NameCensus.

UK surname

Lyle

From a place name derived from the Old French "l'isle," meaning "the island."

In the 1881 census there were 1,406 people recorded with the Lyle surname, ranking it #2,951 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,962, ranked #3,278, down from #2,951 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hawick Central, Mauchline and Burnfoot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lyle is 2,033 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.5%.

1881 census count

1,406

Ranked #2,951

Modern count

1,962

2016, ranked #3,278

Peak year

2010

2,033 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lyle had 1,406 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,951 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,962 in 2016, ranked #3,278.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,774 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Lyle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lyle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lyle 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 857 #3,177
1861 historical 1,052 #2,666
1881 historical 1,406 #2,951
1891 historical 1,509 #2,922
1901 historical 1,774 #2,933
1911 historical 737 #5,816
1997 modern 1,845 #3,261
1998 modern 1,900 #3,292
1999 modern 1,919 #3,289
2000 modern 1,928 #3,263
2001 modern 1,864 #3,298
2002 modern 1,893 #3,319
2003 modern 1,857 #3,301
2004 modern 1,884 #3,261
2005 modern 1,892 #3,222
2006 modern 1,901 #3,233
2007 modern 1,919 #3,224
2008 modern 1,951 #3,203
2009 modern 1,990 #3,224
2010 modern 2,033 #3,232
2011 modern 1,948 #3,312
2012 modern 1,937 #3,270
2013 modern 1,982 #3,268
2014 modern 1,996 #3,263
2015 modern 1,988 #3,256
2016 modern 1,962 #3,278

Geography

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Where Lyles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hawick Central, Mauchline, Burnfoot, Mauchline Rural and Stanley and Murthly. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 3
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hawick Central Scottish Borders
2 Mauchline East Ayrshire
3 Burnfoot Scottish Borders
4 Mauchline Rural East Ayrshire
5 Stanley and Murthly Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lyle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lyle

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Lyle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lyle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Lyle is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Lyle is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Lyle

The surname Lyle is of Anglo-Scottish origin, derived from the Old English word "hyll" or the Old French word "l'isle", both meaning "hill" or "island". It is believed to have originated in the late 11th or early 12th century.

Lyle was initially a topographic name given to someone who lived on a hill or an island. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 12th century in Scotland, where it was spelled as "Lyle" or "Lile".

In the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England, several individuals with the surname Lyle are mentioned, including Robert de Lyle from Renfrewshire and Walter de Lyle from Lanarkshire.

The Lyle family was prominent in Scotland during the Middle Ages, and various branches held lands in different regions. One notable member was Sir Robert Lyle, who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the early 14th century.

In England, the surname can be traced back to the 13th century, with variations such as "Lyle", "Lile", and "Lisle". The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners in England compiled in 1086, does not mention the name Lyle, suggesting it emerged later.

Prominent individuals with the surname Lyle include:

1. Sir Robert Lyle (c. 1290 - c. 1350), a Scottish knight and companion of Robert the Bruce. 2. Deacon William Lyle (1605 - 1684), a Scottish settler in New England and one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut. 3. John Lyle (1734 - 1806), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Tennessee. 4. Sir Onesiphorus Tyndal-Bruce Lyle (1839 - 1909), a British naval officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross. 5. David Naylor Lyle (1846 - 1917), a Scottish businessman and co-founder of Lyle's Golden Syrup.

The name Lyle has also been associated with various place names, such as Lyle Hill in Gloucestershire, England, and Lyle Creek in British Columbia, Canada, reflecting its topographic origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lyle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lyle 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. Renfrewshire leads with 333 Lyles recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.44x.

