NameCensus.

UK surname

Folley

A surname derived from a place name or location containing a "folly" (building or structure built for ornamental purposes).

In the 1881 census there were 634 people recorded with the Folley surname, ranking it #5,595 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 398, ranked #11,924, down from #5,595 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, London parishes and Bledlow with Bledlow Ridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wycombe, South Oxfordshire and Plymouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Folley is 634 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 37.2%.

1881 census count

634

Ranked #5,595

Modern count

398

2016, ranked #11,924

Peak year

1881

634 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Folley had 634 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,595 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 398 in 2016, ranked #11,924.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 634 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Folley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Folley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Folley 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 368 #6,459
1861 historical 484 #5,397
1881 historical 634 #5,595
1891 historical 629 #6,149
1901 historical 618 #6,904
1911 historical 613 #6,725
1997 modern 428 #10,451
1998 modern 460 #10,232
1999 modern 461 #10,272
2000 modern 459 #10,261
2001 modern 448 #10,274
2002 modern 451 #10,429
2003 modern 441 #10,458
2004 modern 429 #10,718
2005 modern 423 #10,713
2006 modern 415 #10,928
2007 modern 410 #11,162
2008 modern 420 #11,033
2009 modern 425 #11,161
2010 modern 429 #11,324
2011 modern 414 #11,533
2012 modern 399 #11,740
2013 modern 407 #11,766
2014 modern 403 #11,932
2015 modern 402 #11,861
2016 modern 398 #11,924

Geography

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Where Folleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, London parishes, Bledlow with Bledlow Ridge, Chinnor and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wycombe, South Oxfordshire, Plymouth, Gloucester and Braintree. 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 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bledlow with Bledlow Ridge Buckinghamshire
4 Chinnor Buckinghamshire
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wycombe 020 Wycombe
2 South Oxfordshire 005 South Oxfordshire
3 Plymouth 001 Plymouth
4 Gloucester 002 Gloucester
5 Braintree 012 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Folley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Folley

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

Folley is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Folley

The surname Folley is of English origin, believed to have derived from the Old English word 'folc,' meaning 'people' or 'nation.' It is thought to have originated as a descriptive name for someone who was considered a leader or representative of the people.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Folley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Folchere,' referring to a landowner in Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name had already been established in England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Folley was particularly prevalent in the counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. It is likely that the name evolved from the Old English place name 'Folceshyll,' which translates to 'the hill of the people.'

One notable bearer of the Folley surname was Sir John Folley (c. 1330-1405), a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in the late 14th century. He was a prominent landowner and influential figure in the region.

Another individual of note was William Folley (1548-1628), a renowned English playwright and poet during the Elizabethan era. His works included several popular plays and masques performed at the court of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Folley name gained recognition through the exploits of Captain Thomas Folley (1619-1679), a naval officer who served in the Anglo-Dutch Wars and later became a respected merchant and philanthropist in London.

The 18th century saw the rise of Sir Benjamin Folley (1735-1812), a wealthy industrialist and politician who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in Yorkshire. He was also a Member of Parliament for several years.

Another notable bearer of the Folley surname was Elizabeth Folley (1787-1860), a pioneering English educator who established several successful schools for girls and advocated for the advancement of women's education in the early 19th century.

Over the centuries, various spellings of the name have emerged, including Follie, Fawley, and Fowley, reflecting regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, tracing back to its Old English roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Folley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Folley 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 87 Folleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.39x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 87 1.39x
Devon 69 5.29x
Cornwall 57 8.04x
Buckinghamshire 36 9.51x
Surrey 36 1.18x
Lanarkshire 31 1.53x
Lancashire 23 0.31x
Lincolnshire 21 2.10x
Yorkshire 21 0.34x
Warwickshire 18 1.14x
Staffordshire 17 0.80x
Berkshire 16 3.40x
Somerset 16 1.59x
Oxfordshire 15 3.88x
Fife 14 3.78x
Gloucestershire 14 1.14x
Durham 12 0.64x
Ayrshire 11 2.35x
Renfrewshire 11 2.27x
Cumberland 10 1.85x
Angus 9 1.55x
Leicestershire 9 1.30x
Glamorgan 8 0.73x
Midlothian 8 0.95x
Suffolk 8 1.05x
Worcestershire 8 0.98x
Channel Islands 7 3.77x
Northamptonshire 7 1.19x
Essex 5 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.59x
Dumfriesshire 4 2.89x
Monmouthshire 4 0.88x
Roxburghshire 4 3.53x
Kent 3 0.14x
Northumberland 3 0.32x
Perthshire 3 1.07x
Cheshire 2 0.14x
Hampshire 2 0.16x
West Lothian 2 2.12x
Anglesey 1 0.90x
Dorset 1 0.24x
East Lothian 1 1.21x
Hertfordshire 1 0.23x
Royal Navy 1 1.34x
Wiltshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bledlow in Buckinghamshire leads with 18 Folleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 786.03x.

