NameCensus.

UK surname

Hammersley

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "clearing on high ground or hill" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 941 people recorded with the Hammersley surname, ranking it #4,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,503, ranked #4,116, down from #4,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bedworth, Leek and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Flintshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Lichfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hammersley is 1,642 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.7%.

1881 census count

941

Ranked #4,097

Modern count

1,503

2016, ranked #4,116

Peak year

2002

1,642 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hammersley had 941 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,503 in 2016, ranked #4,116.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,421 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hammersley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hammersley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hammersley 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 622 #4,153
1861 historical 726 #3,748
1881 historical 941 #4,097
1891 historical 1,159 #3,687
1901 historical 1,345 #3,725
1911 historical 1,421 #3,397
1997 modern 1,386 #4,172
1998 modern 1,596 #3,851
1999 modern 1,611 #3,846
2000 modern 1,632 #3,782
2001 modern 1,606 #3,765
2002 modern 1,642 #3,749
2003 modern 1,579 #3,816
2004 modern 1,588 #3,807
2005 modern 1,545 #3,855
2006 modern 1,543 #3,850
2007 modern 1,552 #3,868
2008 modern 1,539 #3,924
2009 modern 1,572 #3,935
2010 modern 1,600 #3,949
2011 modern 1,578 #3,961
2012 modern 1,535 #3,996
2013 modern 1,541 #4,051
2014 modern 1,543 #4,078
2015 modern 1,504 #4,126
2016 modern 1,503 #4,116

Geography

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Where Hammersleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bedworth, Leek, London parishes, Manchester and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Flintshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Lichfield, Derbyshire Dales and Nuneaton and Bedworth. 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 Bedworth Warwickshire
2 Leek Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Flintshire 016 Flintshire
2 Stoke-on-Trent 031 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Lichfield 003 Lichfield
4 Derbyshire Dales 008 Derbyshire Dales
5 Nuneaton and Bedworth 015 Nuneaton and Bedworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hammersley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hammersley

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hammersley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hammersley is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hammersley

The surname Hammersley traces its roots back to England, originating in the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from one of the numerous places named Hammersley or Hammersley Green, which were found in various counties across England, including Staffordshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire.

The name itself is a compound of two Old English words – "hamer," meaning a hammer or hammerman, and "leah," referring to a meadow or clearing in a forest. This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have been associated with an area where hammers were forged or used, likely a settlement near a forge or metalworking site.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Hammersley can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire, dated 1332, which mention a Thomas de Hammersley. Another early record is found in the Feet of Fines for Staffordshire in 1368, where a John de Hamersleye is mentioned.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various spellings, such as Hammersley, Hamersly, and Hamersley, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling during that time. John Hammersley, born around 1530 in Lancashire, is recorded as one of the earliest known individuals bearing this surname.

The Hammersley name has been associated with notable individuals throughout history. William Hammersley (1642-1718) was an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Puttenham in Surrey. Thomas Hammersley (1747-1824) was a renowned English engineer and inventor, best known for his contributions to the development of the spinning mule, a crucial advancement in the textile industry during the Industrial Revolution.

