NameCensus.

UK surname

Lashley

An English occupational surname referring to a person who worked with slats or strips of wood.

In the 1881 census there were 122 people recorded with the Lashley surname, ranking it #17,602 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 515, ranked #9,793, up from #17,602 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harborne, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and Nuneaton and Bedworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lashley is 531 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 322.1%.

1881 census count

122

Ranked #17,602

Modern count

515

2016, ranked #9,793

Peak year

2010

531 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lashley had 122 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,602 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 515 in 2016, ranked #9,793.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 206 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Lashley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lashley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lashley 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 56 #23,235
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 122 #17,602
1891 historical 166 #17,077
1901 historical 170 #16,762
1911 historical 206 #14,677
1997 modern 429 #10,440
1998 modern 437 #10,637
1999 modern 445 #10,535
2000 modern 452 #10,394
2001 modern 459 #10,082
2002 modern 464 #10,181
2003 modern 457 #10,156
2004 modern 473 #9,905
2005 modern 468 #9,909
2006 modern 465 #9,988
2007 modern 472 #9,978
2008 modern 483 #9,890
2009 modern 509 #9,712
2010 modern 531 #9,615
2011 modern 507 #9,854
2012 modern 503 #9,819
2013 modern 515 #9,804
2014 modern 527 #9,716
2015 modern 512 #9,853
2016 modern 515 #9,793

Geography

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Where Lashleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harborne, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Toxteth Park, Hambledon and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland and Nuneaton and Bedworth. 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 Harborne Worcestershire
2 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Hambledon Hampshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 010 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 013 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 014 Northumberland
4 Northumberland 012 Northumberland
5 Nuneaton and Bedworth 002 Nuneaton and Bedworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lashley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lashley

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Lashley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Lashley 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lashley 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

Lashley is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Lashley

The surname Lashley is of English origin, deriving from a place name in the county of Essex, England. It is believed to have originated in the village of Latchingdon, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Lascendene" or "Lascenduna."

The name Latchingdon itself is thought to come from the Old English words "læcce" meaning a stream or boggy area, and "dun" meaning a hill or down. Thus, the original meaning of the place name, and subsequently the surname, was likely "the hill by the boggy stream."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Lashley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex from 1230, where a William de Laschendon is mentioned. The "de" prefix indicates that he was from the place called Latchingdon, and the surname would have later evolved into its modern spelling of Lashley.

In the 14th century, there are records of a Thomas de Laschelye, who was a prominent landowner in the county of Essex. This variation in spelling, with the addition of the "-ye" ending, was common during this period.

During the 16th century, the surname Lashley began to spread beyond its Essex origins. Notable individuals from this time include John Lashley (c. 1540-1612), who was a Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark in 1586.

In the 17th century, the Lashley surname can be found in various parts of England, with records showing individuals in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. One notable figure from this era was William Lashley (c. 1615-1667), who was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

As the name spread further, it also began to appear in other parts of the British Isles and beyond. In the 18th century, there are records of Lashleys in Ireland and Scotland, as well as in the American colonies.

Throughout history, the surname Lashley has been associated with various occupations and professions, from landowners and merchants to academics and artists. One notable example is the English philosopher and psychologist, Karl Spencer Lashley (1890-1958), who made significant contributions to the study of brain function and behavior.

Another notable individual with the Lashley surname was the American actress and singer, Dorothy Lashley (1902-1977), who had a successful career on Broadway and in Hollywood during the mid-20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lashley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lashley 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. Hampshire leads with 29 Lashleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.89x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 29 11.89x
Durham 21 5.93x
Northumberland 18 10.17x
Staffordshire 15 3.73x
Lancashire 11 0.78x
Yorkshire 9 0.76x
Kent 8 1.97x
Sussex 6 2.99x
Surrey 3 0.52x
Bedfordshire 1 1.62x
Middlesex 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 16 Lashleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.47x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 16 33.47x
Toxteth Park 11 23.01x
Brightside Bierlow 9 38.91x
Hambledon 9 1097.56x
Harborne 9 69.93x
Ryhope 9 365.85x
Longbenton 8 106.67x
Westoe 7 34.88x
North Shields 6 169.97x
Brighton 5 12.35x
Framwellgate 5 238.10x
Wednesbury 5 49.80x
Bromley 4 64.62x
Minster In Sheppey 4 59.44x
Prudhoe 4 325.20x
Lymington 3 167.60x
Bedford St Paul 1 23.64x
Croydon 1 3.11x
Hinton Ampner 1 625.00x
Kingston On Thames 1 7.18x
Lewes St John Southover 1 74.07x
St Marylebone London 1 1.57x
West Bromwich 1 4.35x
Witley 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Jane 6
Ann 4
Elizabeth 4
Maria 4
Alice 3
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Ellen 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Anastasia 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Elizh. 1
Emma 1
Feodore 1
Hester 1
Jeanette 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lydia 1
M.A. 1
Margret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
Charles 7
William 7
James 6
Joseph 6
George 4
Robert 4
Richard 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Adam 1
Angelo 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Lewis 1
Samuel 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Lashley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lashley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 122 people were recorded with the Lashley surname. That placed it at #17,602 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lashley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 515 in 2016. That gives Lashley a modern rank of #9,793.

What does the Lashley surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a person who worked with slats or strips of wood.

What does the Lashley map show?

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