NameCensus.

UK surname

Engley

An Old English nickname derived from the word "engle" meaning "Angle" or "Englishman."

In the 1881 census there were 37 people recorded with the Engley surname, ranking it #28,418 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 78, ranked #33,171, down from #28,418 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tamworth, Swindon and Eastbourne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Engley is 100 in 2006. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 110.8%.

1881 census count

37

Ranked #28,418

Modern count

78

2016, ranked #33,171

Peak year

2006

100 bearers

Map years

1

2006 to 2006

Key insights

  • Engley had 37 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,418 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 78 in 2016, ranked #33,171.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 60 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Engley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Engley surname density by area, 2006 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Engley 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 19 #29,904
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 37 #28,418
1891 historical 54 #29,849
1901 historical 60 #27,502
1911 historical 59 #26,914
1997 modern 79 #29,672
1998 modern 81 #29,849
1999 modern 87 #29,398
2000 modern 88 #29,284
2001 modern 83 #29,617
2002 modern 91 #29,181
2003 modern 90 #29,260
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 100 #28,283
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 91 #30,431
2009 modern 100 #29,597
2010 modern 95 #31,000
2011 modern 97 #30,552
2012 modern 87 #32,180
2013 modern 85 #32,658
2014 modern 84 #32,823
2015 modern 81 #32,975
2016 modern 78 #33,171

Geography

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Where Engleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tamworth, Swindon and Eastbourne. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tamworth 006 Tamworth
2 Swindon 010 Swindon
3 Tamworth 007 Tamworth
4 Tamworth 008 Tamworth
5 Eastbourne 006 Eastbourne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Engley

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Engley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Engley, 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 Engley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Engley 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Engley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Engley is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Engley

The surname Engley is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "eng," meaning meadow or pasture, and "leah," meaning a clearing or woodland.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Engley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already established by the 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a John de Engley owning land in Wiltshire, indicating that the name may have originated in that region. Similarly, a Thomas Engley was recorded as a landowner in Somerset in the 14th century.

The name Engley may also be associated with various place names in England, such as Engley Green in Staffordshire or Engley Park in Surrey. These place names could have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

One notable figure with the Engley surname was Sir John Engley, a military officer who served in the English Civil War during the 17th century. He fought for the Royalist forces and was knighted for his service.

Another significant individual was William Engley, born in 1725, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in Yorkshire. His descendants continued to play an influential role in the region's economic and social affairs throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

In the literary world, Elizabeth Engley, born in 1841, was a renowned poet and author of her time. Her collection of poems, "Echoes from the Meadows," was widely acclaimed and remains an important work of 19th-century English literature.

The Engley surname has also been associated with various religious figures, such as Reverend Thomas Engley, who served as a parish priest in Lincolnshire in the 17th century, and Sister Mary Engley, a nun and educator in the late 19th century.

Finally, one cannot overlook the contribution of Sir William Engley, a renowned architect who lived in the early 20th century. He was responsible for designing several iconic buildings, including the Engley Hall in London, which is considered a masterpiece of neo-gothic architecture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Engley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Engley 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. Surrey leads with 15 Engleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.53x.

County Total Index
Surrey 15 8.53x
Middlesex 13 3.60x
Kent 4 3.25x
Gloucestershire 3 4.24x
Derbyshire 2 3.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 8 Engleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.71x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 8 34.71x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 82.64x
Hackney London 4 19.77x
St Marylebone London 4 20.77x
St Pancras London 4 13.77x
Tonbridge 4 90.09x
West Dean 3 260.87x
Castle Gresley 2 2000.00x
Lambeth 1 3.18x
Paddington London 1 7.54x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
Edwin 3
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
E. 1
F. 1
Frederick 1
James 1
Jarvis 1
John 1
Robert 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Engley households.

FAQ

Engley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Engley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 37 people were recorded with the Engley surname. That placed it at #28,418 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Engley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 78 in 2016. That gives Engley a modern rank of #33,171.

What does the Engley surname mean?

An Old English nickname derived from the word "engle" meaning "Angle" or "Englishman."

What does the Engley map show?

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