Another notable figure was Sir Hugh Hammersley (1839-1923), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of British Guiana (now Guyana) from 1900 to 1904. Additionally, Arthur Hammersley (1892-1957) was a British mathematician and statistical scientist who made significant contributions to the fields of probability theory and stochastic processes.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Hammersley surname was Thomas Hammersley, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. Over time, the name spread across various regions of the country, with notable individuals such as John Hammersley (1920-2004), an American mathematician and computer scientist known for his contributions to the field of Monte Carlo methods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hammersley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hammersley 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. Staffordshire leads with 379 Hammersleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.22x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 379 12.22x
Lancashire 106 0.97x
Warwickshire 95 4.10x
Middlesex 90 0.98x
Cheshire 60 2.96x
Surrey 34 0.76x
Leicestershire 29 2.85x
Derbyshire 28 1.95x
Nottinghamshire 20 1.61x
Suffolk 20 1.79x
Kent 15 0.48x
Yorkshire 11 0.12x
Durham 8 0.29x
Essex 7 0.39x
Shropshire 7 0.88x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.08x
Hampshire 6 0.32x
Northamptonshire 5 0.58x
Berkshire 3 0.43x
Gloucestershire 3 0.17x
Dorset 2 0.33x
Lincolnshire 2 0.14x
Channel Islands 1 0.37x
Hertfordshire 1 0.16x
Monmouthshire 1 0.15x
Northumberland 1 0.07x
Oxfordshire 1 0.18x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 106 Hammersleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.23x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 106 32.23x
Leek Lowe 39 94.50x
Stone 34 85.71x
Manchester 31 6.32x
Bedworth 27 159.67x
Trentham 24 90.98x
Burslem 23 25.89x
Alton 19 568.86x
Foleshill 19 77.93x
Aston 15 2.35x
Islington London 15 1.68x
Leicester St Margaret 15 6.04x
Caverswall 14 86.85x
Coventry St Michael 14 18.81x
Stafford St Mary 14 31.88x
Lambeth 13 1.62x
Congleton 12 34.24x
Shoreditch London 12 3.01x
Birmingham 11 1.42x
Hurdsfield 11 88.14x
Nantwich 11 46.67x
Salford 11 3.43x
Lowestoft 10 18.91x
Newcastle Under Lyme 10 18.22x
Bilston 9 14.97x
Deptford St Paul 9 3.72x
Withington 9 25.63x
Cheetham 8 9.84x
Darlington 8 7.58x
Draycott In Moors 8 625.00x
Heap 8 13.83x
Kensington London 8 1.57x
Mile End Old Town London 8 4.09x
St Pancras London 8 1.08x
Titteworth 8 168.07x
Litchurch 7 12.09x
Poplar London 7 4.04x
Sedgley 7 6.08x
Snenton 7 14.39x
West Ham 7 1.75x
Willaston In Nantwich 7 111.82x
Leicester All Sts 6 29.99x
North Rode 6 722.89x
Stony Stratford East 6 262.01x
Wednesfield 6 13.14x
Wolstanton 6 6.37x
Ardwick 5 5.08x
Ash Normandy 5 82.24x
Atherton 5 12.60x
Beeston 5 35.14x
Beswick 5 17.93x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.25x
Bradley 5 574.71x
Derby St Werburgh 5 6.02x
Dilhorne 5 96.90x
Floore 5 154.32x
Gedding 5 1562.50x
Lewisham 5 2.99x
Longdon 5 116.28x
Ludworth 5 73.75x
Macclesfield 5 5.55x
Oldham 5 1.42x
St Luke London 5 3.39x
Uttoxeter 5 31.49x
Basford 4 7.01x
Battersea 4 1.18x
Bury 4 3.21x
Hammersmith London 4 1.77x
Moss Side 4 6.97x
Newington 4 1.18x
Nottingham St Mary 4 1.25x
Nuneaton 4 14.90x
Rowley Regis 4 4.63x
Shrewsbury St Mary 4 12.77x
Chelsea London 3 1.08x
Leek Frith 3 116.28x
Maer 3 241.94x
Norton Juxta Twycross 3 241.94x
Saddleworth 3 4.27x
Westbury On Trym 3 4.91x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 62
John 49
Thomas 37
Joseph 33
George 27
James 22
Henry 17
Charles 16
Samuel 15
Frederick 12
Alfred 10
Robert 10
Albert 8
Walter 8
Harry 7
Arthur 6
David 5
Edward 5
Edwin 5
Isaac 4
Ralph 4
Richard 4
Thos. 4
Francis 3
Frank 3
Fredrick 3
Wm. 3
Abram 2
Benjamin 2
Ernest 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Hugh 2
Jabez 2
Jacob 2
Job 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Reuben 2
Titus 2
Tom 2
Ambrose 1
Bernard 1
Bertie 1
C.J. 1
Elijah 1
Elisha 1
Ephraim 1
Forrest 1
J.W.Johnson 1

FAQ

Hammersley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hammersley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 941 people were recorded with the Hammersley surname. That placed it at #4,097 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hammersley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,503 in 2016. That gives Hammersley a modern rank of #4,116.

What does the Hammersley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "clearing on high ground or hill" in Old English.

What does the Hammersley map show?

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