NameCensus.

UK surname

Iles

Derived from a place name meaning "island" in Old English, likely referring to someone living on an island.

In the 1881 census there were 2,315 people recorded with the Iles surname, ranking it #1,924 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,438, ranked #1,983, down from #1,924 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Swindon, Lyddington and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Gloucestershire, Swindon and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Iles is 3,668 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.5%.

1881 census count

2,315

Ranked #1,924

Modern count

3,438

2016, ranked #1,983

Peak year

2000

3,668 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Iles had 2,315 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,924 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,438 in 2016, ranked #1,983.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,410 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Iles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Iles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Iles 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 1,418 #2,031
1861 historical 936 #2,959
1881 historical 2,315 #1,924
1891 historical 2,394 #1,967
1901 historical 3,029 #1,848
1911 historical 3,410 #1,536
1997 modern 3,549 #1,824
1998 modern 3,636 #1,856
1999 modern 3,664 #1,854
2000 modern 3,668 #1,841
2001 modern 3,597 #1,836
2002 modern 3,628 #1,869
2003 modern 3,489 #1,899
2004 modern 3,466 #1,907
2005 modern 3,397 #1,916
2006 modern 3,407 #1,905
2007 modern 3,406 #1,928
2008 modern 3,381 #1,969
2009 modern 3,534 #1,927
2010 modern 3,549 #1,961
2011 modern 3,524 #1,953
2012 modern 3,410 #1,972
2013 modern 3,516 #1,956
2014 modern 3,523 #1,960
2015 modern 3,473 #1,963
2016 modern 3,438 #1,983

Geography

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Where Iles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Gloucestershire, Swindon and Bristol. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Gloucestershire 032 South Gloucestershire
2 Swindon 010 Swindon
3 South Gloucestershire 029 South Gloucestershire
4 South Gloucestershire 030 South Gloucestershire
5 Bristol 035 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Iles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Iles

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Iles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Iles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Iles is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Iles is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Iles falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Iles

The surname ILES is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "ileg" or "ile," meaning an island or a meadow. It likely emerged as a habitational name, referring to someone who lived on an island or in a meadow.

The name first appeared in records dating back to the 12th century, with early spellings including "Ile," "Yle," and "Iley." One of the earliest recorded instances is in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, which mentions a William de Ile.

The Domesday Book of 1086 includes several references to places with the name "Ile" or similar spellings, suggesting that the surname may have originated from these locations. For example, it mentions "Ila" in Dorset and "Ile" in Somerset.

Notable historical figures with the surname ILES include William Iles (c. 1605-1677), an English clergyman and author, and Henry Iles (1839-1924), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire.

In the 16th century, the surname was sometimes spelled "Isles," as evidenced by Thomas Isles (c. 1530-1594), an English composer and organist. This variation likely arose due to the association with the word "isle" or "island."

Another noteworthy individual was Sir John Iles (1608-1648), an English lawyer and politician who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the English Civil War. He was born in Wiltshire and attended the University of Oxford.

In the 18th century, William Iles (1741-1823) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead.

The surname ILES has also been found in various place names throughout England, such as Ilesborough in Somerset and Iley in Berkshire, further indicating its longstanding presence in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Iles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Iles 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. Gloucestershire leads with 957 Iles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.66x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 957 21.66x
Wiltshire 275 13.81x
Surrey 192 1.75x
Yorkshire 172 0.77x
Middlesex 160 0.71x
Somerset 75 2.07x
Lancashire 68 0.25x
Berkshire 51 3.02x
Warwickshire 46 0.81x
Monmouthshire 34 2.09x
Glamorgan 29 0.74x
Kent 29 0.38x
Devon 26 0.55x
Worcestershire 26 0.88x
Oxfordshire 25 1.80x
Staffordshire 22 0.29x
Essex 19 0.43x
Hampshire 18 0.39x
Lincolnshire 16 0.44x
Cheshire 15 0.30x
Sussex 14 0.37x
Derbyshire 7 0.20x
Hertfordshire 6 0.39x
Cornwall 5 0.20x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.70x
Durham 4 0.06x
Suffolk 4 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.15x
Herefordshire 2 0.22x
Northamptonshire 2 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St George in Gloucestershire leads with 286 Iles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 139.98x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St George 286 139.98x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 94 22.60x
Stratton St Margaret 80 261.78x
Bitton Oldland 46 101.86x
Bedminster 33 9.69x
Cheltenham 32 9.39x
Wimbledon 31 25.16x
Yate 30 309.92x
Dauntsey 29 779.57x
Swindon 26 16.83x
Chipping Sodbury 24 291.62x
Birmingham 23 1.21x
Lechlade 23 253.58x
Hunslet 22 6.32x
Islington London 22 1.01x
Thornbury 22 72.85x
Trevethin 22 14.31x
Bitton 20 52.02x
Brimpsfield 19 666.67x
Fairford 19 161.02x
Purton 19 107.16x
Bristol St Paul In 18 15.29x
Horton 18 636.04x
Lambeth 18 0.92x
Kensington London 17 1.36x
Denton 16 27.01x
Leeds 16 1.27x
Croydon 15 2.46x
Gomersal 15 14.40x
Mangotsfield 15 34.07x
Horfield 14 31.49x
Aston 13 0.83x
Camberwell 13 0.90x
Clifton 13 5.82x
Kings Norton 13 4.93x
Stroud 13 15.12x
Tormarton 13 397.55x
Bromley London 12 2.42x
Deptford St Paul 12 2.02x
Painswick 12 38.41x
Stapleton 12 14.32x
Wootton Bassett 12 69.28x
Alveston 11 175.72x
Bermondsey 11 1.64x
Highworth 11 43.19x
Limehouse London 11 4.45x
Newington 11 1.32x
Poplar London 11 2.59x
St Pancras London 11 0.61x
Finstock Fawler 10 215.98x
Fulham London 10 3.06x
Mile End Old Town London 10 2.09x
Newington Bagpath 10 684.93x
Oldham 10 1.16x
Portsea 10 1.11x
Ramsbury 10 55.43x
Barnsley 9 422.54x
Clapham 9 3.20x
Egham 9 13.36x
Frampton Cotterell 9 58.03x
Keighley 9 3.78x
St George Hanover Square 9 2.27x
Stoke Gifford 9 338.35x
Swansea Town 9 2.80x
Toxteth Park 9 0.99x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 1.37x
Bibury 8 150.09x
Bradford 8 1.48x
Bristol St James St Paul 8 5.43x
Carshalton 8 19.05x
Chelsea London 8 1.18x
Cheriton Fitzpaine 8 134.45x
Eccleshill 8 14.73x
Hawkesbury 8 53.23x
Horton In Bradford 8 2.30x
Kirkdale 8 1.78x
Latton 8 394.09x
Lyneham 8 102.70x
Seacroft 8 75.69x
Sherston Magna 8 66.67x

FAQ

Iles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Iles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,315 people were recorded with the Iles surname. That placed it at #1,924 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Iles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,438 in 2016. That gives Iles a modern rank of #1,983.

What does the Iles surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "island" in Old English, likely referring to someone living on an island.

What does the Iles map show?

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