NameCensus.

UK surname

Kailey

A variant of the Scottish surname Kelly, likely of Irish origin.

In the 1881 census there were 30 people recorded with the Kailey surname, ranking it #29,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, up from #29,363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ealing, Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kailey is 117 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 290.0%.

1881 census count

30

Ranked #29,363

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

2016

117 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kailey had 30 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 35 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Kailey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kailey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kailey 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 35 #29,571
1881 historical 30 #29,363
1891 historical 24 #32,320
1901 historical 3 #34,063
1911 historical 6 #33,255
1997 modern 48 #32,878
1998 modern 50 #32,899
1999 modern 64 #31,692
2000 modern 70 #31,180
2001 modern 65 #31,501
2002 modern 78 #30,601
2003 modern 69 #31,587
2004 modern 74 #31,306
2005 modern 82 #30,617
2006 modern 90 #29,893
2007 modern 88 #30,515
2008 modern 94 #29,950
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 104 #30,076
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Kaileys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ealing, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Barking and Dagenham and Greenwich. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ealing 012 Ealing
2 Birmingham 036 Birmingham
3 Wolverhampton 016 Wolverhampton
4 Barking and Dagenham 023 Barking and Dagenham
5 Greenwich 022 Greenwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kailey

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kailey

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Kailey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Kailey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Kailey is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kailey 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

Kailey falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kailey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Kailey

The surname Kailey has its origins in the Gaelic language, specifically from the Scottish Highlands. Its earliest recorded usage dates back to the 12th century, where it was spelled as "Caillie" or "Cailye." The name is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "cailleach," which means "old woman" or "nun."

During the Middle Ages, the name Kailey was primarily found in the northern regions of Scotland, particularly in the counties of Inverness, Ross-shire, and Sutherland. It is thought that the name may have initially referred to a person who lived near or worked in a convent or monastery, where the term "cailleach" was commonly used to refer to the nuns.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kailey can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1292, where a certain "Gillecrist Cailye" is mentioned as a landowner in the county of Inverness. This historical record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Kailey began to appear in various Scottish historical documents and records, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296 and the Spalding Club Miscellany of 1841. These records showcase the name's evolution and different spellings, such as "Caillie," "Kailye," and "Kaylie."

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Kailey throughout history are:

1. Robert Kailey (1588-1663), a Scottish theologian and minister from Aberdeen. 2. Isobel Kailey (1620-1685), a Scottish midwife from Inverness who was accused of witchcraft during the notorious witch trials of the 17th century. 3. William Kailey (1732-1802), a Scottish merchant and entrepreneur from Edinburgh who established a successful trading company in the West Indies. 4. Angus Kailey (1810-1892), a Scottish farmer and landowner from Ross-shire, known for his innovative agricultural practices. 5. Mary Kailey (1865-1944), a Scottish novelist and poet from Sutherland, whose works often explored themes of rural life and the Highlands.

As the centuries passed, the surname Kailey spread beyond Scotland and into other parts of the British Isles, as well as to various regions of the world through Scottish immigration and migration. While the name's origins can be traced back to the Gaelic language and the Scottish Highlands, it has since become a part of the diverse tapestry of surnames found across different cultures and societies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kailey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kailey 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. Middlesex leads with 16 Kaileys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.47x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 16 5.47x
Glamorgan 9 17.67x
Lancashire 4 1.15x
Sussex 1 2.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan leads with 9 Kaileys recorded in 1881 and an index of 184.05x.

Place Total Index
Merthyr Tydfil 9 184.05x
Heston 7 721.65x
Shoreditch London 5 39.43x
Salford 4 39.18x
Paddington London 3 27.91x
Rye 1 212.77x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 78.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Janet 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Bridget 1
Bridgett 1
Eliza 1
Hannah 1
Johannah 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 5
John 4
Edward 2
Andrew 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
K.W. 1
Morris 1
Richard 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kailey households.

FAQ

Kailey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kailey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 30 people were recorded with the Kailey surname. That placed it at #29,363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kailey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Kailey a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Kailey surname mean?

A variant of the Scottish surname Kelly, likely of Irish origin.

What does the Kailey map show?

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