NameCensus.

UK surname

Fernley

One from Farnley, a place name referring to a fern-covered meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 417 people recorded with the Fernley surname, ranking it #7,732 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 474, ranked #10,385, down from #7,732 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Glossop and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include High Peak, Tameside and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fernley is 555 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.7%.

1881 census count

417

Ranked #7,732

Modern count

474

2016, ranked #10,385

Peak year

1911

555 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fernley had 417 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,732 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 474 in 2016, ranked #10,385.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 555 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Fernley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fernley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fernley 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 199 #10,441
1861 historical 275 #9,082
1881 historical 417 #7,732
1891 historical 437 #8,251
1901 historical 540 #7,620
1911 historical 555 #7,231
1997 modern 454 #10,004
1998 modern 475 #9,982
1999 modern 491 #9,797
2000 modern 465 #10,175
2001 modern 462 #10,034
2002 modern 451 #10,429
2003 modern 464 #10,003
2004 modern 472 #9,926
2005 modern 448 #10,250
2006 modern 445 #10,319
2007 modern 455 #10,239
2008 modern 445 #10,521
2009 modern 454 #10,590
2010 modern 477 #10,410
2011 modern 472 #10,400
2012 modern 475 #10,232
2013 modern 481 #10,315
2014 modern 489 #10,253
2015 modern 472 #10,452
2016 modern 474 #10,385

Geography

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Where Fernleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Glossop, Manchester, London parishes and West Ham,Wanstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to High Peak, Tameside and Salford. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 London parishes London 2
5 West Ham,Wanstead Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 High Peak 005 High Peak
2 Tameside 015 Tameside
3 Salford 030 Salford
4 Salford 024 Salford
5 High Peak 002 High Peak

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fernley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fernley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fernley, 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 Fernley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Fernley 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fernley 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

Fernley 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

Fernley falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fernley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Fernley

The surname Fernley is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Derbyshire. It is thought to date back to the 13th century and is derived from the Old English words "fearn" meaning fern and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, indicating that the name may have referred to a fern-covered meadow or a place where ferns grew abundantly.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fernley can be found in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like survey conducted in England in the late 13th century, where the name is spelled as "Ferneley." This suggests that the surname was already established and in use during that time period.

In the 16th century, the name Fernley appeared in the Parish Registers of Bolsover, Derbyshire, indicating that families bearing this surname were present in that area. It was also during this period that variations in the spelling of the name emerged, such as Ferneley, Fernleigh, and Fernely.

One notable individual with the surname Fernley was Sir Thomas Fernley, a British painter who lived from 1782 to 1860. He was known for his portraits and genre paintings and was elected a Royal Academician in 1806.

Another individual of historical significance was John Fernley, born in 1766, who was a prominent Methodist minister and served as the President of the Wesleyan Methodist Conference in 1828.

In the 19th century, the Fernley family played a role in the coal mining industry in Derbyshire. Joseph Fernley, born in 1814, was a coal mine owner and operated several collieries in the region.

The name Fernley is also associated with the village of Fernilee in Derbyshire, which is believed to have derived its name from the same Old English roots as the surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname Fernley include Walter Fernley, born in 1839, who was a British landscape painter, and Benjamin Fernley, born in 1781, who was a Methodist minister and educator.

