UK surname
An English locational surname referring to someone from a "heathy lea" or heathland clearing.
In the 1881 census there were 110 people recorded with the Headly surname, ranking it #18,695 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12, ranked #37,385, down from #18,695 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Beath, St Pancras and St Leonard Bromley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Headly is 110 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 89.1%.
1881 census count
110
Ranked #18,695
Modern count
12
2016, ranked #37,385
Peak year
1881
110 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1881
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Headly surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Headly surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 82 | #19,317 |
| 1861 | historical | 103 | #20,650 |
| 1881 | historical | 110 | #18,695 |
| 1891 | historical | 63 | #28,881 |
| 1901 | historical | 41 | #29,602 |
| 1911 | historical | 25 | #30,654 |
| 1997 | modern | 15 | #36,409 |
| 1998 | modern | 14 | #36,565 |
| 1999 | modern | 14 | #36,595 |
| 2000 | modern | 17 | #36,207 |
| 2001 | modern | 18 | #35,961 |
| 2002 | modern | 14 | #36,484 |
| 2003 | modern | 15 | #36,415 |
| 2004 | modern | 14 | #36,648 |
| 2005 | modern | 14 | #36,730 |
| 2006 | modern | 13 | #36,902 |
| 2007 | modern | 12 | #37,095 |
| 2008 | modern | 13 | #37,056 |
| 2009 | modern | 17 | #36,753 |
| 2010 | modern | 20 | #36,599 |
| 2011 | modern | 13 | #37,191 |
| 2012 | modern | 10 | #37,509 |
| 2013 | modern | 10 | #37,539 |
| 2014 | modern | 11 | #37,462 |
| 2015 | modern | 10 | #37,563 |
| 2016 | modern | 12 | #37,385 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Beath, St Pancras, St Leonard Bromley, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beath | Fife |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | St Leonard Bromley | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars | Leicestershire |
| 5 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Headly surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Headly, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Headly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Headly household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Headly is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Headly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Headly, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Headly is of Old English origin, derived from the region of Headingley, a district located in the northern part of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is believed that the name originated sometime in the 11th or 12th century.
The name Headley is a locational surname, originating from a place name that refers to the "heady" or "top" of a clearing or meadow. It is likely derived from the Old English words "heafod" meaning "head" or "top" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Headly can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Radulfus de Hedelay is mentioned. This suggests that variations of the name, such as Hedelay or Hedeley, were in use by the 12th century.
In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1201-1202, which recorded a Robert de Hedeley. This document provides evidence of the name's continued use and evolution during this period.
During the 14th century, the surname Headly appeared in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a person named Johannes Hedlay was recorded. This record indicates the widespread use of the name in the region at that time.
One notable figure in history with the surname Headly was Sir Thomas Headly (1551-1631), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Grantham, Lincolnshire, and later for the borough of New Windsor in Berkshire.
Another prominent individual was Henry Headly (1765-1788), an English portrait painter and art collector, known for his works depicting members of the British aristocracy and his extensive collection of art and antiquities.
In the 18th century, Jeremias Headly (1730-1799) was a renowned English Baptist minister and author, best known for his work "A Treatise on Justification" published in 1766.
The 19th century saw the birth of James Tyler Headly (1835-1903), an American historian and biographer who wrote extensively on the lives of prominent figures such as Oliver Cromwell and Napoleon Bonaparte.
More recently, in the 20th century, Lowell Headly (1907-1988) was an American actor and singer known for his performances in Broadway musicals and Hollywood films, including the 1951 adaptation of "Show Boat."
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Headly surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 16 Headlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.50x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 16 | 1.50x |
| Leicestershire | 13 | 10.93x |
| Middlesex | 13 | 1.21x |
| Durham | 12 | 3.76x |
| Surrey | 12 | 2.30x |
| Lanarkshire | 10 | 2.88x |
| Cambridgeshire | 7 | 10.30x |
| Bedfordshire | 4 | 7.20x |
| Cumberland | 3 | 3.25x |
| Essex | 3 | 1.42x |
| Northumberland | 3 | 1.88x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.16x |
| Sussex | 2 | 1.11x |
| Warwickshire | 2 | 0.74x |
| Ayrshire | 1 | 1.25x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.60x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.54x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.48x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.61x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 1.51x |
| Stirlingshire | 1 | 2.53x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 0.71x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 13 Headlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.81x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Headly surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Elizabeth | 7 |
| Alice | 4 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Mary | 4 |
| Clara | 2 |
| Emma | 2 |
| Fanny | 2 |
| Jane | 2 |
| Annie | 1 |
| Betsey | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Eleanor | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Elizb. | 1 |
| Ellen | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Emmaline | 1 |
| Emmely | 1 |
| Everildia | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Harriett | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Kathrine | 1 |
| Mabel | 1 |
| Margaretta | 1 |
| Margret | 1 |
| Margt. | 1 |
| Rachel | 1 |
| Sarah | 1 |
| Sophia | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Headly surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 110 people were recorded with the Headly surname. That placed it at #18,695 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 12 in 2016. That gives Headly a modern rank of #37,385.
An English locational surname referring to someone from a "heathy lea" or heathland clearing.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Headly bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.