NameCensus.

UK surname

Hamley

A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Hamley.

In the 1881 census there were 372 people recorded with the Hamley surname, ranking it #8,399 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 348, ranked #13,233, down from #8,399 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bodmin, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth, Cornwall and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hamley is 577 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.5%.

1881 census count

372

Ranked #8,399

Modern count

348

2016, ranked #13,233

Peak year

1911

577 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hamley had 372 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,399 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 348 in 2016, ranked #13,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 577 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hamley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hamley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hamley 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 320 #7,250
1861 historical 454 #5,705
1881 historical 372 #8,399
1891 historical 478 #7,694
1901 historical 450 #8,700
1911 historical 577 #7,046
1997 modern 405 #10,908
1998 modern 423 #10,899
1999 modern 416 #11,110
2000 modern 425 #10,898
2001 modern 407 #11,079
2002 modern 396 #11,523
2003 modern 376 #11,791
2004 modern 368 #12,001
2005 modern 358 #12,176
2006 modern 353 #12,363
2007 modern 354 #12,489
2008 modern 348 #12,751
2009 modern 364 #12,584
2010 modern 368 #12,750
2011 modern 358 #12,883
2012 modern 339 #13,271
2013 modern 360 #12,890
2014 modern 362 #12,955
2015 modern 355 #13,033
2016 modern 348 #13,233

Geography

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Where Hamleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bodmin, London parishes, Lambeth, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Lanivet. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Plymouth, Cornwall and Swindon. 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 Bodmin Cornwall
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Lanivet Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Plymouth 029 Plymouth
2 Cornwall 027 Cornwall
3 Plymouth 020 Plymouth
4 Plymouth 027 Plymouth
5 Swindon 020 Swindon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hamley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hamley

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

Hamley 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

Hamley falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hamley

The surname Hamley is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "ham" and "leah," which together mean "a meadow or a clearing in a wood." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked on a meadow or a clearing.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Hamley can be found in the 13th century, with variations in spelling such as Hameleye, Hamelye, and Hamelay. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Hameleye, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1279.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1319, which mentioned a John de Hameleye. Another notable reference is the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1327, which listed a Robert de Hamelye.

The Hamley surname was also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, although the spelling varied slightly, appearing as "Hamelai" or "Hameleia." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name, possibly a hamlet or a small village.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Hamley was Sir John Hamley, who lived in the 15th century and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1471. Another prominent figure was Thomas Hamley, born in 1554, who was a renowned English clergyman and author.

In the 17th century, the Hamley family had established themselves in various parts of England, with members recorded in counties such as Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Shropshire. One notable Hamley from this era was William Hamley (1611-1675), a successful merchant and landowner in Yorkshire.

Moving into the 18th century, Sir Benjamin Hamley (1736-1816) was a prominent British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He was knighted for his distinguished service in 1799.

In the 19th century, Sir Edward Bruce Hamley (1824-1893) was a notable British military writer and strategist. He served in the Crimean War and wrote several influential works on military tactics and strategy.

Another individual of note was William George Hamley (1863-1937), a British artist and illustrator known for his depictions of rural life and landscapes. His works were widely exhibited and can be found in several notable collections.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hamley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hamley 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. Cornwall leads with 110 Hamleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.21x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 110 26.21x
Devon 99 12.83x
Middlesex 35 0.94x
Surrey 18 1.00x
Yorkshire 18 0.49x
Gloucestershire 12 1.65x
Warwickshire 11 1.18x
Hampshire 10 1.32x
Lancashire 10 0.23x
Norfolk 9 1.58x
Durham 7 0.63x
Channel Islands 6 5.46x
Cheshire 6 0.73x
Leicestershire 5 1.22x
Monmouthshire 5 1.87x
Dorset 4 1.64x
Glamorgan 3 0.46x
Kent 3 0.24x
Royal Navy 2 4.53x
Somerset 2 0.34x
Berkshire 1 0.36x
Essex 1 0.14x
Lanarkshire 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bodmin in Cornwall leads with 22 Hamleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 317.00x.

