NameCensus.

UK surname

Kindley

A surname derived from a placename containing the Old English words "cynd" (kind or nature) and "leah" (woodland clearing).

In the 1881 census there were 69 people recorded with the Kindley surname, ranking it #23,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, down from #23,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle All Saints, Wigan and Battersea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, North Tyneside and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kindley is 180 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.4%.

1881 census count

69

Ranked #23,816

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

1861

180 bearers

Map years

3

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kindley had 69 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 180 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Kindley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kindley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kindley 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 60 #22,584
1861 historical 180 #13,057
1881 historical 69 #23,816
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 74 #25,958
1911 historical 91 #23,684
1997 modern 87 #28,749
1998 modern 84 #29,537
1999 modern 82 #29,933
2000 modern 84 #29,706
2001 modern 86 #29,281
2002 modern 91 #29,181
2003 modern 91 #29,121
2004 modern 87 #29,897
2005 modern 85 #30,219
2006 modern 90 #29,893
2007 modern 86 #30,808
2008 modern 93 #30,123
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 94 #31,111
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 96 #30,949
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 100 #31,033
2015 modern 99 #31,168
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Kindleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle All Saints, Wigan, Battersea, Bishop Wearmouth and Wallsend. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, North Tyneside, Cornwall and Bromley. 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 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Battersea London (South Districts)
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham
5 Wallsend Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 010 Northumberland
2 North Tyneside 025 North Tyneside
3 Northumberland 014 Northumberland
4 Cornwall 054 Cornwall
5 Bromley 035 Bromley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kindley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kindley

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Kindley is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kindley is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kindley 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 Kindley 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 Kindley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kindley

The surname Kindley has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cind" meaning "kind" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person who lived in a kind or pleasant woodland area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kindley can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, England, from 1327, where it appears as "John de Kyndeley." This spelling variation indicates that the name was likely associated with a place name, possibly a village or hamlet.

In the 15th century, the name Kindley appears in various historical records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a "Thomas Kyndeley" is mentioned in 1459. This suggests that the name had spread to different regions of England by that time.

Interestingly, the Kindley surname may also have connections to the village of Kindleley in Derbyshire, England. While the village no longer exists, it was documented in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Chindelei," which could be a variation of the same root word as the surname.

One notable bearer of the Kindley surname was Sir John Kindley, a 16th-century English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire in 1553. Another prominent figure was William Kindley (1610-1677), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Totnes in Devon.

In the 17th century, the Kindley surname appeared in various records, including the Parish Registers of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, where a "Thomas Kindley" was christened in 1634. Additionally, a "John Kindley" was recorded in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Cheshire in 1674.

During the 18th century, the Kindley surname continued to be documented in various parts of England, including the Baptismal Records of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, where a "Mary Kindley" was baptized in 1725. Another notable figure was Robert Kindley (1740-1820), an English merchant and philanthropist from Yorkshire.

In the 19th century, the surname Kindley gained recognition through individuals such as James Kindley (1812-1891), a British artist known for his landscape paintings, and William Kindley (1844-1920), a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kindley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kindley 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 30 Kindleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.76x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 30 3.76x
Northumberland 16 15.98x
Cumberland 12 20.71x
Surrey 5 1.52x
Durham 4 2.00x
Middlesex 1 0.15x
Staffordshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ince In Makerfield in Lancashire leads with 17 Kindleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 456.99x.

Place Total Index
Ince In Makerfield 17 456.99x
Wigan 10 89.61x
Westgate 8 129.03x
Caldewgate 6 188.68x
Battersea 4 16.15x
Bishopwearmouth 4 23.27x
Byker 4 80.81x
Elswick 4 50.06x
Rickergate 4 325.20x
Failsworth 2 109.29x
Wetheral 2 259.74x
Clapham 1 11.89x
Denton 1 56.50x
Harborne 1 13.74x
Paddington London 1 4.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Eleanor 3
Elizabeth 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Catherine 2
Eliz. 2
Frances 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Fanny 1
Feloniam 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Leah 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
Robert 4
William 4
Thomas 3
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Angus 1
Antonio 1
George 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Michael 1
Nicholas 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Wm.Jnr. 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 Kindley households.

FAQ

Kindley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kindley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 69 people were recorded with the Kindley surname. That placed it at #23,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kindley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Kindley a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Kindley surname mean?

A surname derived from a placename containing the Old English words "cynd" (kind or nature) and "leah" (woodland clearing).

What does the Kindley map show?

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