Throughout its history, the surname Fernley has maintained a strong connection to its roots in Derbyshire, England, and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, ministers, and industrialists.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fernley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fernley 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 162 Fernleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.37x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 162 3.37x
Cheshire 93 10.41x
Middlesex 42 1.04x
Derbyshire 37 5.84x
Yorkshire 31 0.77x
Lincolnshire 16 2.47x
Gloucestershire 8 1.01x
Kent 5 0.36x
Surrey 5 0.25x
Durham 4 0.33x
Norfolk 4 0.64x
Hampshire 2 0.24x
Northumberland 2 0.33x
Devon 1 0.12x
Essex 1 0.13x
Leicestershire 1 0.22x
Somerset 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 33 Fernleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.28x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 33 21.28x
Stockport 22 47.84x
Warrington 15 26.34x
Manchester 14 6.48x
Salford 13 9.20x
Dukinfield 12 29.06x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 9.53x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 10 239.81x
Farington 10 357.14x
Heaton Norris 10 36.58x
Ludworth 10 335.57x
Audlem 9 426.54x
Glossop Dale 9 30.32x
Rumworth 9 131.20x
Beard 8 388.35x
Bromley London 8 8.98x
Clee With Weelsby 8 56.46x
Gorton 8 17.71x
Islington London 8 2.04x
Mottram 8 197.53x
New Sleaford 8 192.77x
Birkenhead 7 9.83x
Brightside Bierlow 7 8.90x
Castleton 7 14.59x
Walton On Hill 7 26.90x
Marple 6 97.88x
All Hallows Barking 5 495.05x
Ecclesfield 5 17.00x
Isleworth 5 27.78x
Mile End Old Town London 5 5.80x
Newton In Ashton Under 5 56.69x
Brinnington 4 47.90x
Congleton 4 25.91x
Deptford St Paul 4 3.75x
Gateshead 4 4.44x
Hyde 4 15.17x
Manningham 4 8.09x
Ormesby 4 37.11x
Stonehouse 4 88.69x
Stretford 4 15.13x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 3.93x
Disley Stanley 3 65.22x
Great Bolton 3 4.71x
Limehouse London 3 6.75x
Lowton 3 91.74x
Nether Hallam 3 5.53x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 3.68x
Wotton Under Edge 3 64.10x
Armley 2 11.31x
Berwick Upon Tweed 2 15.67x
Bollin Fee 2 50.51x
Broughton In Salford 2 4.55x
Elton 2 12.05x
Hillingdon 2 15.49x
Monks Coppenhall 2 5.93x
Norwich St James 2 40.98x
Southery 2 121.95x
Spotland 2 3.75x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.80x
St Pancras London 2 0.61x
Stayley 2 19.59x
Uxbridge 2 43.20x
West Derby 2 1.42x
Ashford 1 7.43x
Chew Magna 1 43.86x
Clapham 1 1.98x
Dewsbury 1 2.43x
Droylsden 1 6.38x
Hankelow 1 333.33x
Lillings Ambo 1 333.33x
Macclesfield 1 2.52x
Newington 1 0.67x
Newnham 1 200.00x
Oswaldtwistle 1 5.89x
Pennington In Leigh 1 10.85x
Portsea 1 0.61x
Swinton In Rotherham 1 9.43x
Tranmere 1 3.05x
West Ham 1 0.57x
Westbury On Trym 1 3.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Sarah 23
Jane 18
Elizabeth 15
Ann 12
Alice 10
Hannah 9
Annie 8
Emma 6
Martha 6
Eliza 5
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Maria 5
Agnes 4
Lydia 4
Ada 3
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Margaret 3
Anne 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Laura 2
Lois 2
Louisa 2
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clarie 1
Clarissa 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Faith 1
Habey 1
Hester 1
Janet 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Kezia 1
Leah 1
Lena 1
Lillian 1
Lucy 1
Mable 1
Marion 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
James 22
William 22
George 15
Thomas 13
Joseph 11
Henry 6
Samuel 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Charles 5
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Enoch 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Josh. 2
Peter 2
Ralph 2
Andrew 1
Cephat 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Emanuel 1
Ervin 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Owen 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Lewis 1
Mosses 1
Oswald 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1
Ths. 1
Watson 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Fernley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fernley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 417 people were recorded with the Fernley surname. That placed it at #7,732 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fernley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 474 in 2016. That gives Fernley a modern rank of #10,385.

What does the Fernley surname mean?

One from Farnley, a place name referring to a fern-covered meadow.

What does the Fernley map show?

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