NameCensus.

UK surname

Hayley

Derived from Old English 'haeg-leah', meaning a meadow or clearing surrounded by hedges.

In the 1881 census there were 295 people recorded with the Hayley surname, ranking it #9,842 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 285, ranked #15,286, down from #9,842 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Shropshire and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hayley is 398 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.4%.

1881 census count

295

Ranked #9,842

Modern count

285

2016, ranked #15,286

Peak year

1861

398 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hayley had 295 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,842 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 285 in 2016, ranked #15,286.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 398 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hayley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hayley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hayley 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 238 #9,120
1861 historical 398 #6,441
1881 historical 295 #9,842
1891 historical 240 #13,123
1901 historical 261 #12,775
1911 historical 261 #12,526
1997 modern 279 #14,175
1998 modern 291 #14,155
1999 modern 299 #14,000
2000 modern 284 #14,457
2001 modern 263 #14,999
2002 modern 288 #14,373
2003 modern 269 #14,855
2004 modern 263 #15,189
2005 modern 261 #15,216
2006 modern 269 #14,952
2007 modern 263 #15,366
2008 modern 271 #15,182
2009 modern 271 #15,511
2010 modern 262 #16,252
2011 modern 276 #15,471
2012 modern 281 #15,198
2013 modern 296 #14,876
2014 modern 298 #14,911
2015 modern 280 #15,485
2016 modern 285 #15,286

Geography

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Where Hayleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington, London parishes, Manchester and Huddersfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Shropshire, Stockton-on-Tees and Rugby. 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 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
2 Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington Shropshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 011 Westminster
2 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
3 Stockton-on-Tees 002 Stockton-on-Tees
4 Shropshire 026 Shropshire
5 Rugby 001 Rugby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hayley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hayley

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

Challenged Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hayley 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

Hayley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Hayley

The surname Hayley originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English words "hæg" meaning "hay" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow". It is believed to have originated as a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a hay meadow or clearing.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Hayley dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Hailegh" in Shropshire. Over time, various spellings emerged, including Hayley, Hailey, Hayleigh, and Hailley.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert de Hailey residing in Gloucestershire. Another early notable bearer of the name was John Hayley, a 15th-century English politician and landowner who served as the Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire in 1496.

The surname Hayley is also associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the most prominent was William Hayley (1745-1820), an English writer, poet, and biographer who is best known for his biographies of John Milton and William Cowper.

Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Hayley (1767-1820), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1815 for his distinguished service.

In the 19th century, John Hayley Bell (1808-1865) was a prominent English sculptor and painter who exhibited his works at the Royal Academy and other prestigious institutions.

Additionally, William John Hayley (1831-1904) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Queen's Gate Pavilion at Imperial College London.

While the Hayley surname is predominantly found in England, it has also spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to migration patterns.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hayley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hayley 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. Yorkshire leads with 56 Hayleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.91x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 56 1.91x
Lancashire 48 1.36x
Surrey 45 3.11x
Middlesex 34 1.15x
Shropshire 28 10.93x
Sussex 14 2.80x
Worcestershire 10 2.58x
Cornwall 9 2.68x
Staffordshire 9 0.90x
Channel Islands 7 7.97x
Essex 7 1.20x
Warwickshire 7 0.94x
Kent 6 0.59x
Hampshire 5 0.82x
Lanarkshire 5 0.52x
Cheshire 4 0.61x
Midlothian 3 0.76x
Berkshire 1 0.45x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.83x
Derbyshire 1 0.22x
Hertfordshire 1 0.49x
Northumberland 1 0.23x
Royal Navy 1 2.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 18 Hayleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.39x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 18 20.39x
Broughton In Salford 14 43.51x
Camberwell 10 5.28x
Wooldale 10 200.80x
Brightling 9 1304.35x
Church Stretton 9 523.26x
Tywardreath 9 416.67x
Rotherhithe 8 21.83x
St Pancras London 8 3.35x
Dalton In Huddersfield 7 106.38x
Dudley 7 14.87x
Lambeth 7 2.71x
Poplar London 7 12.51x
Shrewsbury St Chad 7 77.86x
West Ham 7 5.42x
Huddersfield 6 14.02x
Manchester 6 3.79x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 5 67.48x
Old Monkland 5 13.14x
Shadwell London 5 60.24x
Ulverston 5 48.78x
Wakefield 5 22.16x
Wolverhampton 5 6.50x
Birmingham 4 1.60x
Brading 4 49.51x
Gorton 4 12.09x
Madeley 4 42.60x
Sandbach 4 71.68x
St Peter 4 158.10x
Stanton Lacy 4 181.00x
Thornhill 4 46.67x
Warmfield Cum Heath 4 404.04x
Boningale 3 1500.00x
Dodderhill 3 181.82x
Islington London 3 1.04x
Lewes St John Under 3 441.18x
South Leith 3 6.71x
St Helier 3 10.49x
Cartworth 2 82.30x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 24.91x
Deptford St Paul 2 2.56x
Elton 2 16.45x
Kingswinford 2 5.50x
Kirkheaton 2 41.93x
Liverpool 2 0.94x
Pennington In Leigh 2 29.63x
Shoreditch London 2 1.56x
Skelmanthorpe 2 63.09x
Stretford 2 10.33x
Toxteth Park 2 1.68x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.30x
Battersea 1 0.92x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 3.58x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.73x
Catsfield 1 138.89x
Chelsea London 1 1.12x
Chetwynd 1 120.48x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.79x
Doncaster 1 4.66x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 10.21x
Hammersmith London 1 1.37x
Isleworth 1 7.59x
Knowle 1 64.94x
Leamington Priors 1 5.43x
Leeds 1 0.60x
Llandudno 1 23.42x
Lytham 1 18.62x
Mirfield 1 6.20x
Norwood 1 14.75x
Seighford 1 125.00x
Shalbourn 1 120.48x
St Albans St Peter 1 14.49x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 7.79x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.91x
St Marylebone London 1 0.63x
Tottenham 1 2.12x
West Derby 1 0.97x
Westgate 1 3.66x
Westminster St Margaret 1 6.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 22
Thomas 18
John 12
James 11
Richard 6
George 5
Harry 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Alfred 3
David 3
Joseph 3
Jeremiah 2
Jerimiah 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Hugh 1
Josh 1
Laurence 1
Lewis 1
Luke 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Nicholas 1
Noah 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1
Sam 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Willm.Robert 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Hayley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hayley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 295 people were recorded with the Hayley surname. That placed it at #9,842 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hayley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 285 in 2016. That gives Hayley a modern rank of #15,286.

What does the Hayley surname mean?

Derived from Old English 'haeg-leah', meaning a meadow or clearing surrounded by hedges.

What does the Hayley map show?

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