County Total Index
Renfrewshire 333 31.44x
Lanarkshire 268 6.06x
Midlothian 141 7.70x
Middlesex 87 0.64x
Cornwall 60 3.88x
Devon 55 1.93x
Ayrshire 52 5.08x
Surrey 49 0.74x
Lancashire 46 0.28x
Kent 41 0.88x
Yorkshire 39 0.29x
Dunbartonshire 27 7.35x
Northumberland 27 1.33x
Roxburghshire 24 9.70x
Cheshire 17 0.56x
Fife 14 1.73x
Buteshire 11 13.28x
Stirlingshire 11 2.18x
Durham 10 0.25x
East Lothian 10 5.52x
Essex 10 0.37x
Monmouthshire 9 0.91x
Somerset 8 0.36x
Dorset 7 0.78x
Perthshire 6 0.98x
Staffordshire 6 0.13x
Berwickshire 5 3.02x
Bedfordshire 4 0.57x
Hampshire 3 0.11x
Leicestershire 3 0.20x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.16x
Cumberland 2 0.17x
Gloucestershire 2 0.07x
Northamptonshire 2 0.16x
Royal Navy 2 1.23x
Angus 1 0.08x
Argyllshire 1 0.26x
Berkshire 1 0.10x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.12x
Selkirkshire 1 0.81x
Warwickshire 1 0.03x
Wigtownshire 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 94 Lyles recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.40x.

Place Total Index
Barony 94 8.40x
West Greenock 64 33.67x
North Leith 58 68.45x
Abbey 57 35.27x
Kilbarchan 50 155.42x
Govan 48 4.39x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 45 6.11x
Glasgow 45 5.73x
East Greenock 43 43.00x
Cambusnethan 39 39.73x
Paisley High Church 31 36.76x
Paisley Low Church 26 77.54x
Kilmarnock 24 19.72x
Kensington London 23 3.03x
Plumstead 23 14.80x
Stoke Damerel 20 10.05x
Old Kilpatrick 17 39.17x
Hackney London 16 2.09x
Erskine 15 194.81x
Liverpool 14 1.42x
Renfrew 14 40.03x
Sorn 14 69.69x
Hamilton 13 10.55x
Altarnun 12 223.05x
Barnstaple 12 26.88x
Camberwell 12 1.37x
Dunfermline 12 9.65x
Launcells 12 461.54x
Altrincham 11 20.87x
Rothesay 11 27.43x
Carham 10 190.11x
Drymen 10 147.93x
Houston Killallan 10 97.56x
Paddington London 10 1.99x
Huddersfield 9 4.56x
St Woollos 9 8.16x
West Ham 9 1.51x
Crailing 8 267.56x
Lambeth 8 0.67x
Maidstone 8 5.76x
Paisley Middle Church 8 12.97x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 2.91x
West Calder 8 22.17x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 2.54x
Liskeard 7 27.04x
Ludgvan 7 56.77x
Maryhill 7 8.09x
Milton In Gravesend 7 10.01x
Neilston 7 13.17x
Ratcliffe London 7 9.28x
Stratton 7 83.43x
Week St Mary 7 288.07x
Wilton 7 25.77x
Barrow In Furness 6 2.72x
Clapham 6 3.51x
Croydon 6 1.62x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 6 56.29x
Gate Fulford 6 18.98x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 2.74x
Row 6 12.63x
Sherborne 6 22.71x
St Pancras London 6 0.55x
Tormoham 6 4.98x
Westgate 6 4.76x
Barnsley 5 3.58x
Bedminster 5 2.42x
Beswick 5 12.06x
Bishopwearmouth 5 1.43x
Callander 5 49.46x
East Kilbride 5 26.41x
Gladsmuir 5 61.96x
Hawick 5 9.03x
Muirkirk 5 20.82x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 5 18.70x
Ormesby 5 13.74x
Rutherglen 5 7.71x
Worsley 5 5.00x
New Kilpatrick 4 11.45x
St Giles On The Heath 4 310.08x
St Gluvias Penryn 4 32.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 23
Samuel 15
Thomas 14
James 13
Robert 13
George 11
Charles 10
Alfred 6
Arthur 6
David 6
Henry 5
Richard 5
Frank 4
Fred 4
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Joseph 3
Lewis 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alexander 2
Archibald 2
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Francis 2
Richd. 2
Andrew 1
Bertram 1
Charley 1
Chas.Henry 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Emmanuel 1
Felton 1
Frederick 1
Freeman 1
H.B. 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Josiah 1
L.V. 1
Martin 1
Norman 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Raymond 1
Wm.B. 1

FAQ

Lyle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lyle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,406 people were recorded with the Lyle surname. That placed it at #2,951 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lyle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,962 in 2016. That gives Lyle a modern rank of #3,278.

What does the Lyle surname mean?

From a place name derived from the Old French "l'isle," meaning "the island."

What does the Lyle map show?

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