NameCensus.

UK surname

Lye

An English surname derived from the Old English "leah", meaning a meadow or woodland clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 802 people recorded with the Lye surname, ranking it #4,642 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,008, ranked #5,770, down from #4,642 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chirton, London parishes and East and West Lavington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset and South Hams.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lye is 1,097 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.7%.

1881 census count

802

Ranked #4,642

Modern count

1,008

2016, ranked #5,770

Peak year

1998

1,097 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lye had 802 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,642 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,008 in 2016, ranked #5,770.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 945 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lye surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lye surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lye 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 682 #3,812
1881 historical 802 #4,642
1891 historical 5 #33,939
1901 historical 945 #4,951
1997 modern 1,057 #5,249
1998 modern 1,097 #5,280
1999 modern 1,097 #5,292
2000 modern 1,076 #5,357
2001 modern 1,052 #5,362
2002 modern 1,065 #5,411
2003 modern 992 #5,629
2004 modern 988 #5,654
2005 modern 955 #5,760
2006 modern 963 #5,727
2007 modern 967 #5,766
2008 modern 954 #5,860
2009 modern 989 #5,814
2010 modern 1,029 #5,742
2011 modern 1,019 #5,733
2012 modern 1,005 #5,712
2013 modern 1,041 #5,652
2014 modern 1,041 #5,673
2015 modern 1,016 #5,735
2016 modern 1,008 #5,770

Geography

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Where Lyes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chirton, London parishes, East and West Lavington, Crewkerne, Wayford and Martock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset, South Hams, Liverpool and County Durham. 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 Chirton Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 East and West Lavington Wiltshire
4 Crewkerne, Wayford Somerset
5 Martock Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 018 Wiltshire
2 Bath and North East Somerset 007 Bath and North East Somerset
3 South Hams 007 South Hams
4 Liverpool 020 Liverpool
5 County Durham 040 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lye

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lye

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lye, 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 Lye surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lye 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Lye is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lye 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

Lye falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lye

The surname Lye is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Shropshire and Staffordshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "leah," which means a meadow, clearing, or woodland glade. This suggests that the name was initially given as a topographic surname to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Lye date back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Roger de la Lye, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Shropshire in 1273. The Hundred Rolls were a series of administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I, which provide valuable information about landholders and their properties.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Lye, Ley, and Lee, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that period. One notable bearer of the name was John de la Lye, who was mentioned in the Patent Rolls of 1369 as a landowner in Staffordshire.

The name Lye is also associated with several place names in England, including Lye Green in Shropshire and Lye Waste in Staffordshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and the Old English word "leah."

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Lye. Here are five examples:

1. Thomas Lye (1621-1684), an English clergyman and scholar known for his work on Anglo-Saxon language and literature. 2. Edward Lye (1694-1767), an English botanist and antiquarian, best known for his work on the flora of Hertfordshire. 3. Nathaniel Lye (1761-1828), an English artist and engraver, renowned for his landscapes and architectural drawings. 4. Thomas Musgrave Lye (1804-1865), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Coventry. 5. Walter Lye (1857-1935), an English artist and illustrator, known for his book illustrations and paintings of rural scenes.

While the surname Lye has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, due to migration and settlement patterns. However, the name's roots can be traced back to the meadows and clearings of medieval England, where it first emerged as a topographic surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lye families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lye 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 223 Lyes recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.53x.

County Total Index
Somerset 223 17.53x
Middlesex 90 1.14x
Yorkshire 83 1.06x
Wiltshire 81 11.59x
Kent 44 1.63x
Surrey 35 0.91x
Essex 29 1.86x
Hampshire 29 1.79x
Gloucestershire 26 1.68x
Durham 25 1.06x
Lancashire 18 0.19x
Worcestershire 16 1.55x
Staffordshire 15 0.56x
Berkshire 14 2.36x
Sussex 13 0.98x
Warwickshire 12 0.60x
Herefordshire 9 2.78x
Bedfordshire 7 1.71x
Lincolnshire 7 0.55x
Cheshire 6 0.34x
Devon 5 0.30x
Dorset 4 0.77x
Renfrewshire 4 0.65x
Channel Islands 3 1.28x
Cornwall 2 0.22x
Glamorgan 2 0.15x
Cumberland 1 0.15x
Inverness-shire 1 0.42x
Leicestershire 1 0.11x
Monmouthshire 1 0.18x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.55x
Oxfordshire 1 0.20x
Radnorshire 1 1.57x
Shropshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crewkerne in Somerset leads with 23 Lyes recorded in 1881 and an index of 170.24x.

