NameCensus.

UK surname

Eyles

An English surname derived from the Old English word "ey", meaning island or piece of land.

In the 1881 census there were 1,386 people recorded with the Eyles surname, ranking it #2,976 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,583, ranked #3,919, down from #2,976 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Kirklees and Daventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eyles is 1,945 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.2%.

1881 census count

1,386

Ranked #2,976

Modern count

1,583

2016, ranked #3,919

Peak year

1911

1,945 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Eyles had 1,386 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,976 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,583 in 2016, ranked #3,919.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,945 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Eyles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Eyles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Eyles 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 1,022 #2,736
1861 historical 945 #2,933
1881 historical 1,386 #2,976
1891 historical 1,543 #2,859
1901 historical 1,770 #2,938
1911 historical 1,945 #2,555
1997 modern 1,711 #3,483
1998 modern 1,792 #3,457
1999 modern 1,827 #3,430
2000 modern 1,800 #3,454
2001 modern 1,775 #3,425
2002 modern 1,772 #3,517
2003 modern 1,711 #3,560
2004 modern 1,673 #3,628
2005 modern 1,676 #3,585
2006 modern 1,631 #3,684
2007 modern 1,604 #3,761
2008 modern 1,602 #3,790
2009 modern 1,622 #3,837
2010 modern 1,635 #3,882
2011 modern 1,636 #3,842
2012 modern 1,584 #3,887
2013 modern 1,635 #3,844
2014 modern 1,625 #3,887
2015 modern 1,610 #3,882
2016 modern 1,583 #3,919

Geography

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Where Eyles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Kirklees, Daventry, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Bath and North East Somerset. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
2 Kirklees 018 Kirklees
3 Daventry 010 Daventry
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 019 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Bath and North East Somerset 022 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Eyles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Eyles

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Eyles 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

Eyles 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

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

Meaning and origin of Eyles

The surname EYLES originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "yl," meaning "eel," or from a place name containing that word, such as Eyles Farm or Eyles Green. The name may have been initially given as a nickname or occupational name to someone who worked with eels or lived near a body of water where eels were abundant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname EYLES can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, where a person named Walter Eyles is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records that documented landowners and their properties in various counties of England.

The EYLES surname also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which were tax records compiled during the reign of King Edward III. This suggests that the name was well-established in different regions of England by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the EYLES surname was found in the parish records of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. A notable individual from this era was John Eyles, who was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564 and later became a prominent merchant in London.

During the 17th century, the EYLES surname was recorded in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. One notable figure was Sir Francis Eyles, a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament who lived from 1605 to 1679.

In the 18th century, the EYLES family established themselves as influential landowners and politicians in Wiltshire. Sir John Eyles, born in 1683, was a prominent Member of Parliament and served as Lord Mayor of London in 1737.

Another notable individual was Sir Joseph Eyles, born in 1723, who was a successful merchant and philanthropist. He founded the Eyles Charity School in Wiltshire, which provided education to poor children in the area.

By the 19th century, the EYLES surname had spread to other parts of the English-speaking world, including the United States and Australia, as families emigrated from England in search of new opportunities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Eyles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eyles 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 271 Eyles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.01x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 271 2.01x
Gloucestershire 134 5.07x
Wiltshire 129 10.82x
Surrey 110 1.67x
Northamptonshire 104 8.20x
Somerset 93 4.29x
Yorkshire 78 0.58x
Hampshire 71 2.57x
Kent 55 1.20x
Sussex 38 1.67x
Warwickshire 36 1.06x
Berkshire 31 3.06x
Lancashire 31 0.19x
Bedfordshire 24 3.44x
Oxfordshire 20 2.40x
Staffordshire 19 0.42x
Glamorgan 18 0.77x
Devon 16 0.57x
Durham 13 0.32x
Buckinghamshire 11 1.35x
Worcestershire 11 0.62x
Dorset 10 1.13x
Leicestershire 9 0.60x
Hertfordshire 8 0.86x
Monmouthshire 7 0.72x
Norfolk 7 0.34x
Essex 6 0.23x
Huntingdonshire 6 2.24x
Kincardineshire 6 3.65x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.35x
Derbyshire 3 0.14x
Lanarkshire 2 0.05x
Angus 1 0.08x
Cornwall 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Byfield in Northamptonshire leads with 36 Eyles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 983.61x.

