NameCensus.

UK surname

Illsley

A locational name derived from a place called Illsley in Berkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 546 people recorded with the Illsley surname, ranking it #6,327 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 781, ranked #7,060, down from #6,327 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Stapenhill and Church Gresley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Staffordshire, Ceredigion and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Illsley is 833 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.0%.

1881 census count

546

Ranked #6,327

Modern count

781

2016, ranked #7,060

Peak year

1911

833 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Illsley had 546 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,327 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 781 in 2016, ranked #7,060.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 833 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Illsley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Illsley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Illsley 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 242 #9,001
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 546 #6,327
1891 historical 551 #6,868
1901 historical 722 #6,124
1911 historical 833 #5,301
1997 modern 790 #6,602
1998 modern 831 #6,555
1999 modern 814 #6,700
2000 modern 819 #6,649
2001 modern 790 #6,707
2002 modern 807 #6,729
2003 modern 774 #6,840
2004 modern 782 #6,800
2005 modern 767 #6,830
2006 modern 778 #6,786
2007 modern 784 #6,805
2008 modern 801 #6,738
2009 modern 809 #6,825
2010 modern 817 #6,896
2011 modern 807 #6,884
2012 modern 793 #6,888
2013 modern 831 #6,743
2014 modern 815 #6,879
2015 modern 798 #6,947
2016 modern 781 #7,060

Geography

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Where Illsleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Stapenhill, Church Gresley, Lambeth and Ashby-de-la-Zouch (including Blackfordby). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Staffordshire, Ceredigion, Rotherham, South Derbyshire and Erewash. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Stapenhill Staffordshire
3 Church Gresley Staffordshire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Ashby-de-la-Zouch (including Blackfordby) Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Staffordshire 014 East Staffordshire
2 Ceredigion 001 Ceredigion
3 Rotherham 020 Rotherham
4 South Derbyshire 008 South Derbyshire
5 Erewash 009 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Illsley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Illsley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Illsley 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

Illsley is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Illsley 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 Illsley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Illsley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Illsley

The surname Illsley has its origins in England, first appearing in historical records during the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name that may have been spelled Illsley or a similar variation. The name likely originated in one of the villages or towns bearing a name resembling Illsley.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name Illsley can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were records of landholders in various English counties. This suggests that the Illsley family had established roots in England by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, further solidifying its presence in the region. The spellings "Illesley" and "Illislee" were also recorded during this time, indicating the variations that existed in the spelling of the name.

During the 16th century, the Illsley name was well-established in various parts of England. Notable individuals bearing this surname include John Illsley, a merchant from Bristol who was active in the mid-1500s, and William Illsley, a landowner in Gloucestershire mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1576.

In the 17th century, the Illsley family continued to flourish, with records indicating their presence in counties such as Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. One notable figure from this period was Robert Illsley, a clergyman who served as the Rector of Addington in Buckinghamshire from 1640 until his death in 1670.

Moving into the 18th century, the name Illsley gained prominence in various fields. Thomas Illsley (1693-1762) was a renowned English clockmaker, known for his intricate and highly accurate timepieces. Another notable individual was Richard Illsley (1720-1798), a prominent merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire.

As the centuries progressed, the Illsley surname continued to be represented across various walks of life. In the 19th century, Joseph Illsley (1819-1891) was a respected architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. John's Church in Waterloo.

These are just a few examples of the rich history and varied backgrounds associated with the surname Illsley throughout the centuries, reflecting its deep roots in English heritage and the diverse contributions made by those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Illsley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Illsley 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. Derbyshire leads with 94 Illsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.29x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 94 11.29x
Leicestershire 86 14.59x
Berkshire 82 20.55x
Middlesex 43 0.81x
Surrey 43 1.66x
Staffordshire 37 2.06x
Buckinghamshire 21 6.53x
Yorkshire 21 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 19 2.65x
Hampshire 18 1.65x
Bedfordshire 12 4.36x
Cambridgeshire 11 3.27x
Huntingdonshire 11 10.42x
Kent 11 0.61x
Norfolk 11 1.35x
Gloucestershire 7 0.67x
Lancashire 6 0.10x
Durham 4 0.25x
Devon 2 0.18x
Sussex 2 0.22x
Worcestershire 2 0.29x
Herefordshire 1 0.46x
Northamptonshire 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. Blackfordby in Leicestershire leads with 37 Illsleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1968.09x.

Place Total Index
Blackfordby 37 1968.09x
Tilehurst 33 409.43x
Ashby De La Zouch 29 212.30x
Church Gresley 27 203.93x
Lambeth 18 3.88x
Stapenhill 18 145.28x
Reading St Mary 17 53.19x
Wales 15 360.58x
Bray 13 110.92x
St Neots 11 191.64x
Basing 10 490.20x
Sunbury 10 156.49x
Duffield 9 137.20x
Reading St Giles 9 22.99x
Great Marlow 8 92.27x
Stoke D Abernon 8 1066.67x
Burnham 7 170.73x
Burton Upon Trent 7 16.67x
Cheddleton 7 186.17x
Chilwell 7 368.42x
Leicester St Margaret 7 4.87x
St Clement Danes London 7 63.64x
Wandsworth 7 13.68x
Wimbotsham 7 673.08x
Dorney 6 1052.63x
Melbourne 6 105.45x
St Andrewthe Less 6 15.60x
Walmersley Cum 6 59.52x
Chaddesden 5 450.45x
Hartshorn 5 159.24x
Isleworth 5 21.15x
Kirkby In Ashfield 5 65.27x
March 5 44.33x
Ravenstone 5 609.76x
Rotherham 5 16.84x
Sandy 5 103.09x
Staines 5 59.38x
Stowe 5 746.27x
Cheltenham 4 4.97x
Coundon 4 62.40x
Darlaston 4 16.13x
Derby St Werburgh 4 8.32x
Eaton Socon 4 92.59x
Maidstone 4 7.40x
Nottingham St Mary 4 2.16x
Paddington London 4 2.05x
Ripley 4 38.87x
Stanton Newhall 4 149.81x
Ticknall 4 233.92x
Ashford 3 16.99x
Basingstoke 3 23.94x
Biggleswade 3 33.26x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 3.06x
Bromley London 3 2.57x
Burton Extra 3 29.15x
Camberwell 3 0.88x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.14x
Earley 3 45.11x
Heston 3 16.99x
Hugglescote 3 34.60x
Mansfield 3 12.10x
Maplederwell 3 769.23x
Normanton Le Heath 3 1034.48x
Southwark St Saviour 3 10.98x
Wednesbury 3 6.69x
Wednesfield 3 11.36x
Burghfield 2 84.75x
Horninglow 2 23.67x
New Windsor 2 14.90x
Pentrich 2 42.74x
Repton 2 63.49x
Sidmouth 2 31.60x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 1.05x
Stourbridge 2 11.20x
Wallington With Thorpland 2 1428.57x
Chellaston 1 109.89x
Edmonton 1 2.33x
Ibstock 1 23.36x
Leatherhead 1 15.41x
Thatcham 1 16.26x

FAQ

Illsley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Illsley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 546 people were recorded with the Illsley surname. That placed it at #6,327 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Illsley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 781 in 2016. That gives Illsley a modern rank of #7,060.

What does the Illsley surname mean?

A locational name derived from a place called Illsley in Berkshire, England.

What does the Illsley map show?

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