NameCensus.

UK surname

Midgley

A surname derived from a place name meaning "middle meadow" or "middle clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 4,013 people recorded with the Midgley surname, ranking it #1,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,779, ranked #1,785, down from #1,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Bingley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale, East Riding of Yorkshire and Ryedale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Midgley is 5,149 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.8%.

1881 census count

4,013

Ranked #1,126

Modern count

3,779

2016, ranked #1,785

Peak year

1911

5,149 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Midgley had 4,013 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,779 in 2016, ranked #1,785.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,149 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Midgley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Midgley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Midgley 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 2,535 #1,170
1861 historical 2,698 #1,090
1881 historical 4,013 #1,126
1891 historical 4,176 #1,152
1901 historical 4,801 #1,176
1911 historical 5,149 #1,016
1997 modern 3,977 #1,629
1998 modern 4,057 #1,665
1999 modern 4,110 #1,651
2000 modern 4,137 #1,636
2001 modern 3,978 #1,661
2002 modern 4,005 #1,687
2003 modern 3,891 #1,701
2004 modern 3,827 #1,735
2005 modern 3,788 #1,724
2006 modern 3,763 #1,743
2007 modern 3,824 #1,726
2008 modern 3,795 #1,745
2009 modern 3,903 #1,742
2010 modern 3,929 #1,768
2011 modern 3,851 #1,781
2012 modern 3,771 #1,786
2013 modern 3,825 #1,793
2014 modern 3,862 #1,783
2015 modern 3,783 #1,801
2016 modern 3,779 #1,785

Geography

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Where Midgleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Bingley, Bradford and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale, East Riding of Yorkshire, Ryedale 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bingley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 007 Calderdale
2 Calderdale 025 Calderdale
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Ryedale 007 Ryedale
5 Bradford 058 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Midgley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Midgley

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Midgley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Midgley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Midgley 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

Midgley is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Midgley

The surname Midgley originates from the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "myccg" meaning "middle" and "leah" meaning "a clearing in a wood," suggesting that the name refers to a middle or central clearing or meadow.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where it appears as Midgeley. Other early variations include Midgley, Midghley, and Mydgeley. The name is also associated with the village of Midgley, located in the parish of Halifax, West Yorkshire, which likely took its name from the surname.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there is no direct mention of the surname Midgley. However, the book does reference several places with similar names, such as Middelai and Middeleia, which may be related to the origin of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name is William de Midgeley, who is mentioned in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls of 1285. Another early example is John de Midgeley, who is listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379.

Notable individuals with the surname Midgley include:

1. Thomas Midgley (1889-1944), an American mechanical engineer and chemist, known for his inventions of tetraethyllead (a gasoline additive) and Freon (a refrigerant).

