NameCensus.

UK surname

Hooley

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó hUallacháin referring to someone from County Sligo.

In the 1881 census there were 1,439 people recorded with the Hooley surname, ranking it #2,896 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,580, ranked #3,925, down from #2,896 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mansfield, Cheshire East and Stockport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hooley is 1,983 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.8%.

1881 census count

1,439

Ranked #2,896

Modern count

1,580

2016, ranked #3,925

Peak year

1911

1,983 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hooley had 1,439 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,896 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,580 in 2016, ranked #3,925.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,983 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hooley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hooley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hooley 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 989 #2,821
1861 historical 867 #3,199
1881 historical 1,439 #2,896
1891 historical 1,584 #2,803
1901 historical 1,787 #2,926
1911 historical 1,983 #2,504
1997 modern 1,650 #3,597
1998 modern 1,759 #3,528
1999 modern 1,751 #3,567
2000 modern 1,760 #3,538
2001 modern 1,687 #3,603
2002 modern 1,697 #3,657
2003 modern 1,671 #3,635
2004 modern 1,627 #3,716
2005 modern 1,617 #3,703
2006 modern 1,574 #3,782
2007 modern 1,555 #3,853
2008 modern 1,533 #3,936
2009 modern 1,595 #3,889
2010 modern 1,629 #3,898
2011 modern 1,624 #3,865
2012 modern 1,604 #3,839
2013 modern 1,633 #3,851
2014 modern 1,614 #3,913
2015 modern 1,585 #3,930
2016 modern 1,580 #3,925

Geography

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Where Hooleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Stockport, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Manchester and Cheadle. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mansfield, Cheshire East, Stockport and Cornwall. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Cheadle Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mansfield 002 Mansfield
2 Cheshire East 018 Cheshire East
3 Mansfield 001 Mansfield
4 Stockport 018 Stockport
5 Cornwall 065 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hooley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hooley

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hooley 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

Hooley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hooley falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hooley 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 Hooley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hooley

The surname Hooley is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "hol," meaning a hollow or depression in the ground, and the suffix "-ley," which means a clearing or meadow. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a hollow or depression in a meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, where a Thomas de Holeye is mentioned. The "de" prefix indicates that the name was likely originally a locational surname, referring to someone from a specific place.

In the 15th century, the surname appears in various records with slightly different spellings, such as Holley, Holey, and Holle. This variation in spelling was common during this time period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One notable bearer of the Hooley surname was John Hooley, a 16th-century English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lostwithiel in Cornwall during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another person of historical significance was William Hooley, a 17th-century English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts, including "A Modest Defence of the Solemn League and Covenant" (1644).

In the 18th century, the name appears in various parish records across England, including in the county of Lancashire, where a family of Hooleys resided in the town of Ormskirk.

One of the more famous bearers of the Hooley surname was Sir William Hooley (1780-1854), a British businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the coal industry. He was knighted for his contributions to the city of Sheffield and his support of various charitable causes.

Another notable figure was Thomas Hooley (1824-1898), a British engineer and inventor who held several patents for improvements to steam engines and other industrial machinery.

Overall, the surname Hooley has a long and diverse history in England, with bearers hailing from various regions and backgrounds, including politicians, clergymen, industrialists, and inventors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hooley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hooley 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. Cheshire leads with 498 Hooleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.10x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 498 16.10x
Lancashire 426 2.56x
Nottinghamshire 142 7.52x
Derbyshire 138 6.29x
Yorkshire 55 0.40x
Middlesex 43 0.31x
Staffordshire 39 0.82x
Hampshire 31 1.08x
Surrey 11 0.16x
Durham 8 0.19x
Northamptonshire 8 0.61x
Bedfordshire 6 0.83x
Flintshire 6 1.59x
Leicestershire 5 0.32x
Norfolk 5 0.23x
Denbighshire 3 0.57x
Worcestershire 3 0.16x
Glamorgan 2 0.08x
Warwickshire 2 0.06x
Anglesey 1 0.40x
Berkshire 1 0.10x
Cornwall 1 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.36x
Kent 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Macclesfield in Cheshire leads with 77 Hooleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.02x.