Place Total Index
Byfield 36 983.61x
Walcot 31 26.82x
Lambeth 30 2.55x
Hammersmith London 29 8.73x
St Pancras London 29 2.67x
St Marylebone London 23 3.20x
Birmingham 22 1.94x
Hackney London 20 2.65x
Battersea 18 3.63x
Cirencester 18 50.28x
Kensington London 18 2.40x
Box 17 167.16x
Chelsea London 17 4.18x
Luton 17 14.07x
Wellow 17 266.46x
Everton 15 2.94x
Chute 14 707.07x
Oxford St Aldate 14 159.82x
Portsea 14 2.59x
Preshute 14 191.00x
Eversley 13 410.09x
Hunton 13 684.21x
Newington 13 2.61x
Wellingborough 13 20.39x
St George Hanover Square 12 5.05x
Wotton Under Edge 12 77.02x
Brighton 11 2.40x
Cheltenham 11 5.39x
Fulham London 11 5.63x
Islington London 11 0.84x
Marlborough St Mary Virgin 11 130.95x
Moulton 11 156.03x
Bristol St James St Paul 10 11.34x
Duston 10 86.88x
Starforth 10 420.17x
Stratton On The Fosse 10 781.25x
Trowbridge 10 18.98x
Berkeley Alkington 9 450.00x
Bristol St George 9 7.36x
Christian Malford 9 248.62x
Coates 9 418.60x
Croydon 9 2.47x
Isleworth 9 15.02x
Leicester St Mary 9 7.45x
Northampton Priory St 9 11.83x
South Tidworth 9 825.69x
Bow London 8 4.66x
Bristol St Paul In 8 11.36x
Chipping Sodbury 8 162.27x
Fareham 8 24.09x
Kettering 8 15.60x
Lambourn 8 79.76x
Newby Wiske 8 800.00x
Willesden 8 6.30x
Woolwich 8 4.71x
Aston 7 0.75x
Bexley 7 17.22x
Bromley London 7 2.36x
Clifton 7 5.24x
Gaywood 7 188.17x
Hulme 7 2.10x
Longfleet 7 68.29x
Northampton St Sepulchre 7 10.85x
Paddington London 7 1.41x
Pewsey 7 79.82x
Sutton At Hone 7 73.38x
Beenham 6 244.90x
Black Torrington 6 148.51x
Bristol St Augustine 6 14.06x
Crook Billy Row 6 11.68x
Harborne 6 4.11x
Llanwonno 6 7.11x
Midsomer Norton 6 29.35x
Salehurst 6 60.98x
Snodland 6 46.01x
St Cyrus 6 87.46x
St Mary Bourne 6 119.76x
Wandsworth 6 4.62x
Westminster St James 6 4.33x
Worcester St Peter 6 18.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 96
George 66
John 65
Thomas 54
Henry 38
Charles 35
Alfred 25
James 24
Joseph 21
Frederick 19
Arthur 17
Edward 16
Albert 14
Harry 13
Walter 11
Edwin 10
Ernest 9
Robert 9
Frank 6
Fredk. 6
Richard 6
Francis 5
Samuel 5
Willie 4
Benjamin 3
David 3
Geo. 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Thos. 3
Warcop 3
Bertie 2
Chas. 2
Edgar 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Oliver 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Silas 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Wm.Hy. 2
C. 1
Eli 1
Ennis 1
Ephraim 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Eyles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Eyles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,386 people were recorded with the Eyles surname. That placed it at #2,976 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Eyles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,583 in 2016. That gives Eyles a modern rank of #3,919.

What does the Eyles surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "ey", meaning island or piece of land.

What does the Eyles map show?

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