NameCensus.

UK surname

Lolley

An English surname derived from a Middle English nickname for someone with a cheerful or carefree disposition.

In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Lolley surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, down from #22,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Tardebigg and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tamworth, Birmingham and Stratford-on-Avon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lolley is 163 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.4%.

1881 census count

81

Ranked #22,082

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1891

163 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lolley had 81 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 163 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lolley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lolley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lolley 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 87 #18,695
1861 historical 127 #17,469
1881 historical 81 #22,082
1891 historical 163 #17,300
1901 historical 116 #20,933
1911 historical 155 #17,485
1997 modern 135 #22,499
1998 modern 126 #24,094
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 130 #23,785
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 123 #24,497
2004 modern 119 #25,200
2005 modern 126 #24,287
2006 modern 125 #24,611
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 128 #24,901
2009 modern 127 #25,564
2010 modern 131 #25,656
2011 modern 128 #25,793
2012 modern 133 #25,187
2013 modern 142 #24,547
2014 modern 141 #24,855
2015 modern 143 #24,481
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Lolleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Tardebigg, Liverpool, Bradford and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tamworth, Birmingham and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Tardebigg Worcestershire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tamworth 004 Tamworth
2 Tamworth 002 Tamworth
3 Birmingham 023 Birmingham
4 Stratford-on-Avon 006 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Birmingham 057 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lolley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lolley

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Lolley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lolley 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Lolley is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lolley is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Lolley

The surname Lolley has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "lollian," which means "to loll" or "to lounge idly." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as lazy or indolent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Lolley surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a historical record compiled in 1273. This document mentions a person named Walter Lolli, indicating that the name was already in use during that time.

The Lolley surname has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Lolley in Derbyshire and Lolworth in Cambridgeshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Amongst notable individuals with the Lolley surname throughout history, one can mention:

1. John Lolley (c. 1545 - 1622), an English translator and clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Exeter. 2. William Lolley (1605 - 1663), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1648. 3. Edward Lolley (1672 - 1740), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral. 4. Samuel Lolley (1750 - 1816), an English poet and author known for his works such as "The Village Curate" and "Poems on Various Subjects." 5. Joseph Lolley (1806 - 1876), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Freemasons' Hall.

While the Lolley surname may have originated as a nickname, it has become a well-established surname with a rich history spanning several centuries. The name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergy, politicians, military personnel, authors, and architects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lolley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lolley 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. Yorkshire leads with 32 Lolleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.09x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 32 4.09x
Lancashire 21 2.24x
Kent 7 2.60x
Worcestershire 7 6.79x
Surrey 5 1.30x
Cheshire 3 1.72x
Warwickshire 3 1.51x
Staffordshire 2 0.75x
Middlesex 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sherburn in Yorkshire leads with 10 Lolleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1562.50x.

Place Total Index
Sherburn 10 1562.50x
Barmby On Marsh 7 8750.00x
Beswick 6 250.00x
Liverpool 6 10.54x
Redditch 6 287.08x
Lambeth 5 7.26x
Ash Next Sandwich 4 666.67x
Leeds 4 9.05x
Manchester 4 9.49x
Toxteth Park 4 12.60x
Aston 3 5.47x
Over 3 169.49x
Eccleshall 2 198.02x
Hemingbrough 2 1333.33x
Hunslet 2 16.38x
Kexby 2 5000.00x
Addington 1 1428.57x
Blackburn 1 4.01x
Dartford 1 36.23x
Eastry 1 270.27x
Elvington 1 1000.00x
Murton In York 1 2000.00x
Oldbury 1 19.69x
Rawcliffe In Goole 1 222.22x
Selby 1 60.98x
Southowram 1 41.84x
Westminster St John 1 10.40x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 6
John 5
William 5
James 4
George 3
Arthur 2
Stephen 2
Alfred 1
Geo. 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Stanley 1
Stany 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Lolley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lolley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Lolley surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lolley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Lolley a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Lolley surname mean?

An English surname derived from a Middle English nickname for someone with a cheerful or carefree disposition.

What does the Lolley map show?

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