NameCensus.

UK surname

Hatley

Derived from a place name meaning "heather-covered clearing" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 408 people recorded with the Hatley surname, ranking it #7,852 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 388, ranked #12,133, down from #7,852 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochford, Lewes and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hatley is 509 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.9%.

1881 census count

408

Ranked #7,852

Modern count

388

2016, ranked #12,133

Peak year

1891

509 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hatley had 408 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,852 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 388 in 2016, ranked #12,133.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 509 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hatley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hatley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hatley 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 305 #7,542
1861 historical 296 #8,532
1881 historical 408 #7,852
1891 historical 509 #7,323
1901 historical 509 #7,954
1911 historical 494 #7,886
1997 modern 406 #10,889
1998 modern 423 #10,899
1999 modern 416 #11,110
2000 modern 399 #11,422
2001 modern 389 #11,439
2002 modern 394 #11,561
2003 modern 373 #11,857
2004 modern 383 #11,650
2005 modern 384 #11,538
2006 modern 396 #11,338
2007 modern 393 #11,526
2008 modern 405 #11,351
2009 modern 410 #11,503
2010 modern 414 #11,673
2011 modern 396 #11,943
2012 modern 387 #12,015
2013 modern 393 #12,085
2014 modern 396 #12,100
2015 modern 395 #12,015
2016 modern 388 #12,133

Geography

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Where Hatleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Wood Ditton and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochford, Lewes, East Cambridgeshire, Mole Valley and Hambleton. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wood Ditton Cambridgeshire
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochford 010 Rochford
2 Lewes 002 Lewes
3 East Cambridgeshire 009 East Cambridgeshire
4 Mole Valley 005 Mole Valley
5 Hambleton 004 Hambleton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hatley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hatley

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Hatley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hatley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hatley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hatley 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

Hatley falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hatley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hatley

The surname Hatley is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "hætt" and "leah," which together mean "clearing or meadow where hats were made." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who lived near or worked in an area where hats were produced.

The earliest known record of the name Hatley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hateleia." This entry refers to a place in Bedfordshire, England, which was likely the original location associated with the surname. Over time, the name evolved into its modern spelling, Hatley.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Hatley was William Hatley, who was born in Cambridgeshire, England, around 1325. He was a landowner and is mentioned in several historical documents from the 14th century.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Hatley was John Hatley (c. 1510-1578), an English lawyer and member of the House of Commons. He served as a Member of Parliament for Stamford during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable individual was Sir Christopher Hatley (1623-1691), an English politician and judge who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1677 to 1687. He played a significant role in the legal and political affairs of Ireland during the reigns of Charles II and James II.

In the 18th century, Thomas Hatley (1718-1789) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Nottingham and the Mansion House in Doncaster.

The surname Hatley has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Hatley St. George and Hatley Cockayne, both villages in Bedfordshire. These place names likely originated from the Old English words that gave rise to the surname itself.

While the surname Hatley is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history that dates back to medieval times and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including law, politics, and architecture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hatley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hatley 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 92 Hatleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.68x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 92 36.68x
Middlesex 76 1.92x
Essex 36 4.61x
Surrey 31 1.61x
Northumberland 30 5.09x
Staffordshire 29 2.17x
Hampshire 15 1.85x
Yorkshire 14 0.36x
Durham 13 1.10x
Hertfordshire 8 2.93x
Kent 8 0.59x
Lancashire 8 0.17x
Midlothian 8 1.51x
Warwickshire 8 0.80x
Suffolk 7 1.45x
Buckinghamshire 5 2.09x
Berwickshire 3 6.26x
Roxburghshire 3 4.18x
West Lothian 3 5.03x
Bedfordshire 1 0.49x
Lanarkshire 1 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 1 1.10x
Norfolk 1 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.19x
Oxfordshire 1 0.41x
Royal Navy 1 2.12x
Sussex 1 0.15x
Wiltshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wood Ditton in Cambridgeshire leads with 25 Hatleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1190.48x.

Place Total Index
Wood Ditton 25 1190.48x
Shoreditch London 18 10.49x
Walsall Foreign 16 23.17x
Bermondsey 14 11.87x
Maldon St Peter 14 351.76x
St Pancras London 12 3.76x
Bottisham 11 514.02x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 11 31.26x
Swaffham Prior 10 909.09x
Horseheath 9 1216.22x
Leeds 9 4.06x
Wednesbury 9 26.94x
Aston 8 2.91x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 3.75x
Lesbury 8 615.38x
Swaffham Bulbeck 8 792.08x
Bethnal Green London 7 4.07x
Felstead 7 261.19x
Newmarket St Mary 7 189.19x
Botley 6 410.96x
Bushey 6 92.31x
Cherry Hinton 6 508.47x
Cottenham 6 180.18x
Croydon 6 5.60x
Ealing 6 16.95x
Hammersmith London 6 6.15x
Haslingfield 6 588.24x
South Stoneham 5 28.39x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 29.15x
Stoke Poges 5 171.23x
Greenwich 4 6.35x
Monkwearmouth 4 35.46x
Portsea 4 2.51x
Richmond 4 14.79x
St Botolph Aldgate London 4 49.02x
St Giles In Fields London 4 20.59x
Duxford 3 285.71x
Elswick 3 6.38x
Esh 3 35.01x
Haswell 3 35.55x
Kelso 3 41.96x
Linlithgow 3 39.22x
Newmarket All Sts 3 162.16x
St Giles 3 40.82x
St Stephen Coleman Street 3 215.83x
Swinton 3 229.01x
Tweedmouth 3 40.82x
Woodford 3 33.90x
Accrington 2 4.68x
Chelmsford 2 14.91x
Clapham 2 4.04x
Dewsbury 2 4.97x
Easington 2 952.38x
Halstead 2 21.93x
Kensington London 2 0.91x
Knebworth 2 571.43x
Maldon St Marys 2 106.95x
Mile End Old Town London 2 2.37x
North Shields 2 17.01x
Rainham 2 53.91x
Walthamstow 2 7.11x
Willenhall 2 7.99x
Bawdeswell 1 163.93x
Bedford St Paul 1 7.11x
Brewood 1 25.97x
Chelsea London 1 0.84x
Dorking 1 7.72x
Elton 1 6.16x
Everton 1 0.67x
Lambeth 1 0.29x
Maldon All Sts 1 64.52x
Manchester 1 0.47x
Royal Navy 1 2.48x
Salford 1 0.72x
Soham 1 18.52x
St Andrewthe Less 1 3.49x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 1 17.83x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.43x
Waterbeach 1 48.78x
Writtle 1 31.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 29
Henry 21
John 14
James 13
Charles 10
Thomas 9
Frederick 7
Alfred 6
Edward 6
George 6
Joseph 6
Arthur 5
Richard 5
Robert 4
Walter 4
Andrew 3
Herbert 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Josiah 2
Morris 2
Alexander 1
Ambrose 1
Archbold 1
Bernard 1
Birtie 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Felix 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Harvey 1
Hubert 1
Jack 1
Lewis 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Norris 1
Reuben 1
Robt. 1
Robt.Geo. 1
Scott 1
Simeon 1
Stephen 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hatley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hatley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 408 people were recorded with the Hatley surname. That placed it at #7,852 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hatley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 388 in 2016. That gives Hatley a modern rank of #12,133.

What does the Hatley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "heather-covered clearing" in Old English.

What does the Hatley map show?

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