NameCensus.

UK surname

Henly

A habitational name derived from the town of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 411 people recorded with the Henly surname, ranking it #7,826 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 324, ranked #13,966, down from #7,826 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Petworth and Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, South Somerset and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Henly is 563 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.2%.

1881 census count

411

Ranked #7,826

Modern count

324

2016, ranked #13,966

Peak year

1851

563 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Henly had 411 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,826 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016, ranked #13,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 563 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Henly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Henly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Henly 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 563 #4,504
1861 historical 468 #5,549
1881 historical 411 #7,826
1891 historical 419 #8,551
1901 historical 383 #9,760
1911 historical 444 #8,598
1997 modern 343 #12,349
1998 modern 351 #12,511
1999 modern 367 #12,202
2000 modern 359 #12,333
2001 modern 348 #12,419
2002 modern 343 #12,803
2003 modern 344 #12,577
2004 modern 342 #12,645
2005 modern 339 #12,668
2006 modern 330 #13,021
2007 modern 333 #13,062
2008 modern 336 #13,095
2009 modern 351 #12,940
2010 modern 335 #13,645
2011 modern 325 #13,808
2012 modern 340 #13,245
2013 modern 333 #13,682
2014 modern 323 #14,081
2015 modern 323 #13,991
2016 modern 324 #13,966

Geography

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Where Henlys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Petworth, Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington, Brighton and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, South Somerset and Swindon. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Petworth Sussex
3 Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington Wiltshire
4 Brighton Sussex
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 013 Wiltshire
2 South Somerset 019 South Somerset
3 Wiltshire 009 Wiltshire
4 Swindon 009 Swindon
5 Wiltshire 011 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Henly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Henly

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Henly is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Henly is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Henly

The surname HENLY is an English locational surname derived from the place name Henley, found in various locations across England. The name is believed to have originated in Anglo-Saxon times, with the earliest recorded spelling being Henlea in 690 AD. This is thought to derive from the Old English words "hen" meaning chicken or fowl, and "lea" meaning a meadow or clearing, thus suggesting the name refers to a clearing where chickens were kept.

The name is found recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Henlei, with various manorial holdings mentioned in counties such as Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Somerset. This indicates the surname's long-standing presence in different regions of England from a very early period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was William de Henley, a prominent English judge and legal writer who lived from around 1275 to 1349. He is noted for his influential legal treatise "Henley's Summaries".

Another early bearer of the name was Walter de Henley, who served as Prior of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England during the 13th century.

In the 16th century, Sir Thomas Henley (c.1532-1592) was an English landowner and Member of Parliament who served as Sheriff of Somersetshire in 1577.

The 17th century saw Robert Henley (1648-1703), an English politician and lawyer who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1701 to 1703.

In more recent times, William Ernest Henley (1849-1903) was a renowned English poet, critic, and editor who is best known for his poem "Invictus".

The surname HENLY has also been associated with various place names across England, such as Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, Henley-in-Arden in Warwickshire, and Henley in Somerset, among others. These place names likely contributed to the widespread adoption and distribution of the surname across different regions of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Henly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Henly 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. Wiltshire leads with 93 Henlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.10x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 93 26.10x
Sussex 89 13.10x
Middlesex 65 1.61x
Surrey 28 1.43x
Gloucestershire 26 3.29x
Hampshire 18 2.18x
Kent 16 1.16x
Berkshire 7 2.31x
Midlothian 7 1.30x
Buckinghamshire 6 2.46x
Glamorgan 6 0.86x
Huntingdonshire 6 7.50x
Dorset 5 1.89x
Lancashire 5 0.10x
Montgomeryshire 5 5.42x
Lincolnshire 4 0.62x
Channel Islands 3 2.51x
Devon 3 0.36x
Somerset 3 0.46x
Staffordshire 3 0.22x
Essex 2 0.25x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.56x
Suffolk 2 0.41x
Worcestershire 2 0.38x
Caithness 1 1.81x
Cumberland 1 0.29x
Derbyshire 1 0.16x
Norfolk 1 0.16x
Northamptonshire 1 0.26x
Oxfordshire 1 0.40x
Renfrewshire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Calne in Wiltshire leads with 30 Henlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 409.28x.

