NameCensus.

UK surname

Halley

Derived from a place name meaning "hay clearing" or "hay wood" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 1,124 people recorded with the Halley surname, ranking it #3,548 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,074, ranked #5,440, down from #3,548 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans, Cupar Central and Wemyss.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Halley is 1,212 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.4%.

1881 census count

1,124

Ranked #3,548

Modern count

1,074

2016, ranked #5,440

Peak year

1901

1,212 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Halley had 1,124 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,548 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,074 in 2016, ranked #5,440.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,212 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Halley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Halley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Halley 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 834 #3,247
1861 historical 1,049 #2,672
1881 historical 1,124 #3,548
1891 historical 1,131 #3,759
1901 historical 1,212 #4,066
1911 historical 539 #7,400
1997 modern 1,060 #5,235
1998 modern 1,098 #5,273
1999 modern 1,097 #5,292
2000 modern 1,087 #5,315
2001 modern 1,046 #5,382
2002 modern 1,083 #5,342
2003 modern 1,044 #5,402
2004 modern 1,024 #5,495
2005 modern 998 #5,562
2006 modern 1,010 #5,519
2007 modern 1,028 #5,485
2008 modern 1,042 #5,459
2009 modern 1,056 #5,521
2010 modern 1,079 #5,521
2011 modern 1,081 #5,456
2012 modern 1,034 #5,584
2013 modern 1,071 #5,505
2014 modern 1,071 #5,537
2015 modern 1,070 #5,477
2016 modern 1,074 #5,440

Geography

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Where Halleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Crieff and Perth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans, Cupar Central, Wemyss, Chiltern and Sunderland. 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 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Crieff Perth
5 Perth Perth

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans Perth and Kinross
2 Cupar Central Fife
3 Wemyss Fife
4 Chiltern 007 Chiltern
5 Sunderland 027 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Halley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Halley

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Halley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Halley is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Halley falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Halley 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 Halley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Halley

The surname Halley is of English origin and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "halh" or "halig", which means "holy". It is thought to have initially been a topographic name for someone who lived near a holy place, such as a church or a sacred site.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 12th century, with mentions in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk and the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire. These early records often show variations in spelling, such as "Hali", "Halie", and "Haly".

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a place called "Halla" is mentioned, which could be related to the name's origin. Additionally, there are several place names in England that may have contributed to the surname, such as Halley in Buckinghamshire and Halle in Lincolnshire.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Halley was the English astronomer Edmond Halley (1656-1742), best known for his work on the comet that bears his name, Halley's Comet. Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Henry Halley (1828-1904), a British naval officer and colonial administrator.

Other historical figures with the Halley surname include William Halley (c. 1495-1554), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake during the reign of Queen Mary I, and Robert Halley (1796-1876), an English physician and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of zoology.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the Halley surname was John Halley, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. Another early bearer of the name was Samuel Halley, who settled in Barbados in 1678.

Throughout history, the Halley surname has been associated with various professions, including astronomy, naval service, medicine, and religion, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have borne this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Halley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Halley 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. Perthshire leads with 177 Halleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.94x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 177 35.94x
Lanarkshire 139 3.92x
Middlesex 136 1.24x
Lancashire 81 0.62x
Midlothian 79 5.37x
Fife 73 11.24x
Angus 59 5.80x
Warwickshire 38 1.37x
Stirlingshire 27 6.67x
Yorkshire 27 0.25x
Clackmannanshire 24 26.48x
Durham 22 0.67x
Surrey 22 0.41x
Hampshire 21 0.93x
Essex 20 0.92x
Dunbartonshire 19 6.44x
Gloucestershire 19 0.88x
Aberdeenshire 14 1.38x
Ayrshire 12 1.46x
Cheshire 12 0.50x
Sussex 11 0.59x
Roxburghshire 9 4.53x
Denbighshire 8 1.93x
Renfrewshire 8 0.94x
Berkshire 7 0.85x
Northamptonshire 7 0.68x
West Lothian 7 4.24x
Devon 6 0.26x
Hertfordshire 6 0.79x
Northumberland 6 0.37x
Dorset 5 0.69x
Lincolnshire 5 0.29x
Kinross-shire 4 14.42x
Kent 3 0.08x
Staffordshire 3 0.08x
Selkirkshire 2 2.01x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.14x
Channel Islands 1 0.31x
Cornwall 1 0.08x
Inverness-shire 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 0.76x
Somerset 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Perth East Church in Perthshire leads with 37 Halleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 79.67x.

