NameCensus.

UK surname

Lyles

Derived from a place name meaning "island" in Old French, or from the Norman French word for "lilies."

In the 1881 census there were 153 people recorded with the Lyles surname, ranking it #15,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 179, ranked #21,086, down from #15,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mirfield, Silkstone and Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Melton and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lyles is 245 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.0%.

1881 census count

153

Ranked #15,320

Modern count

179

2016, ranked #21,086

Peak year

1901

245 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lyles had 153 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016, ranked #21,086.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 245 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lyles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lyles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lyles 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 75 #20,268
1861 historical 115 #18,880
1881 historical 153 #15,320
1891 historical 244 #12,983
1901 historical 245 #13,298
1911 historical 187 #15,600
1997 modern 177 #19,018
1998 modern 178 #19,452
1999 modern 181 #19,380
2000 modern 179 #19,494
2001 modern 181 #19,106
2002 modern 185 #19,212
2003 modern 182 #19,215
2004 modern 180 #19,424
2005 modern 183 #19,194
2006 modern 192 #18,753
2007 modern 196 #18,737
2008 modern 196 #18,895
2009 modern 193 #19,463
2010 modern 193 #19,880
2011 modern 199 #19,346
2012 modern 188 #20,018
2013 modern 189 #20,273
2014 modern 176 #21,413
2015 modern 176 #21,291
2016 modern 179 #21,086

Geography

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Where Lyles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mirfield, Silkstone, Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton, Welwyn and Batley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Melton and Bradford. 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 Mirfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton Hertfordshire
4 Welwyn Hertfordshire
5 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 028 Kirklees
2 Melton 005 Melton
3 Kirklees 002 Kirklees
4 Bradford 021 Bradford
5 Kirklees 013 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lyles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lyles

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lyles 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

Lyles is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lyles falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Lyles

The surname Lyles has its origins in England, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lele." This entry refers to a landowner in the county of Warwickshire. Over time, the spelling evolved into various forms, such as Lele, Leyle, Leyles, and eventually Lyles.

In the 13th century, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire. This is evidenced by records from that time, which mention individuals with the name Lyles or similar variations.

One notable figure bearing the surname Lyles was John Lyles (c. 1420-1490), a prominent merchant and landowner from Worcestershire. He played a significant role in the local economy and is mentioned in several historical documents from the 15th century.

During the 16th century, the name Lyles began to spread beyond its traditional heartland in the West Midlands region. This was likely due to migration and the expansion of trade and commerce. One example from this period is William Lyles (c. 1550-1620), a successful merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

In the 17th century, the name Lyles gained further prominence with the rise of Sir Edward Lyles (1619-1688), a respected lawyer and Member of Parliament for the borough of Ludlow in Shropshire. He was known for his involvement in the English Civil War and his support for the Parliamentary cause.

Another notable figure from this era was Mary Lyles (c. 1640-1710), a renowned herbalist and apothecary from Gloucestershire. Her knowledge of medicinal plants and remedies was widely sought after, and she is mentioned in several contemporary accounts.

As the name Lyles continued to spread across England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and, eventually, to the colonies in North America and other parts of the world. This migration contributed to the further diversification of the name and its various spellings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lyles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lyles 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 62 Lyles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.19x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 62 4.19x
Hertfordshire 30 29.17x
Middlesex 20 1.34x
Kent 9 1.77x
Lancashire 8 0.45x
Surrey 7 0.96x
Essex 6 2.04x
Fife 3 3.40x
Suffolk 3 1.65x
Cambridgeshire 2 2.12x
Wiltshire 2 1.52x
Angus 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dewsbury in Yorkshire leads with 42 Lyles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 276.86x.

Place Total Index
Dewsbury 42 276.86x
Soothill 11 205.99x
Codicote 9 1475.41x
Buckland 8 4444.44x
Batley 7 49.82x
Bickerstaffe 7 603.45x
Sittingbourne 7 174.13x
St Gilesin Fields London 7 555.56x
Welwyn 7 786.52x
Lambeth 6 4.61x
Littlebury 6 1463.41x
Paddington London 6 10.93x
Tewin 6 2222.22x
St Pancras London 5 4.16x
Dunfermline 3 22.09x
Newmarket St Mary 2 143.88x
Trowbridge 2 34.31x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 1 18.62x
Battersea 1 1.82x
Catterick 1 303.03x
Chelsea London 1 2.22x
Chislehurst 1 36.63x
Croydon Cum Clapton 1 416.67x
Dundee 1 1.94x
Exning 1 108.70x
Great Bolton 1 4.26x
Islington London 1 0.69x
Little Abington 1 769.23x
Woolwich 1 5.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 7
Ann 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Martha 2
Abigail 1
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Bella 1
Bithiah 1
Catharine 1
Charles 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Easter 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Etheldrida 1
Fanny 1
Geo. 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Kate 1
Katharine 1
Lilian 1
Lizza 1
Lizze 1
Lousia 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
Thomas 8
William 8
James 6
Joseph 6
George 5
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Henry 3
Tom 3
Brice 2
Fred 2
Benjn. 1
Chas.Willm.Robinson 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Freeman 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
Infant 1
Jesse 1
Martin 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Saml. 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Lyles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lyles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 153 people were recorded with the Lyles surname. That placed it at #15,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lyles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 179 in 2016. That gives Lyles a modern rank of #21,086.

What does the Lyles surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "island" in Old French, or from the Norman French word for "lilies."

What does the Lyles map show?

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