NameCensus.

UK surname

Layland

A locational surname referring to a person from the region of Layland or Lyleand in Lancashire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 587 people recorded with the Layland surname, ranking it #5,943 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 495, ranked #10,052, down from #5,943 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Great Malvern, Madresfield, Winwick and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Malvern Hills and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Layland is 711 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 15.7%.

1881 census count

587

Ranked #5,943

Modern count

495

2016, ranked #10,052

Peak year

1911

711 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Layland had 587 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,943 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 495 in 2016, ranked #10,052.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 711 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Layland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Layland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Layland 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 517 #4,841
1861 historical 557 #4,727
1881 historical 587 #5,943
1891 historical 562 #6,758
1901 historical 560 #7,432
1911 historical 711 #5,998
1997 modern 543 #8,752
1998 modern 560 #8,793
1999 modern 563 #8,812
2000 modern 566 #8,744
2001 modern 548 #8,820
2002 modern 566 #8,788
2003 modern 546 #8,884
2004 modern 552 #8,833
2005 modern 537 #8,951
2006 modern 535 #9,007
2007 modern 502 #9,538
2008 modern 510 #9,499
2009 modern 525 #9,501
2010 modern 515 #9,821
2011 modern 518 #9,705
2012 modern 498 #9,886
2013 modern 496 #10,080
2014 modern 506 #9,991
2015 modern 497 #10,046
2016 modern 495 #10,052

Geography

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Where Laylands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Great Malvern, Madresfield, Winwick, London parishes, Wigan and Runcorn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, Malvern Hills, Blaenau Gwent, Sandwell and Wyre Forest. 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 Great Malvern, Madresfield Worcestershire
2 Winwick Lancashire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wigan Lancashire
5 Runcorn Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 005 North Devon
2 Malvern Hills 009 Malvern Hills
3 Blaenau Gwent 006 Blaenau Gwent
4 Sandwell 010 Sandwell
5 Wyre Forest 014 Wyre Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Layland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Layland

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Layland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Layland 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 predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Layland 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

Layland 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

Layland falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Layland

The surname Layland is of English origin and has its roots in the northern counties of England, particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is derived from the Old English words 'læ' meaning a meadow or clearing and 'land' meaning land or estate. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near or owned a meadow or clearing in the land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Layland can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a person named Leilande holding land in the village of Eccleston, Lancashire. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Leylaund, Leylond, and Laylond, indicating variations in spelling and pronunciation. These variations were common during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name Layland became more prevalent in Lancashire and Yorkshire, with records indicating that it was often associated with landowners and farmers in these regions.

One notable bearer of the name Layland was William Layland (c. 1450-1520), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lancashire. He was known for his involvement in the wool trade and his support for the construction of churches and chapels in the region.

Another prominent figure was John Layland (1565-1639), a clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge, and was renowned for his scholarship in theology and philosophy.

In the 17th century, the Layland family established itself as a prominent landowning family in Lancashire, with several members holding positions of influence in local government and society.

One such member was Thomas Layland (1630-1705), a justice of the peace and landowner who played a significant role in the administration of Lancashire during the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the name Layland began to spread beyond Lancashire and Yorkshire, with families bearing this surname appearing in various parts of England and even venturing to the American colonies.

A notable example is James Layland (1720-1795), a British explorer and cartographer who traveled extensively in North America and produced some of the earliest accurate maps of the region.

As the centuries progressed, the Layland surname continued to be associated with various professions and backgrounds, from landowners and farmers to merchants, clergymen, and academics, reflecting the diverse paths taken by those bearing this historically significant English name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Layland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Layland 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 214 Laylands recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.17x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 214 3.17x
Staffordshire 70 3.64x
Cheshire 59 4.69x
Worcestershire 50 6.72x
Middlesex 49 0.86x
Warwickshire 36 2.51x
Surrey 31 1.12x
Yorkshire 31 0.55x
Kent 13 0.67x
Norfolk 11 1.26x
Derbyshire 7 0.78x
Cumberland 6 1.22x
Sussex 2 0.21x
Denbighshire 1 0.46x
Isle of Man 1 0.95x
Lincolnshire 1 0.11x
Oxfordshire 1 0.28x
Wiltshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pemberton in Lancashire leads with 40 Laylands recorded in 1881 and an index of 148.42x.