Place Total Index
Macclesfield 77 56.02x
Cheadle 58 98.21x
Sutton In Macclesfield 49 152.70x
Poynton 47 451.92x
Manchester 44 5.89x
Stockport 40 25.14x
Stapleford 36 234.83x
Long Eaton 35 120.90x
Oldham 33 6.15x
Pendleton In Salford 30 15.15x
Everton 25 4.72x
Droylsden 22 40.57x
Hulme 21 6.05x
Liverpool 20 1.98x
Chesterfield 18 21.89x
Norbury 17 236.11x
Radford 17 17.72x
Salford 17 3.48x
Heaton Norris 16 16.91x
Bowdon 14 114.10x
Bramcote 14 387.81x
St Pancras London 14 1.24x
Bradford 13 16.71x
Ilkeston 13 21.14x
Reddish 13 56.77x
Spondon 13 154.03x
Warsop 13 260.00x
Birkenhead 12 4.87x
Southampton All Sts 12 24.36x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 12 43.60x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 3.03x
Barton Upon Irwell 11 8.79x
Bollington In 11 39.97x
Cheetham 11 8.87x
Chester Holy Trinity 11 75.86x
Gorton 11 7.04x
North Meols 11 6.76x
Tutbury 11 95.40x
Basford 10 11.49x
Hyde 10 10.96x
Wolstanton 10 6.96x
Alverstoke 9 8.66x
Ardwick 9 6.00x
Broughton In Salford 9 5.92x
Dewsbury 9 6.32x
Dukinfield 9 6.30x
Islington London 9 0.66x
Mansfield 9 13.77x
Pott Shrigley 9 486.49x
West Derby 9 1.85x
Adlington 8 193.24x
Alfreton 8 12.01x
Altrincham 8 14.81x
Barnsley 8 5.59x
Bradford 8 2.38x
Chester St Oswald 8 14.29x
Eckington 8 15.02x
Leftwich 8 58.27x
Lenton 8 17.99x
Nottingham St Mary 8 1.64x
Selston 8 37.93x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 7 48.51x
Keighley 7 4.73x
Litchurch 7 7.93x
Peover Superior 7 239.73x
Whittle Le Woods 7 127.04x
Wollaton 7 205.28x
Woodford 7 402.30x
Appleton 6 85.59x
Battersea 6 1.16x
Beeston 6 27.66x
Bredbury 6 33.54x
Derby St Alkmund 6 9.13x
Knutsford Over 6 304.57x
Mobberley 6 84.99x
Newton In Ashton Under 6 19.67x
Ockbrook 6 64.45x
Offerton 6 352.94x
Peterborough 6 6.29x
Westoe 6 2.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 114
Sarah 60
Elizabeth 47
Ann 38
Martha 29
Alice 22
Hannah 21
Annie 19
Eliza 19
Ellen 19
Emma 18
Jane 18
Margaret 16
Maria 12
Harriet 11
Charlotte 10
Emily 10
Harriett 9
Ada 8
Florence 8
Frances 8
Louisa 8
Clara 7
Fanny 7
Rachel 7
Catherine 6
Edith 6
Gertrude 6
Anne 5
Eleanor 5
Matilda 5
Agnes 4
Jessie 4
Lucy 4
Rose 4
Ruth 4
Susannah 4
Amy 3
Anna 3
Betsy 3
Helen 3
Lizzie 3
Nancy 3
Amelia 2
Bertha 2
Dinah 2
Lilian 2
Lily 2
Mabel 2
Marey 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 111
William 73
James 72
Thomas 51
George 46
Joseph 41
Samuel 28
Henry 19
Albert 15
Arthur 15
Charles 14
David 14
Edward 10
Francis 10
Isaac 10
Walter 10
Alfred 9
Ernest 7
Peter 7
Robert 7
Fred 6
Harry 6
Herbert 6
Richard 6
Daniel 5
Edwin 5
Mark 5
Tom 5
Frank 4
Frederick 4
Jasper 4
Wm. 4
Abraham 3
Fredk. 3
Jonathan 3
Patrick 3
Amos 2
Benjamin 2
Edgar 2
Jabez 2
Lawrence 2
Michael 2
Oscar 2
Percy 2
Terah 2
Charlotte 1
Chas. 1
Esau 1
Israel 1
Wm.Francis 1

FAQ

Hooley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hooley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,439 people were recorded with the Hooley surname. That placed it at #2,896 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hooley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,580 in 2016. That gives Hooley a modern rank of #3,925.

What does the Hooley surname mean?

An anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó hUallacháin referring to someone from County Sligo.

What does the Hooley map show?

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