NameCensus.

UK surname

Gatley

A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Gatley, formerly spelled Gatelegh.

In the 1881 census there were 512 people recorded with the Gatley surname, ranking it #6,654 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 410, ranked #11,674, down from #6,654 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, St Columb Major and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockton-on-Tees, Warrington and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gatley is 605 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 19.9%.

1881 census count

512

Ranked #6,654

Modern count

410

2016, ranked #11,674

Peak year

1901

605 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gatley had 512 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,654 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 410 in 2016, ranked #11,674.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 605 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Gatley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gatley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gatley 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 332 #7,031
1861 historical 254 #9,741
1881 historical 512 #6,654
1891 historical 509 #7,323
1901 historical 605 #7,027
1911 historical 578 #7,032
1997 modern 431 #10,410
1998 modern 449 #10,428
1999 modern 438 #10,695
2000 modern 448 #10,477
2001 modern 443 #10,371
2002 modern 461 #10,228
2003 modern 450 #10,293
2004 modern 432 #10,658
2005 modern 432 #10,531
2006 modern 440 #10,435
2007 modern 445 #10,428
2008 modern 436 #10,710
2009 modern 440 #10,888
2010 modern 448 #10,947
2011 modern 425 #11,285
2012 modern 409 #11,547
2013 modern 408 #11,740
2014 modern 402 #11,949
2015 modern 403 #11,835
2016 modern 410 #11,674

Geography

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Where Gatleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, St Columb Major, Eccles, Manchester and Bowdon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockton-on-Tees, Warrington and Oldham. 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 St Columb Major Cornwall
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Bowdon Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockton-on-Tees 003 Stockton-on-Tees
2 Stockton-on-Tees 002 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Warrington 012 Warrington
4 Oldham 018 Oldham
5 Warrington 023 Warrington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gatley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gatley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gatley, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Gatley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gatley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gatley 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

Gatley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gatley

The surname Gatley is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "geat" meaning "gate" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a gate or clearing in a wooded area.

The earliest known records of the Gatley surname appear in the Cheshire county of England, particularly around the town of Gatley, which likely gave rise to the name. The name is also found in various old manuscripts and records from the 13th and 14th centuries, though the exact spellings varied, such as Gatelegh, Gateleye, and Gatelie.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Gatley surname was John de Gateleye, who was mentioned in the Cheshire County Court Rolls in 1286. Another early record is of Richard de Gatelegh, who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1324.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Gatley surname began to spread more widely across England. Notable individuals from this period include William Gatley, a merchant from London who was born in 1543, and John Gatley, a landowner from Warwickshire who lived from 1604 to 1672.

In the 18th century, the Gatley surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with records indicating families in counties such as Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Staffordshire. One notable individual from this time was Samuel Gatley, a prominent businessman and landowner from Lancashire who lived from 1725 to 1798.

As the British Empire expanded in the 19th century, the Gatley surname began to appear in various colonies and territories around the world. For example, Thomas Gatley, born in 1817, was a successful merchant and trader who operated in India and the East Indies.

Throughout its history, the Gatley surname has been associated with various occupations, from merchants and landowners to tradesmen and professionals. While not a particularly common name, it has left its mark on the historical record and continues to be found in various parts of the English-speaking world today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gatley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gatley 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 198 Gatleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.85x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 198 17.85x
Lancashire 153 2.57x
Cornwall 88 15.47x
Yorkshire 24 0.48x
Kent 11 0.64x
Middlesex 7 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.89x
Staffordshire 6 0.35x
Worcestershire 6 0.91x
Isle of Man 3 3.22x
Devon 1 0.10x
Durham 1 0.07x
Essex 1 0.10x
Glamorgan 1 0.11x
Gloucestershire 1 0.10x
Lanarkshire 1 0.06x
Midlothian 1 0.15x
Norfolk 1 0.13x
Northumberland 1 0.13x
Shropshire 1 0.23x
Sussex 1 0.12x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x
Wiltshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Columb Major in Cornwall leads with 27 Gatleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 572.03x.

