NameCensus.

UK surname

Foxley

A habitational surname derived from a place named Foxley in Norfolk, England.

In the 1881 census there were 543 people recorded with the Foxley surname, ranking it #6,354 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 696, ranked #7,738, down from #6,354 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stafford, Cheshire East and South Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Foxley is 757 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.2%.

1881 census count

543

Ranked #6,354

Modern count

696

2016, ranked #7,738

Peak year

2002

757 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Foxley had 543 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,354 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 696 in 2016, ranked #7,738.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 688 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Foxley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Foxley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Foxley 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 411 #5,901
1861 historical 417 #6,163
1881 historical 543 #6,354
1891 historical 618 #6,247
1901 historical 618 #6,904
1911 historical 688 #6,165
1997 modern 704 #7,217
1998 modern 745 #7,145
1999 modern 748 #7,161
2000 modern 747 #7,124
2001 modern 745 #7,021
2002 modern 757 #7,062
2003 modern 747 #7,043
2004 modern 746 #7,050
2005 modern 715 #7,202
2006 modern 701 #7,342
2007 modern 708 #7,353
2008 modern 709 #7,407
2009 modern 718 #7,499
2010 modern 725 #7,579
2011 modern 718 #7,549
2012 modern 692 #7,670
2013 modern 709 #7,653
2014 modern 707 #7,712
2015 modern 695 #7,756
2016 modern 696 #7,738

Geography

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Where Foxleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich), Birmingham Town: Aston and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stafford, Cheshire East, South Oxfordshire, Craven and Shropshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) Cheshire
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stafford 005 Stafford
2 Cheshire East 050 Cheshire East
3 South Oxfordshire 019 South Oxfordshire
4 Craven 004 Craven
5 Shropshire 010 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Foxley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Foxley

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Foxley is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Foxley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Foxley

The surname Foxley has its origins in England, originating in the late 11th century or early 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "fox" and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing where foxes were known to reside. This name may have initially referred to someone who lived near such a location or perhaps someone who had the occupation of a fox hunter.

One of the earliest known references to the Foxley name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1166, where it is recorded as "de Foxleia." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.

In the 13th century, the spelling of the name evolved to "Foxley" and appears in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, where it is listed as "Foxle."

The Foxley name is also associated with several locations in England, such as the village of Foxley in Norfolk, which may have contributed to the surname's development and spread.

Notable individuals with the Foxley surname include:

1. Sir Thomas Foxley (c. 1380 - c. 1450), an English politician and military commander who served as the Constable of the Tower of London during the reign of Henry VI.

2. Richard Foxley (c. 1570 - 1640), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious treatises, including "The Pathway to Heaven" in 1622.

3. John Foxley (c. 1610 - 1672), an English physician and writer who published works on medicine and natural history.

4. William Foxley (1720 - 1789), a British architect known for designing several notable buildings in Bath, including the Assembly Rooms and the Grand Pump Room.

5. Edward Foxley (1785 - 1864), an English artist and engraver who specialized in landscape paintings and was a member of the Old Watercolour Society.

Throughout its history, the Foxley surname has maintained a presence in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Norfolk, Yorkshire, and Cambridgeshire, where it has deep roots dating back to the medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Foxley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Foxley 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. Cheshire leads with 134 Foxleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.42x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 134 11.42x
Lancashire 85 1.35x
Staffordshire 48 2.67x
Bedfordshire 42 15.26x
Middlesex 41 0.77x
Warwickshire 26 1.94x
Buckinghamshire 19 5.91x
Surrey 19 0.73x
Northamptonshire 16 3.20x
Kent 15 0.83x
Yorkshire 15 0.28x
Shropshire 14 3.05x
Nottinghamshire 11 1.54x
Sussex 9 1.00x
Gloucestershire 8 0.77x
Oxfordshire 6 1.83x
Wiltshire 6 1.28x
Hertfordshire 5 1.36x
Berkshire 4 1.00x
Essex 4 0.38x
Somerset 4 0.47x
Hampshire 3 0.28x
Isle of Man 2 2.03x
Lincolnshire 2 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.30x
Cumberland 1 0.22x
Devon 1 0.09x
Herefordshire 1 0.46x
Leicestershire 1 0.17x
Monmouthshire 1 0.26x
Worcestershire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Monks Coppenhall in Cheshire leads with 26 Foxleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 58.72x.

