NameCensus.

UK surname

Kitley

A locational surname derived from Kitley, a hamlet in Devon, England.

In the 1881 census there were 210 people recorded with the Kitley surname, ranking it #12,440 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 190, ranked #20,262, down from #12,440 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Windsor and Maidenhead and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kitley is 302 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.5%.

1881 census count

210

Ranked #12,440

Modern count

190

2016, ranked #20,262

Peak year

1911

302 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kitley had 210 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,440 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 190 in 2016, ranked #20,262.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 302 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Kitley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kitley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kitley 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 112 #15,913
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 210 #12,440
1891 historical 226 #13,668
1901 historical 251 #13,102
1911 historical 302 #11,394
1997 modern 191 #18,150
1998 modern 198 #18,224
1999 modern 198 #18,343
2000 modern 196 #18,431
2001 modern 193 #18,334
2002 modern 207 #17,911
2003 modern 201 #18,089
2004 modern 197 #18,368
2005 modern 198 #18,279
2006 modern 189 #18,961
2007 modern 182 #19,618
2008 modern 181 #19,875
2009 modern 193 #19,463
2010 modern 190 #20,087
2011 modern 190 #19,942
2012 modern 187 #20,086
2013 modern 185 #20,575
2014 modern 190 #20,374
2015 modern 190 #20,272
2016 modern 190 #20,262

Geography

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Where Kitleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent, Lyncombe and Widcombe and Bath St Michael. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Windsor and Maidenhead and Wiltshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent Somerset
4 Lyncombe and Widcombe Somerset
5 Bath St Michael Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Windsor and Maidenhead 001 Windsor and Maidenhead
2 Windsor and Maidenhead 005 Windsor and Maidenhead
3 Wiltshire 043 Wiltshire
4 Windsor and Maidenhead 006 Windsor and Maidenhead
5 Wiltshire 047 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kitley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kitley

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

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Kitley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Kitley 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 are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Kitley 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

Kitley 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

Kitley falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kitley

The surname Kitley is of English origin, originating from the county of Devon in the southwest of England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "cyte" meaning cottage, and "leah" meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. The name likely referred to someone who lived in a cottage or small dwelling situated in a woodland or meadow area.

The earliest recorded mention of the Kitley surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Chitelai" in the record, referring to a location or settlement in Devon.

In the 13th century, the Kitley surname was closely associated with the village of Kitley, located near the town of Yealmpton in Devon. This village likely took its name from the same Old English roots as the surname, further solidifying the connection between the name and the region.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Kitley surname was Sir John Kitley, who lived in the late 14th century. He was a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Devon, holding estates in the area around Yealmpton.

Another notable figure was Sir Maurice Kitley, who was born in 1532 and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Tavistock in Devon during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a staunch Protestant and played a role in the religious and political affairs of his time.

In the 17th century, the Kitley family established their ancestral seat at Kitley House, a grand manor located in the village of Yealmpton. The family remained influential landowners and members of the local gentry for several generations.

During the 18th century, a branch of the Kitley family settled in the West Indies, where they became successful plantation owners and merchants. One notable member of this branch was Edward Kitley, who was born in Antigua in 1764 and made his fortune in the sugar trade.

Other notable individuals with the Kitley surname include Thomas Kitley, a 19th-century writer and journalist who was born in Devon in 1819, and Sir Albert Kitley, a 20th-century engineer and industrialist who was born in 1879 and played a significant role in the development of the British automobile industry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kitley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kitley 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. Somerset leads with 62 Kitleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.71x.