Place Total Index
Bodmin 22 317.00x
St Mabyn 22 3384.62x
Stoke Damerel 18 33.33x
Egloshayle 16 812.18x
Beerferris 14 933.33x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 21.87x
Aston 11 4.27x
Lambeth 10 3.09x
St Neot 10 606.06x
East Stonehouse 9 59.21x
Hackney London 9 4.33x
Islington London 9 2.51x
Lifton 9 483.87x
Paddington London 8 5.87x
Settle 8 284.70x
St Columb Minor 8 227.27x
Cirencester 7 71.14x
Ashwater 6 550.46x
Bickleigh 6 789.47x
Camberwell 6 2.53x
Lanivet 6 458.02x
St Austell 6 41.84x
St Sampson 6 121.21x
St Wenn 6 869.57x
Tanfield 6 45.77x
Bedwellty 5 10.57x
Chester St Michael 5 520.83x
Exeter St Sidwell 5 28.30x
Portsea 5 3.36x
Aldershot 4 15.72x
Bradford 4 4.50x
Broadwoodwidger 4 454.55x
Fulham London 4 7.44x
Holsworthy 4 183.49x
Norwich St Giles 4 219.78x
Scalford 4 459.77x
St Clement 4 91.32x
Thrushelton 4 740.74x
Abbotsbury 3 241.94x
Clase 3 12.50x
Clifton In Halifax 3 136.36x
Everton 3 2.14x
Plymouth Charles The 3 8.83x
West Derby 3 2.33x
Winterton 3 300.00x
Bedminster 2 3.57x
Bodmin St Mabyn 2 869.57x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 2 30.21x
Heigham 2 6.54x
Margate St John Baptist 2 8.64x
Royal Navy 2 5.30x
St Marylebone London 2 1.01x
West Teignmouth 2 33.90x
Westminster St James 2 5.25x
Whalley 2 31.20x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.39x
Bristol St Augustine 1 8.53x
Camborne 1 5.78x
Charlton Kings 1 19.88x
Chiswick 1 4.94x
Compton 1 196.08x
Croydon 1 1.00x
Falmouth 1 6.73x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 2.09x
Holy Trinity 1 1.13x
Horfield 1 13.66x
Lawhitton 1 181.82x
Liskeard 1 14.25x
Liverpool 1 0.37x
Madron Penzance 1 6.55x
Melton Mowbray 1 13.53x
Northampton All Sts 1 8.45x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.77x
Preston 1 0.85x
Reading St Giles 1 3.66x
River 1 125.00x
St Columb Major 1 28.74x
St Helens 1 18.12x
St Mary Magdalene 1 32.47x
Tadcaster West 1 34.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 14
Jane 10
Louisa 8
Annie 6
Ellen 5
Emma 5
Alice 4
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Florence 4
Harriet 4
Kate 4
Laura 4
Margaret 4
Sarah 4
Catherine 3
Fanny 3
Grace 3
Agnes 2
Alma 2
Blanche 2
Caroline 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Jessie 2
Lillian 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Constance 1
Drusscilla 1
Eda 1
Edith 1
Elizh. 1
Emily 1
Emina 1
Harriett 1
Heloise 1
Heneretta 1
Henrietta 1
Honor 1
Isabel 1
Joanna 1
Therisa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
William 24
Charles 11
Richard 10
Joseph 9
Thomas 9
Edward 6
George 6
Edwin 5
James 5
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Peter 3
Robert 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Francis 2
Fredric 2
Harry 2
Osbertus 2
Christopher 1
Elizabeth 1
Emanuel 1
Ermle 1
Fily 1
Fred 1
Fred.S. 1
Freddy 1
Frederic 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Irwin 1
Lewis 1
Lot 1
Louie 1
Marwood 1
Matthew 1
Maxwell 1
Nicholas 1
Parmenas 1
Phillip 1
Randleson 1
Rasleigh 1
Samson 1
Samuel 1
Stanley 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Hamley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hamley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 372 people were recorded with the Hamley surname. That placed it at #8,399 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hamley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 348 in 2016. That gives Hamley a modern rank of #13,233.

What does the Hamley surname mean?

A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Hamley.

What does the Hamley map show?

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