NameCensus.

UK surname

Hilley

A variant spelling of the English surname Hilley, meaning "person from a hillock".

In the 1881 census there were 77 people recorded with the Hilley surname, ranking it #22,617 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 165, ranked #22,234, up from #22,617 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dalziel, Govan Combination and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Muirend and Old Cathcart, Nitshill and Pollok South and West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hilley is 181 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 114.3%.

1881 census count

77

Ranked #22,617

Modern count

165

2016, ranked #22,234

Peak year

1861

181 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hilley had 77 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,617 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016, ranked #22,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 181 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hilley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hilley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hilley 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 46 #24,985
1861 historical 181 #12,997
1881 historical 77 #22,617
1891 historical 174 #16,520
1901 historical 69 #26,499
1911 historical 36 #29,370
1997 modern 140 #22,031
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 138 #22,983
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 128 #23,665
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 133 #23,359
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 142 #23,025
2008 modern 134 #24,249
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 151 #23,204
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 163 #22,342
2014 modern 164 #22,445
2015 modern 162 #22,509
2016 modern 165 #22,234

Geography

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Where Hilleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dalziel, Govan Combination, St Pancras, Totnes and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Muirend and Old Cathcart, Nitshill, Pollok South and West, Viewpark and Caldercruix and Plains. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Dalziel Lanark
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Totnes Devon
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Muirend and Old Cathcart Glasgow City
2 Nitshill Glasgow City
3 Pollok South and West Glasgow City
4 Viewpark North Lanarkshire
5 Caldercruix and Plains North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hilley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hilley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Hilley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hilley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hilley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hilley is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hilley falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hilley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hilley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hilley

The surname Hilley has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hyll" or "hill", meaning a small hill or raised ground, and the suffix "-ey", which often denotes a location or place name. This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or on a small hill or elevated area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hilley can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Hille". This record was a census-like survey of landholders and their properties in England during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as "Hylley" and "Hilleye", in records from counties like Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. This indicates that the name was well-established in different parts of England during this period.

A notable figure from history bearing the surname Hilley was Sir Robert Hilley, a 15th-century English knight and landowner. He was born around 1420 and served as a Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire in 1449 and 1455.

Another individual of note was John Hilley, a 16th-century English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Durham from 1577 to 1584. He was born in Derbyshire around 1515 and played a significant role in the religious and political affairs of his time.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various records, including the baptismal records of St. James Parish in Clerkenwell, London, where a child named Hester Hilley was baptized in 1639.

One of the earliest known emigrants to America with the surname Hilley was Thomas Hilley, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. He was among the early settlers in the British colonies of North America.

In the 18th century, the name Hilley can be found in various parish records and historical documents. For example, a man named William Hilley was listed as a freeholder in the town of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, in 1748.

Another notable figure from this period was Samuel Hilley, a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in Gloucestershire in 1743 and participated in several naval engagements against the American colonists.

The 19th century saw the surname Hilley spread further across England and beyond. One notable individual was John Hilley, a British engineer and inventor born in Staffordshire in 1813. He is credited with various improvements in the design and manufacturing of steam engines and boilers.

Overall, the surname Hilley has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its roots firmly planted in England. While the name has undergone various spelling variations over time, its core meaning and connection to geographical features like hills or elevated areas remains a consistent thread throughout its evolution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hilley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hilley 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. Lanarkshire leads with 32 Hilleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.35x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 32 13.35x
Middlesex 9 1.21x
Lancashire 6 0.68x
Leicestershire 6 7.30x
Devon 5 3.24x
Essex 5 3.42x
Dunbartonshire 3 15.06x
Monmouthshire 3 5.60x
Yorkshire 3 0.41x
Surrey 2 0.55x
Gloucestershire 1 0.69x
Hampshire 1 0.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 13 Hilleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.43x.

Place Total Index
Barony 13 21.43x
Dalziel 9 348.84x
Govan 6 10.12x
Hugglescote 6 495.87x
High Ongar 5 1851.85x
St Marylebone London 5 12.64x
Old Monkland 4 42.06x
West Derby 4 15.55x
Bedwellty 3 31.71x
Cumbernauld 3 275.23x
Totnes 3 333.33x
St Giles In Fields London 2 54.95x
Wortley In Wortley 2 689.66x
Bradford 1 5.62x
Cheltenham 1 8.92x
Farnworth 1 18.98x
Kensington London 1 2.43x
Lambeth 1 1.55x
Newton Abbot St Mary 1 77.52x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 8.42x
Portsea 1 3.36x
Richmond 1 19.76x
St Gilesin Fields London 1 158.73x
Toxteth Park 1 3.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Fredericka 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Rosa 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Joseph 4
Samuel 4
Charles 3
William 2
Harry 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Patrick 1
Ruben 1

FAQ

Hilley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hilley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 77 people were recorded with the Hilley surname. That placed it at #22,617 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hilley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016. That gives Hilley a modern rank of #22,234.

What does the Hilley surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Hilley, meaning "person from a hillock".

What does the Hilley map show?

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