Place Total Index
Crewkerne 23 170.24x
Tonbridge 17 17.48x
Butleigh 16 765.55x
Lyncombe Widcombe 16 48.05x
Martock 16 193.47x
Wardleworth 15 28.00x
Dunkerton 14 507.25x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 14 13.75x
Walthamstow 14 24.94x
Shoreditch London 13 3.80x
Walcot 13 19.19x
Clifton 12 15.32x
Leeds 12 2.71x
Middleham 12 540.54x
Battersea 11 3.78x
Kidderminster Borough 11 18.21x
Poplar London 11 7.38x
Seend 11 797.10x
Headingley Cum Burley 10 19.84x
St Luke London 10 7.89x
Stone Easton 10 1030.93x
West Lavington 10 298.51x
Kensington London 9 2.05x
Kingsbury Episcopi 9 218.45x
Ramsgate 9 20.45x
Tickhill 9 180.36x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 5.48x
Chingford 8 212.77x
Market Lavington 8 211.64x
Tintinhull 8 733.95x
Upleatham 8 606.06x
Bath St Peter St Paul 7 124.56x
Bishop Auckland 7 22.19x
Burghill 7 190.22x
Camberwell 7 1.39x
Hill Deverill 7 1891.89x
Ilchester 7 378.38x
Long Sutton 7 295.36x
Luton 7 9.88x
Norton In Moors 7 49.58x
Wylye 7 526.32x
Aiskew 6 266.67x
Coventry St Michael 6 9.37x
East Pennard 6 363.64x
Hammersmith London 6 3.08x
Newbury 6 31.58x
Portsea 6 1.89x
Priston 6 857.14x
Stert 6 1578.95x
Sutton 6 21.54x
Weston Super Mare 6 18.68x
Willesden 6 8.06x
Aston 5 0.91x
Brighton 5 1.86x
Evercreech 5 163.40x
Greenwich 5 3.98x
Islington London 5 0.65x
Millbrook 5 12.26x
Montacute 5 214.59x
South Petherton 5 76.10x
Wolborough 5 24.05x
Woolwich 5 5.02x
Worcester St Peter 5 25.60x
Alverstoke 4 6.82x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.17x
Camerton 4 108.11x
Cathcart 4 12.07x
Chirton 4 434.78x
East Coker 4 143.88x
Eastbourne 4 6.53x
Hastings St Mary In The 4 14.07x
Hungerford 4 49.88x
Lambeth 4 0.58x
Paddington London 4 1.38x
Rowley Regis 4 5.38x
Sheffield 4 1.60x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 4 35.78x
Sutton In Macclesfield 4 22.10x
Twerton 4 30.49x
Uphill 4 229.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 52
Thomas 38
George 35
John 27
Henry 23
James 19
Charles 16
Robert 16
Joseph 10
Francis 9
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Walter 8
Albert 7
Frank 7
Frederick 7
Edward 6
Harry 6
Edwin 5
Benjamin 3
Edmund 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Chas. 2
Emmanuel 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
Leonard 2
Mary 2
Nathaniel 2
Sidney 2
Apelles 1
Archibald 1
Benjamine 1
Benjn. 1
Christopher 1
Chrstopher 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
Frederic 1
Frederich 1
Fredk.W. 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Laben 1
Laurie 1
Leonil 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Lye surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lye surname in 1881?

In 1881, 802 people were recorded with the Lye surname. That placed it at #4,642 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lye surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,008 in 2016. That gives Lye a modern rank of #5,770.

What does the Lye surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English "leah", meaning a meadow or woodland clearing.

What does the Lye map show?

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