Place Total Index
Pemberton 40 148.42x
Stoke Upon Trent 30 14.71x
Birmingham 25 5.22x
Runcorn 23 79.34x
Wigan 22 23.29x
Brightside Bierlow 16 14.45x
Great Malvern 15 96.65x
Camberwell 12 3.30x
Sutton 12 52.93x
Warrington 12 14.97x
Aston 10 2.53x
Deptford St Paul 10 6.67x
Fulham London 10 12.10x
Oswaldtwistle 10 41.88x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 10 89.37x
Ashton In Makerfield 9 46.75x
Liverpool 9 2.19x
Newchurch 9 16.27x
Altrincham 8 36.41x
Cannock 8 23.85x
Tottington Lower End 8 24.91x
Windle 8 21.04x
Barton Upon Irwell 7 13.76x
Farnworth 7 17.28x
Hampstead London 7 7.89x
Newton In Ashton Under 7 56.41x
West Bromwich 7 6.36x
Hammersmith London 6 4.28x
Newton In Makerfield 6 28.99x
Poplar London 6 5.58x
St Cuthbert W O 6 25.09x
Walsall Foreign 6 6.04x
Willesden 6 11.17x
Worcester St Martin 6 59.76x
Great Bircham 5 555.56x
Harborne 5 8.11x
Heeley 5 29.15x
Radcliffe 5 15.35x
Worcester Blockhouse 5 122.25x
Worcester St John 5 56.31x
Beswick 4 23.13x
Bilston 4 10.73x
Eccleston In Prescot 4 11.79x
Lambeth 4 0.81x
Macclesfield 4 7.16x
Manchester 4 1.32x
Monks Coppenhall 4 8.43x
Newington 4 1.90x
St Anne Soho London 4 12.30x
Toxteth Park 4 1.75x
Trentham 4 24.46x
Bermondsey 3 1.77x
Blackburn 3 1.67x
Burnley 3 5.27x
Church Gresley 3 21.14x
Gate Fulford 3 22.76x
Grappenhall 3 194.81x
Great Longstone With 3 315.79x
Hale 3 267.86x
Hilgay 3 91.19x
Kensington London 3 0.95x
Leigh 3 33.22x
Lower Mitton 3 45.73x
Openshaw 3 9.48x
Preston 3 1.66x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.62x
Stafford St Mary 3 11.02x
West Derby 3 1.52x
Worcester St Peter 3 21.31x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.81x
Brighton 2 1.03x
Chatham 2 3.74x
Flitcham Cum Appleton 2 219.78x
Grimley 2 142.86x
Hackney London 2 0.63x
Horton In Bradford 2 2.27x
Newton 2 3.84x
Rotherhithe 2 2.84x
Stone 2 8.13x
Warley 2 12.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Sarah 30
Elizabeth 25
Annie 13
Jane 13
Alice 12
Ann 10
Ellen 10
Eliza 9
Hannah 9
Emma 7
Margaret 6
Emily 5
Nancy 5
Florence 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Betsy 3
Catherine 3
Cicely 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Eleanor 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Cecilia 2
Esther 2
Janet 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Mathilda 2
Medline 2
Miriam 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Beth 1
Betty 1
Bridget 1
Clera 1
E. 1
Elisth. 1
Harrett 1
Harriett 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 39
John 37
Thomas 28
James 25
Henry 16
Robert 16
George 11
Arthur 7
Joseph 7
Charles 6
Peter 6
Richard 6
Alfred 5
Samuel 5
Thos. 5
Benjamin 4
Harry 4
Albert 3
Edmund 3
Francis 3
Wm. 3
David 2
Frank 2
Hamlet 2
Johnson 2
Leonard 2
Walter 2
Ambler 1
Amos 1
Augustus 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
G. 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Lawrence 1
Leigh 1
Michael 1
Ralph 1
Simeon 1
Thos.J. 1

FAQ

Layland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Layland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 587 people were recorded with the Layland surname. That placed it at #5,943 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Layland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 495 in 2016. That gives Layland a modern rank of #10,052.

What does the Layland surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a person from the region of Layland or Lyleand in Lancashire, England.

What does the Layland map show?

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