2. Sir Ralph Midgley (1667-1737), an English judge and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1727 to 1737.

3. Mary Midgley (1919-2018), a British philosopher known for her work on science, ethics, and animal rights.

4. John Midgley (1573-1657), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1626 to 1627.

5. William Midgley (1846-1923), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Yorkshire, including the Halifax Town Hall and the Old Cock Inn in Halifax.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Midgley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Midgley 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 2,974 Midgleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.67x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 2,974 7.67x
Lancashire 527 1.13x
Middlesex 89 0.23x
Durham 63 0.54x
Cheshire 51 0.59x
Derbyshire 45 0.73x
Nottinghamshire 31 0.59x
Northumberland 27 0.46x
Surrey 22 0.12x
Lincolnshire 21 0.34x
Warwickshire 20 0.20x
Hampshire 16 0.20x
Staffordshire 13 0.10x
Lanarkshire 11 0.09x
Kent 10 0.07x
Sussex 10 0.15x
Worcestershire 10 0.20x
Oxfordshire 9 0.37x
Essex 7 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.25x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.38x
Dorset 6 0.23x
Glamorgan 6 0.09x
Merionethshire 6 0.84x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.11x
Channel Islands 4 0.34x
Somerset 4 0.06x
Flintshire 3 0.29x
Berkshire 2 0.07x
Denbighshire 2 0.14x
Westmorland 2 0.23x
Devon 1 0.01x
Gloucestershire 1 0.01x
Leicestershire 1 0.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.03x
Renfrewshire 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. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 274 Midgleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.27x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 274 66.27x
Leeds 172 7.85x
Ovenden 152 88.04x
Bingley 119 48.17x
Manningham 97 20.30x
Bradford 92 9.80x
Bowling 80 20.82x
Wuerdle Wardle 67 47.51x
Northowram 66 24.26x
Halifax 64 11.24x
Almondbury 57 30.39x
Todmorden Walsden 56 45.00x
Horton In Bradford 54 8.91x
Barnsley 52 13.00x
Skircoat 48 31.38x
Gomersal 46 25.41x
Spotland 43 8.33x
Shipley 40 19.87x
Salford 33 2.42x
Southowram 32 27.03x
Warley 32 28.54x
Cleckheaton 31 21.69x
East Keswick 31 517.53x
Hunslet 30 4.96x
Baildon 29 39.70x
Bramley In Bramley 28 18.86x
Pudsey 28 13.50x
Wardleworth 28 10.55x
Headingley Cum Burley 27 10.81x
Stansfield 27 18.91x
Liversedge 24 13.90x
Armley 23 13.44x
Newchurch 23 6.05x
Sutton In Keighley 23 104.74x
York St Mary 23 14.32x
Calverley Cum Farsley 22 19.97x
Huddersfield 22 3.89x
Langfield 22 32.41x
Wortley In Bramley 22 7.16x
North Bierley 21 10.03x
Tong 21 28.03x
Batley 20 5.43x
Brightside Bierlow 20 2.63x
Duggleby 20 626.96x
Horsforth 20 23.52x
Idle 20 11.12x
Manchester 20 0.96x
Sowerby In Halifax 20 15.77x
Chadderton 19 8.37x
Dewsbury 19 4.78x
Wadsworth 19 30.09x
Kirkburton 18 39.36x
Sheriff Hutton W 18 163.64x
St Marylebone London 18 0.86x
Yeadon 18 20.55x
Birkenhead 17 2.47x
Castleton 17 3.66x
Hipperholme Cum 17 9.97x
Midgley 17 41.12x
Norton In Malton 17 36.15x
Rochdale 17 50.18x
Holy Trinity 16 1.71x
Middlesbrough 16 3.17x
Thornton In Bradford 16 12.39x
Castleford 15 10.62x
Rufforth 15 408.72x
Barnoldswick 14 25.85x
Oldham 14 0.93x
Sculcoates 14 2.28x
Collingham 13 291.48x
Crigglestone 13 34.80x
Halliwell 13 7.69x
Holbeck 13 5.06x
Islington London 13 0.34x
Little Bolton 13 2.18x
Moss Side 13 5.32x
Portsea 13 0.83x
Stranton 13 3.32x
Wilsden 13 32.63x
Aston 12 0.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 310
Sarah 208
Elizabeth 148
Hannah 106
Ann 76
Martha 76
Emma 69
Annie 63
Alice 61
Jane 58
Ellen 44
Emily 42
Ada 40
Margaret 40
Eliza 36
Betty 25
Clara 23
Maria 22
Edith 21
Caroline 17
Fanny 17
Harriet 17
Florence 16
Ruth 16
Louisa 14
Lucy 14
Susannah 13
Charlotte 12
Esther 12
Grace 12
Isabella 12
Rebecca 11
Anne 10
Frances 10
Amy 9
Lydia 9
Sophia 9
Amelia 8
Gertrude 8
Nancy 8
Agnes 7
Priscilla 7
Catherine 6
Ethel 6
Rose 6
Sally 6
Susan 6
Elizth. 5
Florance 5
Lavinia 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 282
William 177
James 127
Thomas 116
Joseph 109
George 87
Samuel 60
Arthur 55
Henry 51
Charles 40
David 35
Robert 35
Harry 31
Walter 30
Alfred 29
Fred 28
Herbert 27
Richard 26
Wm. 24
Albert 23
Benjamin 19
Edward 18
Frank 16
Jonathan 13
Tom 13
Edwin 12
Ernest 12
Sam 11
Francis 10
Isaac 10
Joe 10
Smith 10
Mark 9
Thos. 9
Frederick 8
Geo. 8
Jonas 8
Chas. 7
Jas. 7
Lewis 7
Willie 7
Jno. 6
Joshua 5
Nathan 5
Saml. 5
Sidney 5
Simeon 5
Abraham 4
Amos 4
Fredk. 4

FAQ

Midgley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Midgley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,013 people were recorded with the Midgley surname. That placed it at #1,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Midgley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,779 in 2016. That gives Midgley a modern rank of #1,785.

What does the Midgley surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name meaning "middle meadow" or "middle clearing."

What does the Midgley map show?

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