Place Total Index
St Columb Major 27 572.03x
Hale 26 680.63x
Runcorn 23 89.95x
Manchester 21 7.83x
Salford 20 11.41x
Timperley 20 518.13x
Macclesfield 16 32.46x
Woolston With 16 1839.08x
Kenwyn 13 87.42x
Kimberworth 13 47.05x
Pendleton In Salford 12 16.90x
Dukinfield 11 21.47x
Stoke Climsland 11 303.03x
Barton Upon Irwell 10 22.29x
Bollington In 10 101.32x
Brinnington 10 96.53x
Ardwick 9 16.74x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 8.45x
Great Budworth 8 406.09x
Peover Superior 8 761.90x
Pownall Fee 8 161.29x
Stretford 8 24.39x
Hyde 7 21.39x
St Blazey 7 140.28x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 4.61x
Beswick 6 39.37x
Bromsgrove 6 27.17x
Broughton In Salford 6 11.01x
Cheadle 6 28.33x
Nottingham St Mary 6 3.43x
St Erme 6 689.66x
Bredbury 5 77.88x
Brightside Bierlow 5 5.12x
Folkestone 5 15.04x
St Agnes 5 62.74x
St Breock 5 162.87x
Worsley 5 13.61x
Altrincham 4 20.64x
Barnton 4 150.94x
Bodmin St Mabyn 4 1250.00x
Gwennap 4 37.28x
Lewisham 4 4.38x
Middleton In Oldham 4 22.38x
Sutton In Macclesfield 4 34.75x
Walsall Borough 4 30.40x
Warrington 4 5.66x
Chiswick 3 10.93x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 2.96x
Fulshaw 3 147.06x
North Meols 3 5.14x
Onchan 3 11.16x
Stayley 3 23.66x
Stockport 3 5.26x
Widnes 3 6.98x
Wincham 3 147.06x
Aston By Budworth 2 256.41x
Frodsham 2 46.51x
Frodsham Lordship 2 106.38x
Hulme 2 1.61x
Lymm 2 24.81x
Marston 2 118.34x
Oldham 2 1.04x
Perranzabuloe 2 40.73x
All Hallows Staining 1 312.50x
Barony 1 0.24x
Crowley 1 294.12x
Failsworth 1 7.33x
Falmouth 1 4.97x
Hammersmith London 1 0.81x
Hampstead London 1 1.28x
Hurdsfield 1 14.66x
Maidstone 1 1.96x
Milverton 1 26.95x
Nether Hallam 1 1.48x
Newlyn 1 41.15x
Pinner 1 22.73x
St Kew 1 52.91x
Ticehurst 1 19.31x
Tonge 1 7.99x
Westleigh 1 7.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 49
Elizabeth 24
Sarah 18
Martha 12
Annie 11
Ann 10
Jane 10
Alice 8
Margaret 8
Ellen 6
Emma 6
Ada 4
Eliza 4
Florence 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Maria 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Betsey 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Margeret 2
Rose 2
Susannah 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Clarnide 1
Dora 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Jane 1
Hellen 1
Infant 1
J.T.Lloyd 1
Janey 1
Jessie 1
Jessy 1
Tryphena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
William 28
James 23
Thomas 20
Charles 8
Edward 8
George 8
Joseph 8
Henry 7
Richard 7
Peter 6
Robert 6
Alfred 4
Josiah 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Martin 3
Thos. 3
Albert 2
Chas. 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Nathaniel 2
Patrick 2
Simon 2
Willie 2
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Ellis 1
Frances 1
Hamblett 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
J.Pilkington 1
Jno.Arthur 1
Joe 1
Laurence 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Michael 1
Mickey 1
Nowell 1
Owen 1
Willm.James 1

FAQ

Gatley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gatley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 512 people were recorded with the Gatley surname. That placed it at #6,654 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gatley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 410 in 2016. That gives Gatley a modern rank of #11,674.

What does the Gatley surname mean?

A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Gatley, formerly spelled Gatelegh.

What does the Gatley map show?

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