NameCensus.

UK surname

Ketley

In the 1881 census there were 478 people recorded with the Ketley surname, ranking it #7,000 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 869, ranked #6,459, up from #7,000 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Boreham, Waltham, Great and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, Chelmsford and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ketley is 941 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 81.8%.

1881 census count

478

Ranked #7,000

Modern count

869

2016, ranked #6,459

Peak year

1998

941 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ketley had 478 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,000 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 869 in 2016, ranked #6,459.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 807 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ketley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ketley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ketley 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 268 #8,326
1861 historical 179 #13,127
1881 historical 478 #7,000
1891 historical 535 #7,026
1901 historical 706 #6,243
1911 historical 807 #5,445
1997 modern 913 #5,910
1998 modern 941 #5,952
1999 modern 926 #6,070
2000 modern 896 #6,195
2001 modern 876 #6,187
2002 modern 889 #6,238
2003 modern 867 #6,246
2004 modern 869 #6,251
2005 modern 833 #6,398
2006 modern 831 #6,419
2007 modern 845 #6,404
2008 modern 846 #6,451
2009 modern 867 #6,473
2010 modern 883 #6,496
2011 modern 884 #6,413
2012 modern 885 #6,323
2013 modern 897 #6,358
2014 modern 903 #6,358
2015 modern 876 #6,446
2016 modern 869 #6,459

Geography

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Where Ketleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Boreham, Waltham, Great, London parishes, Queenborough and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull, Chelmsford, County Durham, Colchester and Braintree. 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 Boreham Essex
2 Waltham, Great Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Queenborough Kent
5 Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 031 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Chelmsford 001 Chelmsford
3 County Durham 059 County Durham
4 Colchester 009 Colchester
5 Braintree 014 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ketley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ketley

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ketley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Ketley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ketley falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Ketley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ketley 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. Essex leads with 241 Ketleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.18x.

County Total Index
Essex 241 26.18x
Warwickshire 32 2.72x
Yorkshire 24 0.52x
Middlesex 22 0.47x
Kent 21 1.32x
Surrey 15 0.66x
Shropshire 14 3.48x
Staffordshire 13 0.83x
Worcestershire 12 1.97x
Leicestershire 11 2.13x
Norfolk 9 1.26x
Cheshire 7 0.68x
Sussex 7 0.89x
Wiltshire 7 1.70x
Gloucestershire 6 0.66x
Denbighshire 5 2.84x
Lancashire 5 0.09x
Somerset 5 0.67x
Hampshire 4 0.42x
Lincolnshire 4 0.54x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.64x
Durham 3 0.22x
Derbyshire 2 0.27x
Hertfordshire 2 0.62x
Bedfordshire 1 0.41x
Berkshire 1 0.29x
East Lothian 1 1.62x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Waltham in Essex leads with 30 Ketleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 800.00x.

Place Total Index
Great Waltham 30 800.00x
Great Dunmow 23 479.17x
Boreham 20 1257.86x
Braintree 16 193.70x
Queenborough 15 955.41x
Rettendon 14 1217.39x
Birmingham 13 3.32x
Chelmsford 13 82.33x
Great Leighs 13 1083.33x
Aston 10 3.09x
Great Yarmouth 9 15.15x
Hatfield Peverel 9 452.26x
Horne 9 810.81x
Madeley 9 60.93x
Pleshey 9 1875.00x
Alresford 8 1951.22x
Brightside Bierlow 7 7.72x
Bromborough 7 327.10x
Eastbourne 7 19.35x
Edgbaston 7 19.20x
Islington London 7 1.55x
Broomfield 6 413.79x
Colne Engaine 6 722.89x
High Easter 6 468.75x
Leicester St Margaret 6 4.76x
Messing 6 521.74x
Springfield 6 148.88x
White Notley 6 810.81x
Amblecote 5 111.36x
Bowling 5 10.93x
Cheltenham 5 7.09x
Dudley 5 6.75x
Felstead 5 158.73x
Maldon St Peter 5 106.61x
Packington 5 271.74x
Ruabon 5 20.64x
Shepton Mallet 5 59.38x
Skinningrove 5 176.68x
West Ham 5 2.46x
Bradford On Avon 4 30.30x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 4.55x
Claypole 4 370.37x
Dawley 4 27.29x
Earls Colne 4 157.48x
Fryerning 4 357.14x
Mile End Old Town London 4 4.03x
Rayne 4 615.38x
Roxwell 4 307.69x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.44x
Harborne 3 5.95x
Havering 3 422.54x
Lambeth 3 0.74x
Little Waltham 3 322.58x
Portsea 3 1.60x
St George Hanover Square 3 3.65x
Yardley 3 19.26x
Basford 2 6.90x
Chester Le Street 2 18.78x
East Donyland 2 90.09x
Hadleigh 2 266.67x
Litchurch 2 6.81x
Newark Upon Trent 2 8.85x
St Giles In Fields London 2 8.74x
St Marylebone London 2 0.80x
Thornham 2 194.17x
Wolverley 2 37.38x
Woodborough 2 317.46x
Writtle 2 53.19x
Baddesley Ensor 1 66.23x
Bradford 1 0.89x
Burton Agnes 1 178.57x
Camberwell 1 0.34x
Handsworth 1 2.58x
Kidderminster Borough 1 2.81x
Kingston On Thames 1 1.83x
Ormiston 1 60.98x
Preston Le Skerne 1 454.55x
Sedgley 1 1.71x
Sutton On Forest 1 108.70x
Wolverhampton 1 0.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Sarah 19
Elizabeth 15
Emma 13
Eliza 12
Alice 11
Ellen 9
Annie 8
Edith 8
Emily 8
Martha 6
Harriet 5
Louisa 5
Minnie 5
Ann 4
Charlotte 4
Jane 4
Amelia 3
Florence 3
Maria 3
... 2
Annabella 2
Betsey 2
Caroline 2
Elenor 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Lucilla 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maud 2
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Catharine 1
Clara 1
Daisy 1
Elizh. 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florry 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Katherine 1
Lizzie 1
May 1
Minnil 1
Nellie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
George 21
John 20
James 19
Charles 18
Frank 8
Alfred 7
Arthur 7
Henry 7
Thomas 7
Ernest 6
Benjamin 5
Francis 5
Samuel 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Joseph 4
Walter 4
Edwin 3
Fredk. 3
... 2
David 2
Earnest 2
Fredrick 2
Jonathan 2
Moses 2
Ruben 2
Sidney 2
Wm. 2
Ben 1
Charlie 1
Clifford 1
Daniel 1
Enoch 1
Fred 1
G.Wm. 1
Geo.Alexander 1
Isaac 1
Josiah 1
Lawrence 1
Lewis 1
Mary 1
Perci 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
R.Henry 1
Wm.James 1

FAQ

Ketley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ketley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 478 people were recorded with the Ketley surname. That placed it at #7,000 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ketley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 869 in 2016. That gives Ketley a modern rank of #6,459.

What does the Ketley map show?

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