UK surname
Derived from a place name meaning "honeysuckle clearing" or referring to a huntsman or hunter.
In the 1881 census there were 23 people recorded with the Hunley surname, ranking it #30,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3, ranked #38,594, down from #30,339 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, Llanwonno and Chester St Oswald, Little St John, Cathedral Church, St Peter, St Bridget, St Martin, Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hunley is 177 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 87.0%.
1881 census count
23
Ranked #30,339
Modern count
3
2016, ranked #38,594
Peak year
1861
177 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hunley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hunley surname density by area, 1861 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 | 25 | #28,853 |
| 1861 | historical | 177 | #13,265 |
| 1881 | historical | 23 | #30,339 |
| 1891 | historical | 90 | #25,399 |
| 1901 | historical | 12 | #32,772 |
| 1911 | historical | 34 | #29,600 |
| 1999 | modern | 1 | #38,820 |
| 2003 | modern | 1 | #38,735 |
| 2004 | modern | 2 | #38,464 |
| 2005 | modern | 2 | #38,532 |
| 2006 | modern | 1 | #38,879 |
| 2007 | modern | 1 | #38,907 |
| 2008 | modern | 2 | #38,673 |
| 2009 | modern | 2 | #38,725 |
| 2010 | modern | 2 | #38,775 |
| 2011 | modern | 1 | #39,015 |
| 2012 | modern | 1 | #38,986 |
| 2013 | modern | 1 | #39,008 |
| 2014 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2015 | modern | 3 | #38,558 |
| 2016 | modern | 3 | #38,594 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, Llanwonno, Chester St Oswald, Little St John, Cathedral Church, St Peter, St Bridget, St Martin, Holy Trinity, Southampton St Mary and Manchester. 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 | St George in the East | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Llanwonno | Glamorganshire |
| 3 | Chester St Oswald, Little St John, Cathedral Church, St Peter, St Bridget, St Martin, Holy Trinity | Cheshire |
| 4 | Southampton St Mary | Hampshire |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hunley 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 Hunley, 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 Hunley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hunley 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, Hunley 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 Hunley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hunley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Hunley originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "huna" meaning "bear cub" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a clearing where bear cubs were found.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hunley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Huneleah," referring to a place in Wiltshire.
In the 13th century, the name was spelled "Huneleye" in the Hundred Rolls, which were administrative records from the time of King Edward I. During this period, the surname began to be used more widely as a hereditary family name.
Notable individuals with the surname Hunley include:
1. John Hunley (c. 1555-1616), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Westbury in Wiltshire.
2. Thomas Hunley (1617-1688), an English clergyman and author, best known for his work "A Treatise on the Lord's Supper."
3. William Hunley (1720-1796), a British colonial settler in Virginia, who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
4. Horace Hunley (1823-1863), a Confederate marine engineer and submariner during the American Civil War, best known for designing and operating the first successful combat submarine, the H.L. Hunley.
5. George Hunley (1865-1942), an American politician who served as the 25th Governor of New Mexico from 1917 to 1919.
The surname Hunley has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Hunley in Shropshire, which was recorded as "Huneleye" in the Domesday Book, and Hunley in Hampshire, which was recorded as "Hunelei" in the 13th century.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hunley 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. Lancashire leads with 9 Hunleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.10x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 9 | 4.10x |
| Middlesex | 4 | 2.16x |
| Kent | 3 | 4.75x |
| Staffordshire | 2 | 3.20x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 3.45x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hulme in Lancashire leads with 4 Hunleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.15x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Hulme | 4 | 87.15x |
| Toxteth Park | 4 | 53.76x |
| Deptford St Paul | 3 | 61.60x |
| St George In East London | 3 | 172.41x |
| Bilston | 1 | 82.64x |
| Chesterfield | 1 | 91.74x |
| Denston | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 14.68x |
| Walton On Hill | 1 | 84.03x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hunley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 23 people were recorded with the Hunley surname. That placed it at #30,339 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 3 in 2016. That gives Hunley a modern rank of #38,594.
Derived from a place name meaning "honeysuckle clearing" or referring to a huntsman or hunter.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hunley 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.