NameCensus.

UK surname

Higley

Derived from a place name meaning "high clearing" or "high wood" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 257 people recorded with the Higley surname, ranking it #10,861 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 297, ranked #14,839, down from #10,861 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington, St Leonard Shoreditch and Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Oxfordshire, Tewkesbury and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Higley is 371 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.6%.

1881 census count

257

Ranked #10,861

Modern count

297

2016, ranked #14,839

Peak year

1911

371 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Higley had 257 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,861 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016, ranked #14,839.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 371 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Higley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Higley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Higley 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 204 #10,250
1861 historical 248 #9,947
1881 historical 257 #10,861
1891 historical 263 #12,261
1901 historical 350 #10,439
1911 historical 371 #9,830
1997 modern 304 #13,409
1998 modern 320 #13,299
1999 modern 319 #13,420
2000 modern 311 #13,588
2001 modern 296 #13,842
2002 modern 317 #13,506
2003 modern 307 #13,614
2004 modern 292 #14,109
2005 modern 289 #14,166
2006 modern 296 #14,030
2007 modern 300 #14,048
2008 modern 293 #14,364
2009 modern 301 #14,386
2010 modern 304 #14,591
2011 modern 309 #14,322
2012 modern 304 #14,388
2013 modern 304 #14,614
2014 modern 311 #14,464
2015 modern 305 #14,579
2016 modern 297 #14,839

Geography

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Where Higleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington, St Leonard Shoreditch, Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace, Ombersley and Habberley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Oxfordshire, Tewkesbury, Sandwell, Wychavon and Dudley. 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 Shrewsbury St Chad, Wroxeter, Atcham, Berrington Shropshire
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace Shropshire
4 Ombersley Worcestershire
5 Habberley Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Oxfordshire 018 South Oxfordshire
2 Tewkesbury 001 Tewkesbury
3 Sandwell 004 Sandwell
4 Wychavon 013 Wychavon
5 Dudley 033 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Higley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Higley

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Higley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Higley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Higley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Higley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Higley

The surname Higley originates from England and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hig" meaning hay and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, suggesting that the name was likely given to someone who lived near a hay meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where it appears as "Hygeley." This suggests that the surname was already established in the northern counties of England by the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name is found in various forms such as "Higgeley," "Higgley," and "Higley" in records from counties like Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire. These variations in spelling were common during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

The Higley surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Higley Bank in Cheshire and Higley Hill in Staffordshire. These place names likely influenced the development and spread of the surname in those regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Higley include:

1. Edward Higley (1611-1690), an English settler in Connecticut, considered one of the founders of the town of Simsbury. 2. Sir Thomas Higley (1635-1708), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1696. 3. George Higley (1718-1789), an American Revolutionary War soldier from Connecticut who fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill. 4. James Higley (1798-1884), an American businessman and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Maryland. 5. William Higley (1813-1899), an American inventor and manufacturer who patented several improvements to agricultural machinery.

While the Higley surname is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a long and diverse history, with roots stretching back to medieval England and branches extending across the Atlantic to the American colonies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Higley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Higley 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. Worcestershire leads with 66 Higleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.16x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 66 20.16x
Shropshire 57 26.32x
Middlesex 37 1.48x
Warwickshire 17 2.69x
Herefordshire 15 14.59x
Somerset 12 2.97x
Staffordshire 12 1.42x
Lancashire 7 0.24x
Essex 6 1.21x
Surrey 6 0.49x
Berkshire 5 2.66x
Cheshire 3 0.54x
Derbyshire 3 0.76x
Hertfordshire 3 1.74x
Gloucestershire 2 0.41x
Sussex 2 0.47x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.66x
Hampshire 1 0.19x
Monmouthshire 1 0.55x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 12 Higleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.04x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 12 11.04x
Walsall Foreign 12 27.45x
Kidderminster Borough 10 52.19x
Alcester 8 382.78x
Ellesmere 8 215.05x
Oldbury 8 49.66x
Pitchford 8 4444.44x
Welford 8 1355.93x
Welsh Hampton 8 1777.78x
Rushock 7 4375.00x
Weston Super Mare 7 68.69x
Church Pulverbach 6 1764.71x
Clent 6 697.67x
Hanbury 6 674.16x
Leyton Low 6 59.64x
Shrewsbury St Chad 6 78.95x
South Mimms 6 174.42x
The Hill 6 285.71x
Acton Burnell 5 1785.71x
Elmbridge 5 1724.14x
Ombersley 5 274.73x
Bedminster 4 10.55x
Bethnal Green London 4 3.67x
Cookham 4 68.14x
Lilleshall 4 120.85x
Paddington London 4 4.34x
Pilkington 4 35.40x
St Marylebone London 4 2.99x
Tupsley 4 459.77x
Worcester St John 4 102.30x
Bow London 3 9.40x
Habberley 3 2500.00x
Hasbury 3 140.19x
Newton In Hereford 3 1875.00x
Shrewsbury St Mary 3 35.09x
Agdn In Whtchrch Brdly 2 909.09x
Camberwell 2 1.25x
Hackney London 2 1.42x
Hemel Hempstead 2 25.67x
Hereford St Owen 2 59.00x
Hurstpierpoint 2 85.11x
Kenderchurch 2 4000.00x
Litchurch 2 12.67x
Moreton In Marsh 2 162.60x
Much Dewchurch 2 408.16x
Shrewsbury St Julian 2 37.31x
Stoke Prior 2 99.01x
Wandsworth 2 8.29x
Worcester St Martin 2 45.25x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.54x
Ballingham 1 277.78x
Beaconsfield 1 71.43x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 1 40.65x
Carisbrooke 1 14.03x
Chelsea London 1 1.32x
Chester St Mary On Hill 1 21.05x
Claines 1 11.14x
Derby St Peter 1 8.00x
Edgbaston 1 5.10x
Frankley 1 769.23x
Holmer 1 54.05x
Islington London 1 0.41x
Keynsham 1 34.48x
Lambeth 1 0.46x
Leeds 1 0.71x
Norton In Hales 1 312.50x
Preston 1 1.26x
Reading St Mary 1 6.64x
Southwark Christchurch 1 8.51x
St Woollos 1 4.95x
Standon 1 56.18x
Wem 1 31.06x
West Derby 1 1.15x
Whitchurch 1 23.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 10
Ann 7
Alice 6
Annie 6
Jane 6
Emma 5
Ellen 4
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Martha 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Helen 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Ann. 1
Bertha 1
Charlotte 1
Clementina 1
Edith 1
Eizabeth 1
Eleanor 1
Elezabeth 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Georgina 1
Gunetta 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Kitty 1
Leah 1
Lotty 1
Lydia 1
Mable 1
Marry 1
Maud 1
May 1
Mina 1
Miriam 1
Polley 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 15
George 12
Thomas 12
James 10
Henry 7
Charles 6
Joseph 5
Richard 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Howard 1
Levi 1
Philip 1
Saml. 1

FAQ

Higley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Higley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 257 people were recorded with the Higley surname. That placed it at #10,861 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Higley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016. That gives Higley a modern rank of #14,839.

What does the Higley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "high clearing" or "high wood" in Old English.

What does the Higley map show?

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