County Total Index
Somerset 62 18.71x
Wiltshire 30 16.48x
Middlesex 26 1.26x
Kent 18 2.56x
Yorkshire 13 0.64x
Northamptonshire 9 4.65x
Warwickshire 8 1.54x
Berkshire 7 4.53x
Surrey 7 0.70x
Leicestershire 6 2.63x
Cambridgeshire 5 3.84x
Gloucestershire 5 1.24x
Staffordshire 4 0.58x
Essex 3 0.74x
Dorset 2 1.48x
Hertfordshire 2 1.41x
Hampshire 1 0.24x
Lancashire 1 0.04x
Northumberland 1 0.33x
Royal Navy 1 4.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heytesbury in Wiltshire leads with 14 Kitleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2121.21x.

Place Total Index
Heytesbury 14 2121.21x
Bath St Michael 12 718.56x
Frome 12 151.52x
Weare 12 2608.70x
Plumstead 7 29.90x
Shipbourne 7 1944.44x
Sunninghill 7 327.10x
Bedminster 6 19.27x
Newington 6 7.89x
Northampton All Sts 6 91.32x
Wanlip 6 7500.00x
Weston Super Mare 6 71.68x
Aston 5 3.50x
Bradford On Avon 5 85.76x
Chatteris 5 150.15x
Linthorpe 5 41.08x
Lyncombe Widcombe 5 57.67x
St Marylebone London 5 4.55x
Berwick St James 4 3076.92x
Bethnal Green London 4 4.47x
Southowram 4 64.31x
St Pancras London 4 2.41x
Westbury On Trym 4 29.24x
Beckington 3 461.54x
Kensington London 3 2.62x
Bromley London 2 4.42x
Edmonton 2 12.06x
Greenwich 2 6.11x
Middlesbrough 2 7.53x
Queenborough 2 289.86x
Taunton St Mary 2 32.89x
Warminster 2 50.13x
West Bromwich 2 5.03x
Westbury 2 47.06x
Westminster St Margaret 2 20.14x
York St Mary 2 23.67x
Alverstoke 1 6.55x
Astley 1 588.24x
Bathwick 1 27.25x
Berkhampstead 1 31.35x
Birmingham 1 0.58x
Braughing 1 136.99x
Bristol St Peter 1 69.44x
Burrington 1 312.50x
Cheetham 1 5.49x
Chelmsford 1 14.35x
Compton Bishop 1 256.41x
Devizes St James 1 41.32x
East Ham 1 13.26x
East Tisbury 1 158.73x
Friern Barnet 1 22.08x
Glastonbury 1 37.04x
Hammersmith London 1 1.97x
Hardingstone 1 54.05x
Kingswinford 1 3.97x
Leamington Priors 1 7.83x
Maldon St Marys 1 103.09x
Northampton Priory St 1 8.61x
Ogbourne St Andrew 1 322.58x
Peterborough 1 7.13x
Poole St James 1 19.69x
Royal Navy 1 4.77x
Send Ripley 1 76.34x
Shepperton 1 109.89x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.76x
Tynemouth 1 6.10x
Walsall Borough 1 18.55x
Weymouth 1 39.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 8
Emma 8
Mary 8
Sarah 8
Charlotte 6
Emily 6
Jane 5
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Ada 3
Annie 2
Edith 2
Harriet 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2
Adelaide 1
Agnes 1
Agness 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Bella 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Effie 1
Ellen 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Lilian 1
Lotte 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Margeret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mather 1
Moalander 1
Nelly 1
Phoeby 1
Rachel 1
Rhoda 1
Selina 1
Susan 1
Susanna 1
Thurza 1
Vinn 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
George 8
John 7
James 6
Arthur 5
Daniel 4
Frederick 4
Henry 4
Joseph 4
Charles 3
Edward 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Elias 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Alex 1
Alvred 1
Archibald 1
Edmund 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.G. 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
Oliver 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Samson 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1
Willoughby 1
Wm.F. 1

FAQ

Kitley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kitley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 210 people were recorded with the Kitley surname. That placed it at #12,440 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kitley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 190 in 2016. That gives Kitley a modern rank of #20,262.

What does the Kitley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from Kitley, a hamlet in Devon, England.

What does the Kitley map show?

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