UK surname
A variant spelling of the surname Hawley, derived from a place name meaning "hedged hill" or "brushy hill."
In the 1881 census there were 28 people recorded with the Huley surname, ranking it #29,646 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2, ranked #38,825, down from #29,646 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Tipton otherwise Tibington, Birstall and Overton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Huley is 102 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 92.9%.
1881 census count
28
Ranked #29,646
Modern count
2
2016, ranked #38,825
Peak year
1891
102 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Huley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Huley surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 45 | #25,168 |
| 1861 | historical | 8 | #32,887 |
| 1881 | historical | 28 | #29,646 |
| 1891 | historical | 102 | #23,719 |
| 1901 | historical | 34 | #30,281 |
| 1911 | historical | 25 | #30,654 |
| 1997 | modern | 4 | #38,094 |
| 1998 | modern | 3 | #38,304 |
| 1999 | modern | 5 | #37,872 |
| 2000 | modern | 4 | #38,004 |
| 2001 | modern | 2 | #38,335 |
| 2005 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2006 | modern | 1 | #38,879 |
| 2007 | modern | 1 | #38,907 |
| 2008 | modern | 3 | #38,396 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 4 | #38,371 |
| 2011 | modern | 3 | #38,546 |
| 2012 | modern | 4 | #38,335 |
| 2013 | modern | 3 | #38,526 |
| 2014 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2015 | modern | 2 | #38,793 |
| 2016 | modern | 2 | #38,825 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Tipton otherwise Tibington, Birstall, Overton, Taxal and Wath-on-Dearn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tipton otherwise Tibington | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Birstall | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 3 | Overton | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 4 | Taxal | Cheshire |
| 5 | Wath-on-Dearn | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Huley surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Huley, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Huley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Huley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Huley is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Huley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Huley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname HULEY is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hule" or "hole," meaning a small valley or hollow. It likely originated in the 12th or 13th century as a topographic name given to someone living near a hollow or depression in the landscape.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1292, where a John de Hole is mentioned. This early spelling variation suggests that the name was initially derived from a place name, as was common with many English surnames.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various manorial records, such as the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1327, which list a Thomas de la Hulle. The prefix "de la" indicates that the name referred to a specific location, possibly a place called Hulle or a similar name.
By the 16th century, the spelling had evolved closer to its modern form. In the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, a document recording those who took an oath of allegiance during the English Civil War, there are several instances of the name Huley recorded across different counties in England.
Notable individuals with the surname HULEY throughout history include:
1. William Huley (c. 1515-1585), an English clergyman and author who wrote a treatise on the Gospels.
2. John Huley (c. 1570-1634), an English merchant and member of the Virginia Company, which established the first permanent English settlement in North America at Jamestown.
3. Elizabeth Huley (c. 1590-1665), an English Puritan writer and poet known for her religious works.
4. Thomas Huley (c. 1620-1695), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London after the Great Fire of 1666.
5. Richard Huley (1700-1772), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War.
While the name HULEY is relatively uncommon today, its origins can be traced back to the early Middle Ages in England, where it likely referred to someone living near a small valley or hollow in the landscape.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Huley surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cheshire leads with 8 Huleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.15x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cheshire | 8 | 16.15x |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 2.70x |
| Warwickshire | 3 | 5.30x |
| Staffordshire | 2 | 2.64x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 5.94x |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 7.37x |
| Essex | 1 | 2.26x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.38x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Taxal in Cheshire leads with 8 Huleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 40000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Taxal | 8 | 40000.00x |
| Birmingham | 2 | 10.60x |
| Holy Trinity St Mary | 2 | 588.24x |
| Wath On Dearne | 2 | 454.55x |
| Wolverhampton | 2 | 34.36x |
| Earley | 1 | 357.14x |
| Eton | 1 | 322.58x |
| Everton | 1 | 11.78x |
| Huddersfield | 1 | 30.86x |
| Selby | 1 | 217.39x |
| Stansted Mountfitchet | 1 | 909.09x |
| Warwick St Nicholas | 1 | 243.90x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Huley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 28 people were recorded with the Huley surname. That placed it at #29,646 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 2 in 2016. That gives Huley a modern rank of #38,825.
A variant spelling of the surname Hawley, derived from a place name meaning "hedged hill" or "brushy hill."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Huley bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.