Place Total Index
Bledlow 18 786.03x
Chinnor 15 559.70x
Harborne 15 22.14x
Wycombe 15 53.15x
Auchterderran 14 150.21x
Callington 14 338.98x
Kensington London 14 4.02x
Bishopwearmouth 12 7.50x
Arlecdon 10 69.74x
Cookham 10 68.26x
Great Torrington 10 135.32x
Islington London 10 1.65x
Plymouth St Andrew 10 9.96x
Bedminster 9 9.50x
Bideford 9 64.47x
Liff Benvie 9 10.22x
Newington 9 3.89x
Paddington London 9 3.91x
St Andrew Holborn London 9 33.20x
Aston 8 1.84x
Carnwath 8 63.90x
Dudley 8 8.05x
Exeter St Sidwell 8 26.79x
Glasgow 8 2.22x
Lanteglos By Fowey 8 276.82x
North Kyme 8 536.91x
West Greenock 8 9.18x
Birmingham 7 1.33x
Gloucester Barton St 7 97.22x
Lambeth 7 1.28x
Otterham 7 2000.00x
Sorn 7 76.00x
Barrow In Furness 6 5.94x
Ipswich St Nicholas 6 142.86x
Lanreath 6 495.87x
Luxulyan 6 254.24x
Minehead 6 157.48x
St Helier 6 9.93x
St Luke London 6 5.97x
Bermondsey 5 2.68x
Colne 5 22.58x
Gloucester St Michael 5 177.94x
Loughborough 5 15.87x
Lutton 5 303.03x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.29x
Old Monkland 5 6.22x
Redruth 5 24.93x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 3.97x
St Budeaux 5 123.15x
St George Hanover Square 5 4.53x
Swansea Town 5 5.59x
Chelsea London 4 2.12x
Dumfries 4 29.30x
Hawick 4 15.75x
Isleworth 4 14.37x
Kingston On Thames 4 5.46x
Leeds 4 1.14x
Limehouse London 4 5.82x
Passenham 4 165.29x
Plympton Maurice 4 162.60x
South Leith 4 4.24x
Spreyton 4 487.80x
St Gennys 4 377.36x
St Mark Lincoln 4 186.92x
Wakefield 4 8.40x
West Ham 4 1.47x
Wokingham 4 37.28x
Yeadon 4 28.55x
Barony 3 0.59x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 0.89x
Egham 3 16.02x
Gorbals 3 24.96x
Govan 3 0.60x
Great Little Marsden 3 8.81x
Hardwick 3 1111.11x
Leicester St Mary 3 5.35x
Manchester 3 0.90x
Perth West Church 3 22.49x
Saltash 3 54.55x
St Martin In Fields 3 8.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 49
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 16
Eliza 12
Emma 11
Jane 11
Ellen 9
Emily 9
Alice 8
Ann 8
Annie 7
Caroline 6
Florence 5
Ada 4
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Harriett 4
Susan 4
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Hannah 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Selina 3
Agnes 2
Bessie 2
Eleanor 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Henrietta 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Susana 2
Amy 1
Bridget 1
Brigett 1
Carry 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliza. 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Georgie 1
Gertrude 1
Gruller 1
Jenifer 1
Jo 1
Uranchy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 39
John 36
George 24
Joseph 17
James 16
Thomas 15
Henry 12
Charles 10
Richard 8
Alfred 7
Edward 7
Patrick 6
Albert 5
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Mark 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Epharim 2
Frederick 2
Hugh 2
Wm. 2
Caleb 1
Chas. 1
Cornelius 1
Dennis 1
Ebenezer 1
Edison 1
Edmond 1
Elias 1
Ellick 1
Ephraim 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Joshua 1
Junhn 1
Kilham 1
M.K. 1
Matthew 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Samson 1
Sidney 1
Silvanus 1
Stephen 1
T. 1

FAQ

Folley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Folley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 634 people were recorded with the Folley surname. That placed it at #5,595 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Folley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 398 in 2016. That gives Folley a modern rank of #11,924.

What does the Folley surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name or location containing a "folly" (building or structure built for ornamental purposes).

What does the Folley map show?

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