NameCensus.

UK surname

Hunsley

A locational surname likely derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 206 people recorded with the Hunsley surname, ranking it #12,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 232, ranked #17,694, down from #12,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gainsborough, Paddocks, Kirton-in-Lindsey and Darfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hunsley is 328 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.6%.

1881 census count

206

Ranked #12,596

Modern count

232

2016, ranked #17,694

Peak year

1891

328 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hunsley had 206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016, ranked #17,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 328 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Hunsley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hunsley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hunsley 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 180 #11,300
1861 historical 290 #8,686
1881 historical 206 #12,596
1891 historical 328 #10,348
1901 historical 251 #13,102
1911 historical 298 #11,505
1997 modern 266 #14,658
1998 modern 261 #15,241
1999 modern 267 #15,097
2000 modern 261 #15,314
2001 modern 259 #15,151
2002 modern 258 #15,485
2003 modern 264 #15,071
2004 modern 267 #15,038
2005 modern 251 #15,590
2006 modern 246 #15,907
2007 modern 240 #16,392
2008 modern 238 #16,640
2009 modern 253 #16,283
2010 modern 260 #16,343
2011 modern 254 #16,458
2012 modern 245 #16,745
2013 modern 241 #17,202
2014 modern 239 #17,429
2015 modern 236 #17,477
2016 modern 232 #17,694

Geography

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Where Hunsleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gainsborough, Paddocks, Kirton-in-Lindsey, Darfield, Scotter and Scotton (Scotton) and Beverley St Martin and St Nicholas. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Gainsborough, Paddocks Lincolnshire
2 Kirton-in-Lindsey Lincolnshire
3 Darfield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Scotter and Scotton (Scotton) Lincolnshire
5 Beverley St Martin and St Nicholas Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 017 North Lincolnshire
2 North Lincolnshire 013 North Lincolnshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 019 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 North Lincolnshire 005 North Lincolnshire
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 016 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hunsley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hunsley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hunsley, 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 Hunsley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Hunsley 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Hunsley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Hunsley is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hunsley

The surname Hunsley originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the Old English words "hun" meaning a high or prominent place and "leah" meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who dwelled in a prominent clearing or meadow. The earliest known spelling variations include Hundesleigh, Hundesley, and Hundsley.

Hunsley is a locational surname, meaning it was initially taken from the name of a place where the first bearers resided. Records indicate that the name is associated with the village of Hundsley in Yorkshire, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Hundesley."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hunsley dates back to the 13th century in Norfolk, with a reference to William de Hundesleye. Another early record from 1327 mentions John de Hundesleye in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire.

During the 16th century, the Hunsley surname appeared in various records, including the marriage of Henry Hunsley and Joane Byrley in 1563 in Worcestershire, and the christening of Marye Hunsley in 1577 in Nottinghamshire.

Notable individuals with the Hunsley surname throughout history include:

1. John Hunsley (c. 1555-1616), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Stratford-upon-Avon from 1610 until his death.

2. Richard Hunsley (1740-1821), a British soldier and officer in the Royal Artillery who served during the American Revolutionary War.

3. Mary Hunsley (1792-1864), an English author and poet known for her works on religious and moral subjects.

4. Samuel Hunsley (1820-1895), a prominent businessman and landowner in Yorkshire, who served as the Mayor of Leeds from 1879 to 1880.

5. Margaret Hunsley (1874-1952), an English philanthropist and social reformer who worked to improve education and living conditions for underprivileged children in London.

While the Hunsley surname is not among the most common surnames in England today, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period and is deeply rooted in the country's locational naming traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hunsley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hunsley 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. Yorkshire leads with 73 Hunsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.65x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 73 3.65x
Lincolnshire 46 14.25x
Nottinghamshire 29 10.65x
Middlesex 12 0.59x
Kent 10 1.45x
Lancashire 10 0.42x
East Lothian 5 18.69x
Leicestershire 5 2.23x
Northumberland 5 1.66x
Sussex 5 1.47x
Norfolk 3 0.97x
Derbyshire 2 0.63x
Carmarthenshire 1 1.18x
Warwickshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wombwell in Yorkshire leads with 17 Hunsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 291.60x.

Place Total Index
Wombwell 17 291.60x
Nottingham St Mary 14 19.89x
Crowle 12 609.14x
Beverley St Nicholas 10 609.76x
Beverley St Mary 9 308.22x
Hulme 9 17.99x
Charlton Next Woolwich 8 111.27x
Leconfield Arram 8 3636.36x
Scotton 7 3888.89x
Chelsea London 6 9.86x
Harthill Cum Woodall 6 779.22x
Hibaldstow 6 1090.91x
Castle Donnington 5 268.82x
Dunbar 5 133.33x
St Pancras London 5 3.08x
Atterby 4 5000.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 9.83x
Goxhill 4 500.00x
Hodsock 4 2666.67x
Nottingham St Peter 4 132.01x
Saxby In Glanford Brigg 4 1739.13x
Scawby 4 373.83x
Westgate 4 21.49x
Horsham 3 45.39x
Nottingham St Nicholas 3 80.86x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 3 66.08x
Winterton 3 270.27x
Derby All Sts 2 75.76x
East Markham 2 384.62x
Emneth 2 289.86x
Filey 2 123.46x
Great Driffield 2 48.66x
Hickling 2 588.24x
Kirton In Lindsey 2 156.25x
Waltham 2 392.16x
Wrawby 2 229.89x
Ashby 1 99.01x
Clayton 1 78.13x
East Ferry 1 1000.00x
Eastbourne 1 6.38x
Eltringham 1 312.50x
Greenwich 1 3.11x
Leamington Priors 1 7.98x
Llanelly 1 5.22x
Moss Side 1 7.93x
Scotter 1 135.14x
St Giles In Fields London 1 10.09x
Stowe 1 5000.00x
Tonbridge 1 4.02x
Walkerith 1 1666.67x
Walkington 1 147.06x
Watlington 1 232.56x
Weel 1 1250.00x
Wintringham 1 454.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 7
Hannah 6
Annie 4
Harriet 4
Jane 4
Kate 4
Ada 3
Ann 3
Maria 3
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Martha 2
Rachael 2
Susannah 2
Allice 1
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jenny 1
Katherine 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Margaret 1
Marie 1
Maud 1
May 1
Nelly 1
Prescilla 1
Priscilla 1
Rhoda 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
George 13
John 11
Thomas 9
Charles 6
Henry 5
Joseph 4
Edward 3
Fred 3
Robert 3
Frederick 2
Peter 2
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Everard 1
Fergas 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Isaac 1
Jos. 1
Louis 1
Mark 1
Richard 1
Robt 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1
Whatland 1

FAQ

Hunsley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hunsley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 206 people were recorded with the Hunsley surname. That placed it at #12,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hunsley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016. That gives Hunsley a modern rank of #17,694.

What does the Hunsley surname mean?

A locational surname likely derived from a place name in England.

What does the Hunsley map show?

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