NameCensus.

UK surname

Hemsley

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Hemsley, likely from the Old English words "hæm" (home) and "leah" (woodland clearing).

In the 1881 census there were 1,497 people recorded with the Hemsley surname, ranking it #2,799 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,231, ranked #2,911, down from #2,799 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden and Richmondshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hemsley is 2,396 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.0%.

1881 census count

1,497

Ranked #2,799

Modern count

2,231

2016, ranked #2,911

Peak year

1999

2,396 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hemsley had 1,497 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,799 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,231 in 2016, ranked #2,911.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,269 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hemsley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hemsley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hemsley 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 920 #2,998
1861 historical 828 #3,329
1881 historical 1,497 #2,799
1891 historical 1,578 #2,810
1901 historical 1,973 #2,686
1911 historical 2,269 #2,229
1997 modern 2,310 #2,693
1998 modern 2,382 #2,724
1999 modern 2,396 #2,727
2000 modern 2,366 #2,742
2001 modern 2,329 #2,725
2002 modern 2,333 #2,781
2003 modern 2,279 #2,776
2004 modern 2,259 #2,788
2005 modern 2,207 #2,829
2006 modern 2,220 #2,816
2007 modern 2,247 #2,802
2008 modern 2,233 #2,844
2009 modern 2,286 #2,852
2010 modern 2,359 #2,829
2011 modern 2,366 #2,791
2012 modern 2,325 #2,783
2013 modern 2,348 #2,799
2014 modern 2,334 #2,832
2015 modern 2,273 #2,869
2016 modern 2,231 #2,911

Geography

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Where Hemsleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Nottingham St Mary, Brighton and Framfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wealden and Richmondshire. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Brighton Sussex
5 Framfield Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wealden 006 Wealden
2 Richmondshire 006 Richmondshire
3 Wealden 010 Wealden
4 Wealden 005 Wealden
5 Wealden 011 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hemsley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hemsley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hemsley 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

Hemsley is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hemsley

The surname Hemsley has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "hæm" meaning a homestead or village, and "leah" meaning a meadow or woodland clearing. It is thought to have originated as a place name, referring to someone who lived in or near a meadow or woodland clearing.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Hemsley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hemeleslai" in reference to a village in Yorkshire. This suggests that the name was well-established in parts of northern England by the 11th century.

Throughout the medieval period, the name appears in various records and historical documents with slight variations in spelling, such as "Hemeleseye," "Hemelsay," and "Hemelsie." These variations reflect the evolution of language and the inconsistencies in spelling that were common in those times.

One notable individual with the surname Hemsley was John Hemsley (c. 1556-1630), an English poet and clergyman who served as the vicar of Battersea in London. His work included religious poetry and sermons, some of which were published during his lifetime.

Another figure of historical significance was Thomas Hemsley (1734-1808), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London, including the Guildhall and the Bank of England. His designs were influential in the neoclassical style that was popular during the Georgian era.

In the 19th century, Edward Hemsley (1803-1876) was a prominent English barrister and judge who served as a Justice of the Queen's Bench. He was known for his expertise in commercial law and his contributions to legal scholarship.

The name Hemsley also has connections to the town of Hemsley in North Yorkshire, which was recorded as "Hemelisega" in the Domesday Book. This place name likely influenced the surname's development and may have been the origin for some families bearing the name.

Finally, one of the most notable figures with the surname Hemsley in recent history was the British actor David Hemsley (1937-2003), best known for his role as the lovable but dim-witted character Boycie in the popular sitcom "Only Fools and Horses."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hemsley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hemsley 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. Sussex leads with 420 Hemsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.05x.

