NameCensus.

UK surname

Kimbley

A locational surname likely derived from a place name containing Old English words meaning "royal" and "forest clearing or meadow".

In the 1881 census there were 68 people recorded with the Kimbley surname, ranking it #23,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, down from #23,950 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlaston, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nottingham, Ashfield and Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kimbley is 126 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.9%.

1881 census count

68

Ranked #23,950

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

1901

126 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kimbley had 68 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,950 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 126 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Kimbley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kimbley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kimbley 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 68 #23,950
1891 historical 107 #22,967
1901 historical 126 #19,970
1911 historical 97 #23,076
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 112 #25,856
1999 modern 111 #26,182
2000 modern 109 #26,381
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 109 #26,583
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 113 #26,920
2009 modern 119 #26,637
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 117 #27,334
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 118 #27,961
2015 modern 122 #27,245
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Kimbleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlaston, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Pancras, Wednesbury and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nottingham, Ashfield, Walsall and Wakefield. 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 Darlaston Staffordshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Wednesbury Staffordshire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nottingham 002 Nottingham
2 Ashfield 016 Ashfield
3 Walsall 038 Walsall
4 Ashfield 014 Ashfield
5 Wakefield 030 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kimbley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kimbley

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Kimbley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Kimbley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kimbley 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

Kimbley 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

Kimbley falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kimbley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kimbley

The surname Kimbley is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "cyn," meaning "royal" or "kin," and "ley," meaning "field" or "meadow." It is believed to have originated in the 11th century, likely referring to a royal or prominent family's land holdings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kimbley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Chindelueia," referring to a location in Berkshire. This suggests that the name may have initially been a place name before becoming a surname.

During the 13th century, variations of the name, such as "Kyndelee" and "Kindeley," appeared in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. This period saw the gradual transition of the name from a place name to a hereditary surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Kimbley include Sir John Kimbley (1563-1628), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in the early 17th century. Another notable figure was Robert Kimbley (1675-1742), a renowned clockmaker from London whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy.

In the 18th century, the name appeared in various parish records and historical documents, such as the marriage of Thomas Kimbley and Elizabeth Brown in 1745 in Staffordshire. During this period, the name also gained prominence in the American colonies, with individuals like William Kimbley (1720-1789), a merchant and landowner in Virginia.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Edward Kimbley (1819-1892), a British naval officer who served in the Crimean War and rose to the rank of Admiral. He was also a prominent member of the Royal Geographical Society.

Throughout its history, the surname Kimbley has maintained its connection to its Old English roots, reflecting the legacy of prominent families and their land holdings. While the name has undergone slight variations in spelling over time, its core meaning and significance have remained largely unchanged.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kimbley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kimbley 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 17 Kimbleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 17 2.56x
Staffordshire 13 5.81x
Warwickshire 12 7.17x
Durham 9 4.56x
Yorkshire 8 1.22x
Leicestershire 4 5.44x
Worcestershire 2 2.31x
Herefordshire 1 3.68x
Hertfordshire 1 2.19x
Northumberland 1 1.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 9 Kimbleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.16x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 9 53.16x
Altofts 7 958.90x
Coventry St Michael 7 130.35x
Wednesbury 7 125.22x
Spitalfields London 6 120.24x
Darlaston 4 129.45x
Foleshill 4 227.27x
Leicester St Margaret 4 22.31x
St Pancras London 4 7.49x
Tottenham 3 28.41x
Kings Norton 2 25.74x
Mile End New Town London 2 152.67x
West Bromwich 2 15.60x
Birmingham 1 1.79x
Burradon In Tynemouth 1 400.00x
Islington London 1 1.56x
Ledbury 1 107.53x
Stancill Cum Wellingley 1 5000.00x
Watford 1 28.25x
Westminster St James 1 14.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Jane 4
Sarah 3
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Lucy 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Fanny 1
Laura 1
Mancy 1
Rosina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
George 3
Thomas 3
William 3
Abraham 2
Fred 2
Isaac 2
James 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Emma 1
Enock 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Job 1
Joseph 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 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 Kimbley households.

FAQ

Kimbley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kimbley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 68 people were recorded with the Kimbley surname. That placed it at #23,950 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kimbley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Kimbley a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Kimbley surname mean?

A locational surname likely derived from a place name containing Old English words meaning "royal" and "forest clearing or meadow".

What does the Kimbley map show?

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