NameCensus.

UK surname

Jolly

A nickname-derived surname referring to a person who was cheerful, jovial, or merry in disposition.

In the 1881 census there were 4,235 people recorded with the Jolly surname, ranking it #1,057 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,066, ranked #1,341, down from #1,057 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Aberdeen and Old Machar and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Machars South, Chorley and South Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jolly is 5,125 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.6%.

1881 census count

4,235

Ranked #1,057

Modern count

5,066

2016, ranked #1,341

Peak year

2010

5,125 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jolly had 4,235 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,057 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,066 in 2016, ranked #1,341.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,018 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Jolly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jolly surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jolly 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 2,652 #1,115
1861 historical 2,520 #1,160
1881 historical 4,235 #1,057
1891 historical 4,216 #1,136
1901 historical 5,018 #1,119
1911 historical 4,258 #1,221
1997 modern 4,915 #1,333
1998 modern 5,064 #1,347
1999 modern 5,104 #1,345
2000 modern 5,074 #1,346
2001 modern 4,970 #1,338
2002 modern 5,065 #1,340
2003 modern 4,946 #1,335
2004 modern 4,932 #1,338
2005 modern 4,858 #1,341
2006 modern 4,900 #1,335
2007 modern 4,940 #1,335
2008 modern 4,935 #1,348
2009 modern 5,001 #1,362
2010 modern 5,125 #1,357
2011 modern 5,025 #1,361
2012 modern 4,979 #1,344
2013 modern 5,078 #1,342
2014 modern 5,106 #1,344
2015 modern 5,067 #1,342
2016 modern 5,066 #1,341

Geography

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Where Jollys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Aberdeen and Old Machar, Preston and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Machars South, Chorley, South Norfolk, Mid Suffolk and County Durham. 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 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
3 Preston Lancashire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Machars South Dumfries and Galloway
2 Chorley 009 Chorley
3 South Norfolk 015 South Norfolk
4 Mid Suffolk 001 Mid Suffolk
5 County Durham 025 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jolly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jolly

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Jolly is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Jolly is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Jolly falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Jolly is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Jolly

The surname Jolly is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "joli," meaning "pretty" or "cheerful." It is believed to have emerged as a nickname for someone with a cheerful or merry disposition.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Jolly dates back to the late 12th century in England. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William le Jolif, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1199.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Jolie, Joly, and Jollye, reflecting the evolution of the English language. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a John le Jolye in Oxfordshire.

The Jolly surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Jolly's Acre in Hertfordshire and Jolly's Farm in Kent, suggesting that some bearers of the name may have derived it from these locations.

One notable early bearer of the surname was Sir John Jolly, a Member of Parliament for Southampton in 1397. Another was Robert Jolly, a 16th-century English merchant and explorer who is credited with introducing the turkey to England from Mexico.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain Thomas Jolly fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was killed in action at the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In the 18th century, John Jolly (1708-1780) was a renowned English artist known for his landscapes and portrait paintings. He was a founding member of the Society of Artists of Great Britain.

Benjamin Jolly (1758-1823) was a celebrated English physician and author who wrote several works on medical topics, including "The Elements of Midwifery" and "The Principles of Anatomy and Physiology."

In the 19th century, Alfred Jolly (1845-1925) was a prominent English politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Birmingham from 1895 to 1896.

Throughout its history, the Jolly surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this cheerful moniker.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jolly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jolly 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. Lancashire leads with 1,030 Jollys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.10x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,030 2.10x
Middlesex 417 1.01x
Suffolk 279 5.53x
Norfolk 259 4.07x
Yorkshire 249 0.61x
Angus 223 5.81x
Surrey 185 0.92x
Cornwall 137 2.92x
Essex 121 1.48x
Durham 107 0.87x
Aberdeenshire 95 2.48x
Northamptonshire 84 2.16x
Kent 76 0.54x
Kincardineshire 67 13.29x
Lanarkshire 66 0.49x
Warwickshire 57 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 54 2.06x
Staffordshire 51 0.36x
Cheshire 43 0.47x
Devon 39 0.45x
Wigtownshire 39 7.09x
Huntingdonshire 33 4.01x
Midlothian 32 0.58x
Kirkcudbrightshire 30 5.00x
Ayrshire 28 0.90x
Cumberland 26 0.73x
Buckinghamshire 25 1.00x
Stirlingshire 25 1.64x
Monmouthshire 24 0.80x
Northumberland 21 0.34x
Perthshire 21 1.13x
Sussex 21 0.30x
Dunbartonshire 20 1.80x
Fife 20 0.82x
Derbyshire 19 0.29x
Berkshire 18 0.58x
Somerset 18 0.27x
Oxfordshire 17 0.66x
Gloucestershire 16 0.20x
Channel Islands 15 1.22x
Hampshire 14 0.16x
Lincolnshire 14 0.21x
Inverness-shire 11 0.89x
Bedfordshire 10 0.47x
Caithness 9 1.59x
Hertfordshire 9 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.16x
Renfrewshire 8 0.25x
Anglesey 7 0.95x
Roxburghshire 6 0.80x
Argyllshire 5 0.43x
Orkney 5 1.10x
Leicestershire 4 0.09x
Wiltshire 4 0.11x
Flintshire 3 0.27x
Herefordshire 3 0.18x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.23x
Shropshire 3 0.08x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.22x
Glamorgan 2 0.03x
Royal Navy 2 0.41x
Merionethshire 1 0.13x
Rutland 1 0.33x
Westmorland 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chorley in Lancashire leads with 197 Jollys recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.45x.