County Total Index
Sussex 420 17.05x
Yorkshire 235 1.62x
Nottinghamshire 155 7.87x
Durham 110 2.53x
Leicestershire 95 5.86x
Kent 94 1.89x
Middlesex 89 0.61x
Surrey 56 0.79x
Derbyshire 49 2.14x
Northumberland 41 1.89x
Lancashire 31 0.18x
Staffordshire 19 0.39x
Norfolk 14 0.62x
Warwickshire 14 0.38x
Essex 13 0.45x
Midlothian 11 0.56x
Hampshire 10 0.33x
Northamptonshire 10 0.73x
Somerset 10 0.43x
Wiltshire 5 0.39x
Lincolnshire 4 0.17x
Shropshire 4 0.32x
Channel Islands 2 0.46x
Cardiganshire 1 0.28x
Cornwall 1 0.06x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.25x
Flintshire 1 0.25x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Oxfordshire 1 0.11x
Suffolk 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 57 Hemsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.97x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 57 6.97x
Brighton 52 10.46x
Nottingham St Mary 44 8.64x
Rotherfield 38 175.20x
Framfield 36 471.20x
Ruddington 28 211.96x
Ditchling 26 387.48x
Buxted 25 259.34x
Tonbridge 21 11.68x
Morley 20 26.56x
Basford 18 19.83x
Leicester St Margaret 18 4.56x
Mayfield 18 123.54x
Wadhurst 17 105.07x
East Grinstead 15 43.02x
Ealing 14 10.72x
Keymer 14 80.46x
Waldron 14 208.64x
Ashby De La Zouch 13 34.61x
Croydon 13 3.29x
Gateshead 13 3.99x
Holbeck 13 13.55x
Ibstock 13 110.45x
Lambeth 13 1.02x
Portslade 13 86.32x
Birmingham 12 0.98x
Long Eaton 12 39.74x
Tockwith 12 416.67x
Bedlington 11 15.15x
Hartfield 11 141.21x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 5.84x
Heeley 11 25.00x
Withyam 11 104.36x
Darlington 10 5.96x
Sutton 10 19.41x
Wells St Cuthbert 10 62.31x
Yalding 10 79.43x
Chailey 9 117.96x
Derby St Peter 9 12.35x
Folkestone 9 9.31x
Hunslet 9 3.99x
Ilkeston 9 14.03x
Lamberhurst 9 144.93x
Portsea 9 1.53x
Radford 9 8.99x
Rotherham 9 11.03x
Bishopwearmouth 8 2.14x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 2.90x
Fulham London 8 3.78x
Hove 8 7.40x
Hunshelf 8 112.68x
Lewes St John Southover 8 48.34x
Newall Cum Clifton 8 441.99x
West Auckland 8 50.31x
Whitwick 8 38.84x
Ardwick 7 4.48x
Bishop Auckland 7 12.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 2.38x
Edinburgh St Andrews 7 43.29x
Great Timble 7 813.95x
Headingley Cum Burley 7 7.51x
Hessle In Sculcoates 7 54.73x
Hunwick Helmington 7 67.05x
Longbenton 7 7.60x
Margaretting 7 266.16x
Mile End Old Town London 7 2.25x
Newark Upon Trent 7 9.89x
Plumpton 7 300.43x
Ringmer 7 100.86x
Stoke Newington London 7 6.15x
Swithland 7 569.11x
Warbleton 7 95.37x
Westoe 7 2.84x
Wivelsfield 7 72.69x
Bradbury 6 618.56x
Ilkley 6 25.36x
Isfield 6 265.49x
Newick 6 110.70x
Street 6 652.17x
Westminster St John 6 3.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 87
Elizabeth 64
Sarah 59
Eliza 27
Ann 25
Ellen 23
Jane 23
Alice 21
Emily 18
Emma 16
Annie 15
Hannah 15
Catherine 14
Fanny 14
Harriett 12
Ada 11
Harriet 11
Kate 11
Frances 10
Edith 9
Margaret 9
Caroline 8
Charlotte 8
Clara 8
Isabella 8
Anne 7
Florence 7
Louisa 7
Lucy 7
Maria 7
Amy 6
Martha 6
Rose 6
Esther 5
Julia 5
Ruth 5
Sophia 5
Elizth. 4
Gertrude 4
Jemima 4
Matilda 4
Agnes 3
Betsy 3
Blanche 3
Eden 3
Ethel 3
Jessie 3
Minnie 3
Polly 3
Katherine 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 86
William 83
George 59
Thomas 57
Henry 45
James 34
Charles 26
Alfred 23
Joseph 21
Richard 18
Albert 17
Harry 16
Samuel 15
Arthur 14
Herbert 14
Frederick 13
Walter 11
Edward 9
Robert 9
Frank 7
Leonard 6
Trayton 6
Amos 5
Benjamin 5
David 5
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Peter 5
Alexander 4
Edgar 4
Francis 4
Fredrick 4
Jesse 4
Geo. 3
Percy 3
Ralph 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Brownhill 2
Earnest 2
Edmund 2
Harold 2
Joe 2
Luther 2
Mark 2
Nelson 2
Obed 2
Oliver 2
Sidney 2

FAQ

Hemsley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hemsley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,497 people were recorded with the Hemsley surname. That placed it at #2,799 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hemsley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,231 in 2016. That gives Hemsley a modern rank of #2,911.

What does the Hemsley surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Hemsley, likely from the Old English words "hæm" (home) and "leah" (woodland clearing).

What does the Hemsley map show?

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