NameCensus.

UK surname

Markley

Derived from a place name meaning "boundary wood" or "boundary clearing" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 139 people recorded with the Markley surname, ranking it #16,228 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 266, ranked #16,094, up from #16,228 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stilton, Yardley and Peterborough St John the Baptist. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Peterborough and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Markley is 277 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.4%.

1881 census count

139

Ranked #16,228

Modern count

266

2016, ranked #16,094

Peak year

2010

277 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Markley had 139 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,228 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 266 in 2016, ranked #16,094.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 238 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Markley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Markley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Markley 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 155 #14,881
1881 historical 139 #16,228
1891 historical 200 #14,913
1901 historical 227 #13,970
1911 historical 238 #13,356
1997 modern 258 #14,949
1998 modern 253 #15,547
1999 modern 264 #15,223
2000 modern 261 #15,314
2001 modern 261 #15,066
2002 modern 276 #14,794
2003 modern 270 #14,825
2004 modern 262 #15,233
2005 modern 265 #15,048
2006 modern 263 #15,215
2007 modern 259 #15,519
2008 modern 268 #15,311
2009 modern 268 #15,620
2010 modern 277 #15,595
2011 modern 273 #15,606
2012 modern 266 #15,828
2013 modern 275 #15,719
2014 modern 277 #15,734
2015 modern 271 #15,881
2016 modern 266 #16,094

Geography

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Where Markleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stilton, Yardley, Peterborough St John the Baptist, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Peterborough, Middlesbrough, Rossendale and South Kesteven. 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 Stilton Northamptonshire
2 Yardley Warwickshire
3 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
2 Peterborough 003 Peterborough
3 Middlesbrough 010 Middlesbrough
4 Rossendale 009 Rossendale
5 South Kesteven 012 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Markley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Markley

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Markley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Markley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Markley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Markley is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Markley

The surname Markley has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "meare" meaning boundary or border, and "leah" meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. Together, these words combined to form the place name "Mereleah," which eventually evolved into the surname Markley.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Markley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Merleai." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of landholdings throughout England, indicating that the Markley name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

During the 13th century, the Markley surname appeared in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled as "Merlegh." This variation highlights the fluid nature of surname spellings in those times, as they were often adapted based on local dialects and scribal interpretations.

In the 16th century, one notable individual bearing the Markley name was Thomas Markley, who lived in Kent and was recorded in the parish records of Maidstone in 1579. Another early bearer of the name was John Markley, born in 1602 in Worcestershire, who later migrated to the American colonies in the mid-17th century, becoming one of the earliest Markleys in the New World.

Other prominent individuals with the Markley surname include:

1. Sir Robert Markley (1621-1689), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Worcestershire during the reign of Charles II. 2. William Markley (1763-1835), an American politician and delegate to the Continental Congress from Pennsylvania. 3. Joseph Markley (1799-1876), an American businessman and industrialist, who founded the Markley Banking Company in Pennsylvania. 4. Mary Evelyn Markley (1878-1964), a British writer and novelist, best known for her works set in the English countryside. 5. Walter Markley (1905-1983), an American artist and illustrator, renowned for his paintings depicting rural life in the American Midwest.

Throughout history, variations of the Markley surname have also been found, such as Markly, Marklie, and Marklye, reflecting regional linguistic differences and the influence of local dialects on surname spellings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Markley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Markley 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. Northamptonshire leads with 24 Markleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.82x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 24 18.82x
Warwickshire 21 6.14x
Huntingdonshire 15 55.72x
Cambridgeshire 12 13.97x
Lancashire 12 0.75x
Surrey 9 1.36x
Kent 6 1.30x
Worcestershire 6 3.39x
Durham 5 1.24x
Nottinghamshire 5 2.74x
Leicestershire 4 2.66x
Middlesex 4 0.30x
Yorkshire 3 0.22x
Essex 2 0.75x
Lincolnshire 2 0.92x
Norfolk 2 0.96x
Sussex 2 0.87x
Devon 1 0.35x
Dunbartonshire 1 2.75x
Gloucestershire 1 0.38x
Hertfordshire 1 1.07x
Suffolk 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Peterborough in Northamptonshire leads with 24 Markleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 260.02x.

Place Total Index
Peterborough 24 260.02x
Aston 20 21.24x
Stilton 14 4666.67x
Egham 9 221.67x
Salford 8 16.91x
Kings Norton 6 37.78x
Durham St Nicholas 5 505.05x
Gillingham 5 52.41x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 4 106.95x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 4 430.11x
Mansfield 4 63.29x
Melton Mowbray 4 148.15x
St Andrewthe Less 4 40.77x
Abram 2 162.60x
Brightside Bierlow 2 7.59x
Gedney 2 224.72x
Great Yeldham 2 714.29x
Norwich St Stephen 2 104.71x
St Pancras London 2 1.83x
Addingham 1 100.00x
Beeston 1 47.62x
Conington 1 714.29x
Deptford St Paul 1 2.80x
Ealing 1 8.25x
Eastbourne 1 9.51x
Habergham Eaves 1 6.80x
Horsham 1 22.52x
Mangotsfield 1 37.74x
Old Kilpatrick 1 23.20x
Silverton 1 169.49x
Solihull 1 40.65x
Spotland 1 5.59x
Sudbury St Gregory 1 75.76x
Watford 1 13.79x
Westminster St James 1 7.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Mary 7
Annie 4
Sarah 4
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Alice 2
Clara 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Lucy 2
Ada 1
Catherine 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth.Ellen 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Mattrilda 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Phebe 1
Polly 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 11
John 7
William 6
Arthur 5
Thomas 5
George 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Robert 3
Deacon 2
Elijah 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Sidney 2
Vernon 2
Absalom 1
Albert 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Israel 1
Phinias 1

FAQ

Markley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Markley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 139 people were recorded with the Markley surname. That placed it at #16,228 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Markley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 266 in 2016. That gives Markley a modern rank of #16,094.

What does the Markley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "boundary wood" or "boundary clearing" in Old English.

What does the Markley map show?

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