Place Total Index
Perth East Church 37 79.67x
Crieff 31 169.21x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 31 5.24x
Barony 26 2.89x
Glasgow 25 3.97x
Perth Middle Church 25 134.99x
Liff Benvie 24 15.55x
Birmingham 23 2.49x
Dundee 23 6.06x
Avondale 21 101.20x
Perth St Pauls 20 175.44x
Govan 19 2.16x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 17 12.02x
Dalserf 16 45.17x
Kennoway 16 270.73x
Aston 15 1.97x
Bethnal Green London 15 3.15x
Islington London 15 1.41x
St Pancras London 15 1.70x
Oldham 14 3.33x
Salford 14 3.66x
Aberdeen Old Machar 13 6.13x
Dollar 13 138.45x
Dunfermline 13 13.01x
St Marylebone London 13 2.22x
Abernethy 11 171.07x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 11 31.63x
Forgan 11 88.35x
Kilmarnock 11 11.25x
Saddleworth 11 13.11x
Shoreditch London 11 2.31x
South Leith 11 6.65x
Southampton St Mary 11 7.78x
Balfron 10 200.00x
Camberwell 10 1.43x
Hackney London 10 1.63x
Larbert 10 41.32x
Perth West Church 10 42.79x
Inveresk 9 22.61x
Kensington London 9 1.48x
Lanark 9 31.51x
Muthill 9 139.97x
West Ham 9 1.88x
Wigan 9 4.95x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 3.95x
Dysart 8 18.29x
Forgandenny 8 338.98x
Hulme 8 2.94x
Ratcliffe London 8 13.20x
Row 8 20.97x
Broughton In Salford 7 5.88x
Clackmannan 7 40.86x
Hawick 7 15.73x
Lambeth 7 0.73x
Llanfwrog 7 137.80x
Manchester 7 1.20x
Maryhill 7 10.07x
New Monkland 7 6.67x
Newbury 7 26.53x
Romford 7 20.44x
Stroud 7 16.71x
Torphichen 7 121.74x
Aldershot 6 7.96x
Bolney 6 199.34x
Cheshunt 6 22.69x
Longbenton 6 8.68x
Old Kilpatrick 6 17.22x
Aberdour 5 76.45x
Arundel 5 48.26x
Bradford 5 8.20x
Cadder 5 19.08x
Dallington 5 82.37x
Dawdon 5 12.45x
Kincardine 5 98.43x
Monifieth 5 13.92x
Whitechapel London 5 4.62x
Dunipace 4 56.50x
Monks Coppenhall 4 4.38x
North Leith 4 5.88x
St Anne Soho London 4 6.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 16
Sarah 14
Ann 13
Catherine 8
Annie 7
Isabella 7
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Margaret 6
Eliza 5
Harriet 5
Jane 5
Caroline 4
Emily 4
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Charlotte 3
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Louisa 3
Eleanor 2
Ethel 2
Gertrude 2
Jemima 2
May 2
Pheobe 2
Anna 1
Bridget 1
Cath 1
E. 1
Elizabryh 1
Elizh. 1
Emmeline 1
Henry 1
Issabella 1
Jessie 1
Johanne 1
Joyce 1
K. 1
Kate 1
Layce 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
James 27
William 26
Thomas 16
George 14
Henry 13
Charles 8
Joseph 8
Arthur 6
Peter 6
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Robert 5
David 4
Edward 4
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Samuel 3
Tom 3
W. 3
Walter 3
Alexander 2
Edwd. 2
Fred 2
Patrick 2
Richard 2
Allen 1
Archibald 1
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Edwd.Alfd. 1
Edwin 1
Elkanah 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Hubert 1
Hy. 1
Lawrance 1
Lawrence 1
Leslie 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Michael 1
Micheal 1
Reginald 1
Ronald 1
Wm.Marshall 1

FAQ

Halley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Halley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,124 people were recorded with the Halley surname. That placed it at #3,548 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Halley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,074 in 2016. That gives Halley a modern rank of #5,440.

What does the Halley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "hay clearing" or "hay wood" in Old English.

What does the Halley map show?

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