Place Total Index
Chorley 197 71.45x
Preston 104 7.91x
Hackney London 48 2.07x
Lambeth 46 1.27x
Aberdeen Old Machar 41 5.12x
Birmingham 39 1.12x
Montrose 39 16.77x
Skipton 37 28.65x
Chesterton 34 42.04x
Dundee 34 2.37x
Camberwell 33 1.25x
West Ham 33 1.83x
Islington London 32 0.80x
Mile End Old Town London 30 3.40x
Battersea 27 1.77x
Adlington 26 56.51x
Brechin 26 17.25x
Barony 25 0.74x
Manchester 25 1.13x
Diss 24 43.98x
Aberystruth 22 8.34x
Fulham London 22 3.66x
St Pancras London 22 0.66x
Thornton In Fylde 22 20.47x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 21 2.93x
Blackrod 21 34.39x
Northwold 21 123.02x
Kensington London 20 0.87x
Kirkcudbright 20 40.31x
Pendleton In Salford 20 3.42x
Ribby With Wray 20 352.11x
St Marylebone London 20 0.90x
Wortham 20 148.26x
Wattisfield 19 278.18x
Byers Green 18 51.78x
Craig 18 48.58x
Horwich 18 33.59x
Manningham 18 3.56x
Poulton Le Fylde 18 103.27x
Watton 18 90.00x
Whittle Le Woods 18 110.50x
Hardhorn With Newton 17 282.86x
Mendlesham 17 106.52x
Westhoughton 17 12.96x
Wheelton 17 77.34x
Bradford 16 1.61x
Felixstow 16 130.19x
Kimberworth 16 7.03x
Layton With Warbreck 16 8.87x
Toxteth Park 16 0.96x
Wandsworth 16 4.01x
Barrow 15 116.28x
Bungay Holy Trinity 15 57.96x
Camborne 15 7.77x
Gillingham 15 5.15x
Kincardine O Neil 15 54.76x
New Kilpatrick 15 14.17x
Shoreditch London 15 0.84x
Ardwick 14 3.16x
Aston 14 0.49x
Fettercairn 14 65.27x
Hanwell 14 19.07x
Heap 14 5.37x
Laxfield 14 111.47x
Little Bolton 14 2.22x
Lowestoft 14 5.88x
Mile End 14 93.71x
Plymouth Charles The 14 3.69x
Roche 14 58.80x
St Michaelinthe Vale 14 31.96x
Stow Bardolph 14 73.92x
Farnworth 13 4.42x
Gwennap 13 14.70x
Huntingdon St Benedict 13 126.09x
Kinneff Catterline 13 91.55x
Newington 13 0.85x
Strathblane 13 68.21x
Weeton With Preece 13 214.88x
Wellingborough 13 6.64x
Westleigh 13 11.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 256
Elizabeth 156
Sarah 110
Ellen 87
Alice 79
Jane 76
Ann 64
Margaret 56
Emily 46
Emma 45
Eliza 43
Annie 40
Hannah 38
Maria 25
Martha 25
Caroline 19
Catherine 19
Harriet 19
Louisa 18
Fanny 16
Edith 15
Kate 15
Sophia 15
Frances 14
Esther 13
Susan 13
Ada 12
Agnes 12
Clara 12
Florence 12
Isabella 12
Rebecca 11
Elizth. 10
Minnie 10
Anne 9
Charlotte 9
Grace 9
Harriett 9
Amelia 8
Bertha 8
Bessie 8
Laura 8
Lucy 8
Betsy 7
Ethel 7
Julia 7
Lydia 7
Matilda 7
Nancy 7
Rachel 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 263
John 214
James 136
Thomas 129
George 97
Henry 76
Charles 56
Robert 56
Joseph 47
Arthur 42
Richard 40
Alfred 35
Frederick 35
Edward 32
Samuel 27
Walter 26
Harry 20
Albert 19
Herbert 19
Frank 18
Wm. 13
David 12
Ernest 10
Andrew 9
Francis 9
Peter 9
Alexander 8
Daniel 8
Benjamin 7
Christopher 7
Fred 6
Edwin 5
Geo. 5
Chas. 4
Isaac 4
Joshua 4
Nicholas 4
Reuben 4
Stephen 4
Willm. 4
Ellis 3
Henery 3
Horace 3
Josiah 3
Lewis 3
Matthew 3
Percy 3
Seth 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3

FAQ

Jolly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jolly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,235 people were recorded with the Jolly surname. That placed it at #1,057 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jolly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,066 in 2016. That gives Jolly a modern rank of #1,341.

What does the Jolly surname mean?

A nickname-derived surname referring to a person who was cheerful, jovial, or merry in disposition.

What does the Jolly map show?

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