NameCensus.

UK surname

Manley

Derived from a place name or a nickname referring to a person from Maine-et-Loire, France.

In the 1881 census there were 3,350 people recorded with the Manley surname, ranking it #1,359 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,131, ranked #1,321, up from #1,359 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torfaen, South Somerset and East Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Manley is 5,356 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.2%.

1881 census count

3,350

Ranked #1,359

Modern count

5,131

2016, ranked #1,321

Peak year

1998

5,356 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Manley had 3,350 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,359 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,131 in 2016, ranked #1,321.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,924 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Manley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Manley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Manley 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 2,038 #1,423
1861 historical 2,236 #1,315
1881 historical 3,350 #1,359
1891 historical 3,503 #1,362
1901 historical 4,430 #1,285
1911 historical 4,924 #1,059
1997 modern 5,140 #1,271
1998 modern 5,356 #1,272
1999 modern 5,350 #1,282
2000 modern 5,333 #1,278
2001 modern 5,202 #1,278
2002 modern 5,291 #1,288
2003 modern 5,160 #1,284
2004 modern 5,183 #1,275
2005 modern 5,054 #1,294
2006 modern 5,024 #1,303
2007 modern 5,049 #1,309
2008 modern 5,078 #1,310
2009 modern 5,138 #1,325
2010 modern 5,255 #1,325
2011 modern 5,194 #1,318
2012 modern 5,062 #1,325
2013 modern 5,221 #1,310
2014 modern 5,235 #1,311
2015 modern 5,168 #1,313
2016 modern 5,131 #1,321

Geography

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Where Manleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torfaen, South Somerset, East Devon, Cherwell and Teignbridge. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torfaen 004 Torfaen
2 South Somerset 021 South Somerset
3 East Devon 002 East Devon
4 Cherwell 005 Cherwell
5 Teignbridge 017 Teignbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Manley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Manley

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

Manley 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

Manley falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Manley

The surname Manley originates from England and dates back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "mann" meaning man and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest. Thus, the name Manley refers to a person who lived near a meadow or clearing.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Manley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings such as Manleye, Manlie, and Manlye.

During the Middle Ages, the Manley family held lands in several counties, including Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Derbyshire. One notable member of the family was Sir John Manley (1534-1611), who served as a Member of Parliament for Newcastle-under-Lyme in 1586.

In the 17th century, the Manley family gained prominence in Cheshire, where they owned the estate of Manley Hall. Sir Roger Manley (1665-1728) was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

Another notable figure was Mary de la Rivière Manley (1672-1724), an English writer and playwright who was a prominent figure in the literary circles of her time. She is best known for her satirical works and her involvement in the literary feud between the Whigs and Tories.

In the 18th century, John Manley (1733-1803) was a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and rose to the rank of Admiral. He was also a Member of Parliament for Newtown on the Isle of Wight.

The Manley surname can also be traced to the village of Manley in Cheshire, which further reinforces the connection between the name and the geographical location. Several other places in England, such as Manley Bank in Staffordshire and Manley Common in Devon, bear the name, indicating the widespread distribution of the family.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Manley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Manley 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. Devon leads with 537 Manleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.88x.