Place Total Index
Calne 30 409.28x
Islington London 18 4.61x
Cuckfield 15 218.66x
Bury 12 1690.14x
Chippenham 11 147.26x
Brighton 10 7.30x
Swindon 10 36.18x
Bepton 8 2162.16x
Brading 8 72.93x
Cliffe Pypard 8 747.66x
Ewhurst 8 529.80x
Clifton 7 17.53x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 7 187.17x
Goudhurst 7 184.21x
Reading St Giles 7 23.59x
Alfold 6 810.81x
Battersea 6 4.05x
Bethnal Green London 6 3.43x
Bremhill 6 372.67x
Hemingford Grey 6 491.80x
Wadhurst 6 134.53x
Willesden 6 15.80x
Wootton Bassett 6 193.55x
Bermondsey 5 4.17x
Bitton 5 72.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 6.72x
Croydon 5 4.59x
Hackney London 5 2.21x
Isfield 5 806.45x
Preshute 5 228.31x
Trewern 5 1020.41x
Boxgrove 4 408.16x
Cardiff St John 4 17.46x
Hawridge 4 1212.12x
Hillmarton 4 454.55x
Holbeach 4 55.79x
Kensington London 4 1.79x
Lambeth 4 1.14x
Lyme Regis 4 126.18x
Mile End Old Town London 4 4.67x
Portsea 4 2.47x
Shalfleet 4 251.57x
Siston 4 283.69x
Stopham 4 1818.18x
Winterbourne Monkton 4 1333.33x
Wisborough Green 4 175.44x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 3 20.75x
Hove 3 10.07x
Lee 3 15.03x
Paddington London 3 2.03x
St Marylebone London 3 1.39x
Alvesdiston 2 606.06x
Barton Mills 2 307.69x
Bierton With Broughton 2 178.57x
Broad Hinton 2 263.16x
Chalvington 2 1111.11x
Chelsea London 2 1.65x
Dudley 2 3.13x
East Ham 2 13.55x
Everton 2 1.31x
Gravesend 2 17.18x
Michaelstone Super Avon 2 26.35x
Mile End New Town London 2 25.13x
Rye 2 30.96x
Speldhurst 2 28.57x
St George In East London 2 5.28x
St Helier 2 5.15x
St Martin In Fields 2 8.29x
Stanton St Quintin 2 487.80x
West Bromwich 2 2.57x
Weston Super Mare 2 12.22x
Arundel 1 26.32x
Chiswick 1 4.54x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.05x
Hammersmith London 1 1.01x
Liverpool 1 0.34x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 5.19x
St Cuthbert W O 1 5.91x
Wanborough 1 81.97x
Wimbledon 1 4.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 17
Alice 10
Annie 7
Eliza 7
Ellen 7
Kate 6
Emily 5
Emma 5
Fanny 5
Agnes 4
Julia 4
Ada 3
Ann 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Hannah 3
Louisa 3
Lydia 3
Margaret 3
Martha 3
Susan 3
Bessie 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
May 2
Minnie 2
Miriam 2
Winifred 2
Angelina 1
Christian 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Henrietta 1
Hope 1
Isabella 1
Janette 1
Jennitte 1
Katherine 1
Maria 1
Marion 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
George 25
John 19
Thomas 15
Henry 12
James 11
Robert 10
Edward 7
Joseph 6
Charles 5
Ernest 5
Alfred 4
Frederick 4
Abraham 3
Albert 3
Walter 3
Edwin 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Sholto 2
Amos 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Blackwell 1
Brownwell 1
Caleb 1
Daniel 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Freddy 1
Jeffery 1
Jesse 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1
Wm.Wills 1

FAQ

Henly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Henly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 411 people were recorded with the Henly surname. That placed it at #7,826 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Henly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016. That gives Henly a modern rank of #13,966.

What does the Henly surname mean?

A habitational name derived from the town of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, England.

What does the Henly map show?

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