Place Total Index
Monks Coppenhall 26 58.72x
Kensington London 21 7.10x
Toxteth Park 21 9.83x
Salford 17 9.16x
Northill 14 542.64x
Aston 13 3.52x
Marston 13 726.26x
Wolstanton 13 23.85x
Leftwich 12 230.33x
Maer 12 1666.67x
Luton 11 23.09x
Selston 10 125.00x
Willaston In Nantwich 10 276.24x
Birmingham 9 2.01x
Greenwich 9 10.63x
Broughton In Salford 8 13.87x
Everton 8 3.98x
Macclesfield 8 15.34x
Padbury 8 833.33x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 8 76.56x
Barrow 7 1129.03x
Clifton 7 13.28x
Croydon 7 4.87x
Houghton Regis 7 159.45x
Liverpool 7 1.83x
Market Weighton Arras 7 204.68x
Sound 7 1400.00x
Greens Norton 6 377.36x
Odd Rode 6 103.27x
Wednesfield 6 22.72x
Wincham 6 277.78x
Haslington 5 151.52x
Hatfield 5 67.29x
Lambeth 5 1.08x
Manchester 5 1.76x
Mapledurham 5 649.35x
Nantwich 5 36.66x
Over 5 41.91x
Swindon 5 13.71x
Tilsworth 5 1111.11x
Upper Boddington 5 909.09x
Wolverton 5 75.19x
Bedminster 4 4.97x
Dover St James 4 50.31x
Edleston 4 2666.67x
Goole 4 45.30x
Hulme 4 3.04x
Swynnerton 4 283.69x
Withyam 4 104.17x
Alverstoke 3 7.61x
Ashley 3 204.08x
Battersea 3 1.53x
Brackley St James 3 260.87x
Burslem 3 5.84x
Cheetham 3 6.38x
Chorlton 3 434.78x
Congleton 3 14.79x
Eastbourne 3 7.27x
Garston 3 16.11x
Kenilworth 3 39.68x
Mile End Old Town London 3 2.65x
Reading St Giles 3 7.66x
Ruislip 3 113.21x
Shenley Church End 3 909.09x
Shrewsbury St Mary 3 16.56x
St Marylebone London 3 1.06x
West Ham 3 1.29x
Weston In Nantwich 3 319.15x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.33x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.59x
Great Grimsby 2 3.71x
Herne 2 24.91x
Kimberworth 2 6.84x
Normanby In 2 14.20x
Pattishall 2 120.48x
Pendleton In Salford 2 2.66x
Send Ripley 2 59.17x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 8.69x
Wellington 2 7.75x
Woburn 2 83.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Sarah 27
Elizabeth 26
Ann 13
Emma 12
Annie 10
Ellen 10
Alice 9
Emily 9
Eliza 8
Harriet 8
Jane 8
Margaret 6
Louisa 5
Ada 4
Charlotte 4
Fanny 4
Frances 4
Hannah 4
Kate 4
Lucy 4
Maria 4
Martha 3
Catherine 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Nellie 2
Rebecca 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsey 1
Eleanor 1
Elimy 1
Eliz. 1
Elizabth. 1
Elizath 1
Emmeline 1
Emmie 1
Gertrude 1
Hariet 1
Harriot 1
Heneritta 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
John 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 37
Thomas 31
John 24
George 20
Joseph 17
James 15
Samuel 13
Henry 12
Charles 10
Frederick 9
Alfred 6
Richard 6
Albert 5
Edward 5
Arthur 4
Edwin 3
Wm. 3
David 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Robert 2
Adam 1
Alf. 1
Alfed 1
Allen 1
Ben 1
Benjamin 1
Charley 1
Clarance 1
Daniel 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Hary 1
J.H.B. 1
Jesse 1
Job 1
Josh. 1
Josiah 1
Labram 1
Lewis 1
Nathan 1
Nathaniel 1
Peter 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Foxley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Foxley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 543 people were recorded with the Foxley surname. That placed it at #6,354 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Foxley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 696 in 2016. That gives Foxley a modern rank of #7,738.

What does the Foxley surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place named Foxley in Norfolk, England.

What does the Foxley map show?

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