NameCensus.

UK surname

Kewley

An English surname derived from a place name in Lancashire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 351 people recorded with the Kewley surname, ranking it #8,742 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 683, ranked #7,848, up from #8,742 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Manchester and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fraserburgh Harbour and Broadsea, Kirklees and Ryedale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kewley is 717 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 94.6%.

1881 census count

351

Ranked #8,742

Modern count

683

2016, ranked #7,848

Peak year

2014

717 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kewley had 351 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,742 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 683 in 2016, ranked #7,848.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 523 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kewley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kewley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kewley 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 274 #8,176
1861 historical 198 #12,114
1881 historical 351 #8,742
1891 historical 348 #9,873
1901 historical 487 #8,208
1911 historical 523 #7,566
1997 modern 669 #7,504
1998 modern 672 #7,717
1999 modern 703 #7,488
2000 modern 682 #7,643
2001 modern 672 #7,595
2002 modern 670 #7,772
2003 modern 654 #7,804
2004 modern 661 #7,739
2005 modern 672 #7,585
2006 modern 684 #7,510
2007 modern 683 #7,579
2008 modern 689 #7,576
2009 modern 694 #7,690
2010 modern 710 #7,700
2011 modern 683 #7,840
2012 modern 682 #7,772
2013 modern 691 #7,814
2014 modern 717 #7,635
2015 modern 697 #7,736
2016 modern 683 #7,848

Geography

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Where Kewleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Manchester, West Derby, Liverpool and Llanina. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fraserburgh Harbour and Broadsea, Kirklees, Ryedale, Rosehearty and Strathbeg and Wirral. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 West Derby Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Llanina Cardiganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fraserburgh Harbour and Broadsea Aberdeenshire
2 Kirklees 052 Kirklees
3 Ryedale 008 Ryedale
4 Rosehearty and Strathbeg Aberdeenshire
5 Wirral 007 Wirral

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kewley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kewley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Kewley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Kewley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Kewley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Kewley is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kewley falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kewley 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kewley

The surname Kewley originated in the Isle of Man, a small island situated in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. It is believed to have derived from the Manx Gaelic word "keyll," meaning a small chapel or cell. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a family or individual who lived near or maintained a small chapel in the island's early history.

The earliest recorded instances of the Kewley surname date back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries in Manx parish records. Some of the earliest documented bearers of the name include John Kewley, who was born in Rushen Parish in 1598, and William Kewley, born in Malew Parish in 1610.

While the Kewley name has its roots in the Isle of Man, it has also been found in historical records from neighboring regions, such as Lancashire and Cumberland in northwestern England. This suggests that some individuals bearing the name may have migrated from the Isle of Man to mainland Britain over the centuries.

One notable historical figure with the Kewley surname was John Kewley (1805-1879), a Manx language scholar and translator. He played a crucial role in preserving and promoting the Manx Gaelic language, producing several publications and translations of works into Manx Gaelic.

Another individual of note was William Kewley (1836-1911), a Manx-born merchant and shipowner who made his fortune in the United States. He was involved in the shipping trade between the Isle of Man and America, facilitating the migration of many Manx individuals to the New World.

In the 19th century, a branch of the Kewley family settled in Australia, with records indicating the presence of individuals such as Thomas Kewley (1827-1899), a farmer in Victoria, and John Kewley (1830-1912), a stonemason who migrated from the Isle of Man to New South Wales.

The Kewley surname has also been found in historical records from other parts of the world, likely due to migration patterns. For instance, there are records of individuals bearing the name in Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand, reflecting the widespread diaspora of those with Manx ancestry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kewley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kewley 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. Isle of Man leads with 506 Kewleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 328.23x.

County Total Index
Isle of Man 506 328.23x
Lancashire 227 2.30x
Cheshire 28 1.53x
Cumberland 27 3.78x
Staffordshire 11 0.39x
Midlothian 9 0.81x
Kent 8 0.28x
Middlesex 8 0.10x
Yorkshire 8 0.10x
Berkshire 5 0.80x
Hertfordshire 4 0.70x
Lanarkshire 2 0.07x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.30x
Derbyshire 1 0.08x
Devon 1 0.06x
Monmouthshire 1 0.17x
Northumberland 1 0.08x
Oxfordshire 1 0.20x
Surrey 1 0.02x
Worcestershire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Onchan in Isle of Man leads with 190 Kewleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 427.83x.