County Total Index
Devon 537 7.88x
Lancashire 517 1.33x
Middlesex 478 1.46x
Cheshire 307 4.25x
Somerset 199 3.78x
Surrey 188 1.18x
Yorkshire 140 0.43x
Gloucestershire 87 1.36x
Kent 73 0.65x
Glamorgan 65 1.14x
Cornwall 62 1.67x
Staffordshire 61 0.55x
Hampshire 56 0.84x
Monmouthshire 48 2.03x
Shropshire 46 1.63x
Flintshire 44 5.00x
Warwickshire 39 0.47x
Wiltshire 36 1.24x
Denbighshire 31 2.51x
Sussex 30 0.54x
Essex 27 0.42x
Nottinghamshire 26 0.59x
Oxfordshire 26 1.29x
Dorset 24 1.12x
Leicestershire 20 0.55x
Worcestershire 19 0.44x
Berkshire 17 0.69x
Durham 17 0.17x
Lanarkshire 16 0.15x
Northamptonshire 16 0.52x
Caernarfonshire 15 1.13x
Buckinghamshire 13 0.66x
Huntingdonshire 12 1.85x
Derbyshire 10 0.20x
Ayrshire 9 0.37x
Anglesey 6 1.03x
Norfolk 6 0.12x
Cumberland 5 0.18x
Northumberland 4 0.08x
Bedfordshire 2 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.23x
Hertfordshire 2 0.09x
Isle of Man 2 0.33x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.03x
Argyllshire 1 0.11x
Cardiganshire 1 0.13x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.07x
Channel Islands 1 0.10x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.14x
Merionethshire 1 0.17x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.13x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.10x
Renfrewshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.26x
Suffolk 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 59 Manleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.24x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 59 2.24x
Islington London 56 1.77x
Liverpool 54 2.29x
Camberwell 52 2.49x
Lambeth 42 1.47x
Leeds 37 2.02x
Preston 37 3.56x
Shoreditch London 37 2.61x
Bridgewater 33 23.08x
Deptford St Paul 31 3.60x
Clerkenwell London 30 3.88x
Wellington 30 42.01x
Birkenhead 29 5.04x
Monks Coppenhall 26 9.54x
Salford 26 2.28x
Plymouth St Andrew 25 4.77x
Tormoham 25 8.68x
Atherton 24 16.98x
Habergham Eaves 24 6.76x
Hampstead London 24 4.71x
Kensington London 24 1.32x
St Marylebone London 24 1.37x
Tiverton 24 20.46x
Withycombe Rawleigh 24 67.64x
St George Hanover 23 5.39x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 22 3.64x
Wolverhampton 22 2.59x
Battersea 21 1.74x
Broughton In Salford 21 5.92x
Burnley 21 6.42x
Bristol St George 20 6.74x
Great Little Marsden 20 11.25x
Hackney London 18 0.98x
Kirkdale 18 2.76x
Middlewich 18 121.13x
Southwark St George Martyr 18 2.73x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 1.54x
Uffculme 18 88.71x
Wrexham Regis 18 19.61x
Bedminster 17 3.44x
Leicester St Margaret 17 1.92x
Aston 16 0.70x
Bradford 16 2.04x
St Woollos 16 6.06x
Toxteth Park 16 1.22x
Hemyock 15 147.64x
Luppitt 15 222.22x
Newhall In Nantwich 15 188.21x
Newport 15 13.29x
Bromley London 14 1.95x
Honiton 14 37.15x
Levenshulme 14 35.04x
Mold 14 17.55x
Sidmouth 14 35.91x
Chard 13 20.38x
Chester St Oswald 13 9.94x
Mile End Old Town 13 2.52x
Newton In Northwich 13 59.14x
Nottingham St Mary 13 1.14x
St Andrew Holborn 13 11.72x
West Derby 13 1.14x
Chester St John Baptist 12 9.24x
Corsham 12 28.42x
Cullompton 12 40.36x
Droylsden 12 9.47x
Exminster 12 49.00x
Halberton 12 75.61x
Holy Trinity 12 1.54x
Ramsey 12 23.07x
Sidbury 12 82.30x
Whalley 12 21.21x
Barton Upon Irwell 11 3.76x
Braunton 11 47.64x
Chelsea London 11 1.12x
Colyton 11 42.07x
Dukinfield 11 3.30x
Exeter St Sidwell 11 7.05x
Llantrisant 11 7.66x
Ottery St Mary 11 24.63x
Ratcliffe London 11 6.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 235
Elizabeth 140
Sarah 113
Jane 67
Ellen 57
Ann 52
Annie 50
Emma 48
Emily 45
Alice 43
Margaret 42
Eliza 36
Louisa 32
Susan 27
Catherine 26
Edith 25
Harriet 25
Martha 25
Caroline 23
Lucy 23
Charlotte 22
Maria 18
Fanny 16
Florence 16
Clara 15
Kate 15
Amelia 14
Hannah 14
Anne 13
Frances 13
Ada 12
Bridget 12
Esther 11
Bessie 10
Jessie 9
Laura 9
Agnes 8
Lydia 8
Henrietta 7
Julia 7
Rebecca 7
Rose 7
Harriett 6
Isabella 6
Matilda 6
Rachel 6
Amy 5
Anna 5
Lilly 5
Lizzie 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 222
William 191
Thomas 110
George 101
James 84
Henry 77
Charles 60
Joseph 54
Edward 43
Robert 43
Alfred 38
Frederick 34
Richard 32
Arthur 30
Harry 26
Walter 24
Samuel 20
Albert 19
Edwin 18
Frank 17
Michael 14
Francis 12
Herbert 11
Ernest 10
Patrick 10
Stephen 10
Edmund 8
Sidney 8
Wm. 8
Mark 7
Tom 7
Chas. 6
Martin 6
Ralph 6
Benjamin 5
Abraham 4
Andrew 4
David 4
Elias 4
Fred 4
Fredrick 4
Matthew 4
Peter 4
Robt. 4
Anthony 3
Edgar 3
Geo. 3
Nicholas 3
Thos. 3
Timothy 3

FAQ

Manley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Manley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,350 people were recorded with the Manley surname. That placed it at #1,359 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Manley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,131 in 2016. That gives Manley a modern rank of #1,321.

What does the Manley surname mean?

Derived from a place name or a nickname referring to a person from Maine-et-Loire, France.

What does the Manley map show?

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