NameCensus.

UK surname

Graley

A variant of the English surname Greeley, meaning someone from a gree (grassy area).

In the 1881 census there were 126 people recorded with the Graley surname, ranking it #17,245 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 201, ranked #19,525, down from #17,245 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Kirklees and Nottingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Graley is 201 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.5%.

1881 census count

126

Ranked #17,245

Modern count

201

2016, ranked #19,525

Peak year

2016

201 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Graley had 126 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,245 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016, ranked #19,525.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 154 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Graley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Graley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Graley 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 46 #24,985
1861 historical 89 #22,419
1881 historical 126 #17,245
1891 historical 130 #20,173
1901 historical 153 #17,844
1911 historical 154 #17,553
1997 modern 188 #18,324
1998 modern 185 #18,973
1999 modern 191 #18,744
2000 modern 188 #18,916
2001 modern 185 #18,840
2002 modern 188 #19,012
2003 modern 183 #19,152
2004 modern 180 #19,424
2005 modern 180 #19,395
2006 modern 176 #19,787
2007 modern 174 #20,166
2008 modern 185 #19,589
2009 modern 194 #19,398
2010 modern 197 #19,640
2011 modern 192 #19,797
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 197 #19,725
2014 modern 200 #19,713
2015 modern 197 #19,774
2016 modern 201 #19,525

Geography

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Where Graleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford, Liverpool and Walsall. 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, Nottingham, Cheshire East and Stroud. 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 3
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
2 Kirklees 022 Kirklees
3 Nottingham 005 Nottingham
4 Cheshire East 036 Cheshire East
5 Stroud 007 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Graley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Graley

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Graley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Graley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Graley 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

Graley is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Graley 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 Graley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Graley

The surname GRALEY has its origins in England, with records dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called "Grayley" or "Grelley" in the county of Hampshire. The name may have originated from the Old English words "græg" meaning "grey" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing," suggesting that the original bearers of the name may have resided near a grey-colored woodland area.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Greleia." This important historical record provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "de Grayley," "de Grelley," and "Greyley." These variations reflect the influence of Norman French and the evolution of English spelling over time. The addition of the "de" prefix was a common practice during this period, indicating the place of origin or residence of the family.

Notable bearers of the GRALEY surname include Sir Thomas Grelley, a prominent English knight who lived during the reign of King Henry III in the 13th century. He was known for his military service and his role in the Battle of Evesham in 1265.

In the 14th century, the surname was also found in the records of the Hundred Rolls, a series of administrative documents that recorded landholdings and taxpayers in England. This suggests that the GRALEY family had established itself as landowners and prominent members of their local communities.

Another historical figure with the GRALEY surname was John Grelley, who was born in the late 15th century and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1518. His tenure as the city's leader marked a significant period in the history of London's governance and civic affairs.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the GRALEY surname spread throughout England, with records appearing in various counties such as Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Gloucestershire. This geographical dispersal was likely influenced by migration patterns and the establishment of new branches of the family in different regions.

One notable member of the GRALEY family from this period was William Graley, a prominent merchant and ship owner from Bristol, England, who lived in the late 17th century. His trading ventures and maritime activities contributed to the city's economic prosperity during that time.

As the centuries progressed, the GRALEY surname continued to be carried by individuals who made significant contributions in various fields, including literature, academia, and politics, further enriching the family's legacy and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Graley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Graley 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 40 Graleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.74x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 40 2.74x
Staffordshire 16 3.86x
Warwickshire 16 5.16x
Yorkshire 15 1.23x
Kent 11 2.62x
Derbyshire 7 3.64x
Nottinghamshire 7 4.23x
Middlesex 6 0.49x
Surrey 3 0.50x
Worcestershire 2 1.25x
Cheshire 1 0.37x
Leicestershire 1 0.73x
Shropshire 1 0.94x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 12 Graleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.62x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 12 11.62x
Eccleston In Prescot 12 163.93x
Deptford St Paul 10 30.92x
Walsall Foreign 8 37.33x
Great Sankey 7 2592.59x
Nottingham St Mary 7 16.34x
Islington London 6 5.04x
Leeds 6 8.72x
Wolverhampton 6 18.81x
Manchester 5 7.62x
Wardleworth 5 60.02x
West Derby 5 11.72x
Aston 4 4.69x
Rainford 4 253.16x
Hunslet 3 15.80x
Whittington 3 112.78x
Croydon 2 6.02x
Derby All Sts 2 124.22x
Kidderminster Borough 2 21.30x
Sheffield 2 5.16x
Brotton 1 62.89x
Cleobury Mortimer 1 149.25x
Derby St Michael 1 250.00x
Dover Castle 1 333.33x
Handsworth 1 9.78x
Higher Bebington 1 57.47x
Hipperholme Cum 1 18.69x
Horton In Bradford 1 5.26x
Mark Eaton 1 344.83x
Middlesbrough 1 6.31x
Stapleford 1 2000.00x
Stoke 1 35.34x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 2.27x
Wigan 1 4.91x
Windle 1 12.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Bridget 5
Ann 4
Catherine 4
Elizabeth 4
Hannah 4
Margaret 3
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Caroline 1
Cecelia 1
Celia 1
Ellen 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Rossey 1
Sarah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
James 9
Thomas 9
Patrick 5
Michael 4
George 3
Martin 3
William 3
Edward 2
Albert 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Austin 1
Darly 1
Henry 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Graley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Graley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 126 people were recorded with the Graley surname. That placed it at #17,245 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Graley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016. That gives Graley a modern rank of #19,525.

What does the Graley surname mean?

A variant of the English surname Greeley, meaning someone from a gree (grassy area).

What does the Graley map show?

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