gentry. His son, John Embley (1737-1813), was a successful merchant and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of the town of Romsey.

During the 19th century, the Embley surname gained further recognition through the accomplishments of individuals such as Martha Embley (1807-1890), a British philanthropist and social reformer who dedicated her life to improving the lives of working-class women and children.

Another notable figure was Florence Embley (1867-1955), a British artist and sculptor who was part of the Arts and Crafts movement. Her works were widely exhibited and can be found in various museums and collections around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Embley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Embley 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 151 Embleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.98x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 151 4.98x
Yorkshire 56 2.21x
Warwickshire 21 3.26x
Surrey 9 0.72x
Middlesex 8 0.31x
Cheshire 6 1.06x
Gloucestershire 5 1.00x
Carmarthenshire 2 1.86x
Hampshire 2 0.38x
Monmouthshire 1 0.54x
Somerset 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clitheroe in Lancashire leads with 53 Embleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 593.51x.

Place Total Index
Clitheroe 53 593.51x
Blackburn 30 37.18x
Aston 21 11.83x
Cottingham 16 293.04x
Butterworth 12 162.38x
Aighton Bailey 10 684.93x
Sheffield 10 12.40x
Battersea 8 8.51x
Openshaw 7 49.30x
Southcoates 7 49.79x
Dukinfield 6 23.02x
Great Harwood 6 109.49x
Poplar London 6 12.44x
South Kirkby 6 1090.91x
Church 5 116.82x
Drypool 5 128.87x
Colne 4 44.30x
Oldham 4 4.09x
Salford 4 4.48x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 3 33.15x
Thornbury 3 87.46x
Walton On Hill 3 18.26x
Great Bolton 2 4.98x
Great Mitton 2 1333.33x
Newton 2 8.56x
Oswaldtwistle 2 18.67x
Pembrey 2 40.40x
Portsea 2 1.95x
Rawdon 2 67.11x
Wotton Under Edge 2 67.80x
Chorley 1 5.88x
Great Little Marsden 1 7.20x
Holy Trinity 1 1.64x
Llanover 1 15.85x
Manchester 1 0.73x
Mitton Henthorn 1 1666.67x
Pendleton In Salford 1 2.77x
Preston 1 1.23x
Rawmarsh 1 11.17x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.94x
St George Bloomsbury 1 6.82x
Thorne 1 31.85x
Waddington 1 256.41x
Wakefield 1 5.14x
Walcot 1 4.56x
Westminster St John 1 3.21x
Wuerdle Wardle 1 10.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Jane 13
Elizabeth 12
Ann 6
Margaret 6
Sarah 6
Alice 5
Lucy 5
Annie 4
Emma 4
Ada 3
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Isabella 3
Martha 3
Priscilla 3
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Margret 2
Annis 1
Betsy 1
Christiana 1
Dora 1
E. 1
Elizebh. 1
Elor. 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Florrie 1
Kate 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Maude 1
Merry 1
N. 1
Pricilla 1
R. 1
Rachel 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 15
James 9
Thomas 7
Henry 6
Robert 6
Stephen 6
Joseph 5
Walter 5
Edward 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Mark 3
Arthur 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Samuel 2
Adelbert 1
Alfred 1
Alfred.T. 1
Andrew 1
Christopher 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Lenard 1
Matthew 1
Miles 1
Stephen.H. 1
Thos. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Embley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Embley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 263 people were recorded with the Embley surname. That placed it at #10,692 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Embley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 320 in 2016. That gives Embley a modern rank of #14,096.

What does the Embley surname mean?

A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Embley.

What does the Embley map show?

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