Place Total Index
Onchan 190 427.83x
Lonan 133 1423.98x
Toxteth Park 55 16.49x
Malew 29 215.29x
Everton 27 8.60x
Andreas 26 622.01x
Lezayre 23 332.37x
Liverpool 19 3.18x
Manchester 19 4.29x
Maughold 19 159.80x
Michael 18 575.08x
Kirkdale 17 10.26x
West Derby 16 5.55x
German Peel 14 157.66x
German 13 154.58x
Bollington In 11 67.44x
Braddan 11 130.64x
Hulme 11 5.35x
St Anne 10 602.41x
Tranmere 10 14.85x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 2.01x
Arlecdon 8 42.08x
Armitage 8 219.18x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 4.47x
Douglas 7 313.90x
Egremont 7 41.08x
Thornton In Fylde 7 32.48x
Wingham 7 213.41x
Barrow In Furness 6 4.48x
Cleator 6 20.17x
Walton On Hill 6 11.24x
Ballaugh 5 181.82x
Birkenhead 5 3.42x
Bradford 5 2.51x
Great Crosby 5 18.62x
Remenham 5 284.09x
Ardwick 4 4.50x
Baldock 4 74.35x
Little Bolton 4 3.16x
Moss Side 4 7.72x
Shoreditch London 4 1.11x
Bromley London 3 1.64x
Marown 3 106.76x
Patrick 3 39.95x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.01x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 2.70x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 2.56x
Glasgow 2 0.42x
Little Meolse 2 76.34x
Little Woolton 2 70.42x
Newton 2 2.63x
Stretford 2 3.69x
Whitehaven 2 5.25x
Wigton 2 18.66x
York St Margaret 2 39.22x
Atherton 1 2.79x
Beswick 1 3.97x
Chatham 1 1.28x
Compton Gifford 1 18.45x
Derby St Werburgh 1 1.33x
Dwygyfylchi 1 16.13x
Headington 1 12.56x
Jurby 1 53.76x
Kidderminster Foreign 1 6.52x
Lower Booths 1 5.67x
Millom 1 4.57x
Much Woolton 1 7.48x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 1.56x
Newport 1 3.49x
North Meols 1 1.04x
Pendleton In Salford 1 0.85x
Preston Quarter 1 4.99x
Rushen 1 9.59x
Salford 1 0.35x
Sheffield 1 0.38x
Sutton 1 3.03x
Wandsworth 1 1.25x
Westminster St Margaret 1 2.50x
Whittingham 1 23.04x
Wigan 1 0.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 38
Mary 36
Elizabeth 33
Jane 23
Catherine 21
Ann 20
Isabella 17
Sarah 17
Emily 15
Eleanor 14
Annie 11
Emma 11
Alice 9
Anne 8
Eliza 8
Ellen 7
Agnes 6
Cathrine 5
Esther 5
Frances 5
Hannah 5
Ada 4
Christian 4
Jessie 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Amy 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Amelia 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Christina 2
Elizabett 2
Elizth. 2
Ella 2
Ellenor 2
Eunice 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Jemima 2
Lenora 2
Maggie 2
Sophia 2
Blanch 1
Deborah 1
Georgina 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 68
John 62
Thomas 43
James 36
Robert 35
George 16
Edward 14
Henry 14
Joseph 13
Charles 10
Arthur 9
Walter 7
Alfred 5
Thos. 4
Daniel 3
Ernest 3
Lee 3
Philip 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Andrew 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Fredric 2
Harry 2
Hugh 2
Jno. 2
Robt. 2
Wm. 2
Athol 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Enos 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Geo.Tag. 1
H. 1
H.S. 1
Herbert 1
Herbt. 1
Lionel 1
Louis 1
Matthias 1
Mattus 1
Moses 1
Nicholas 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Rigby 1

FAQ

Kewley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kewley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 351 people were recorded with the Kewley surname. That placed it at #8,742 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kewley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 683 in 2016. That gives Kewley a modern rank of #7,848.

What does the Kewley surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name in Lancashire, England.

What does the Kewley map show?

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