NameCensus.

UK surname

Mulley

A variant of the surname Molley, likely derived from a nickname for someone with mulled or ruddy complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 623 people recorded with the Mulley surname, ranking it #5,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 968, ranked #5,949, down from #5,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hadleigh, London parishes and Elmswell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Mid Suffolk and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mulley is 972 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.4%.

1881 census count

623

Ranked #5,674

Modern count

968

2016, ranked #5,949

Peak year

2010

972 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mulley had 623 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 968 in 2016, ranked #5,949.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 849 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mulley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mulley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mulley 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 376 #6,343
1861 historical 413 #6,216
1881 historical 623 #5,674
1891 historical 744 #5,353
1901 historical 731 #6,055
1911 historical 849 #5,229
1997 modern 930 #5,815
1998 modern 958 #5,866
1999 modern 959 #5,911
2000 modern 941 #5,976
2001 modern 931 #5,911
2002 modern 946 #5,947
2003 modern 922 #5,970
2004 modern 931 #5,922
2005 modern 938 #5,837
2006 modern 948 #5,805
2007 modern 935 #5,915
2008 modern 934 #5,959
2009 modern 927 #6,111
2010 modern 972 #6,006
2011 modern 935 #6,144
2012 modern 934 #6,072
2013 modern 962 #6,013
2014 modern 969 #6,021
2015 modern 970 #5,957
2016 modern 968 #5,949

Geography

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Where Mulleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hadleigh, London parishes, Elmswell and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Mid Suffolk and Sunderland. 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 Hadleigh Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Elmswell Suffolk
4 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 059 County Durham
2 Mid Suffolk 006 Mid Suffolk
3 Sunderland 008 Sunderland
4 County Durham 066 County Durham
5 Sunderland 003 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mulley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mulley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mulley is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mulley is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mulley falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mulley

The surname MULLEY is of English origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "mull," which referred to a high or prominent hill or mound. This suggests that the name was initially a topographic descriptor for someone who lived near such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MULLEY can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Muleih." This entry indicates that the name was already established in certain regions of England during the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name began to emerge, such as "Muli," "Mulie," and "Mulley." These spellings were often influenced by local dialects and the scribes who recorded them.

The name MULLEY is also closely associated with various place names in England, such as Mulley Abbey in Lancashire, which dates back to the 12th century. This connection suggests that some individuals may have taken on the surname based on their place of origin or residence.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname MULLEY include:

1. William Mulley (c. 1585-1662), an English clergyman and author from Lincolnshire. 2. Thomas Mulley (c. 1637-1711), an English merchant and philanthropist from London. 3. John Mulley (1758-1828), a British Army officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. 4. Elizabeth Mulley (1820-1890), a pioneering British women's rights activist and philanthropist. 5. Robert Mulley (1892-1976), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party from 1945 to 1970.

While the name MULLEY has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it was likely used to identify individuals residing near prominent hills or mounds.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mulley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mulley 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. Suffolk leads with 214 Mulleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.91x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 214 28.91x
Essex 114 9.50x
Middlesex 87 1.43x
Surrey 53 1.79x
Durham 25 1.38x
Kent 24 1.16x
Lancashire 23 0.32x
Lincolnshire 13 1.34x
Hampshire 12 0.96x
Yorkshire 12 0.20x
Hertfordshire 10 2.39x
Norfolk 9 0.96x
Gloucestershire 6 0.50x
Glamorgan 5 0.47x
Northumberland 5 0.55x
Lanarkshire 4 0.20x
Devon 2 0.16x
Monmouthshire 2 0.46x
Bedfordshire 1 0.32x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elmswell in Suffolk leads with 61 Mulleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3860.76x.

Place Total Index
Elmswell 61 3860.76x
Hadleigh 28 389.97x
Barking 26 678.85x
Camberwell 16 4.12x
Thurston 13 896.55x
Heybridge 12 343.84x
Monkwearmouth 12 69.32x
St Marylebone London 12 3.70x
West Ham 12 4.53x
Woolpit 12 558.14x
Bracebridge 11 248.87x
Chelsea London 11 6.01x
Bethnal Green London 10 3.79x
Islington London 10 1.70x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 9 64.79x
Great Ashfield 9 1084.34x
Hornchurch 9 153.06x
Liverpool 9 2.06x
Ardsley 8 115.27x
Crompton 8 38.95x
Grays Thurrock 8 71.75x
Ingatestone 8 414.51x
Lambeth 8 1.51x
Maldon St Marys 8 278.75x
Reigate Foreign 8 24.95x
Upwell 8 183.91x
Aldershot 7 16.77x
Clapham 7 9.21x
Combs 7 283.40x
Milton In Gravesend 7 22.52x
Shildon 7 48.18x
Barking 6 17.09x
Bishop Stortford 6 42.89x
Great Burstead 6 137.30x
Hendon 6 27.45x
Ipswich St Mary Key 6 312.50x
Little Baddow 6 530.97x
Twickenham 6 23.02x
Westbury On Trym 6 14.86x
Yaxley 6 779.22x
Bromley London 5 3.74x
Deptford St Paul 5 3.13x
Gelligaer 5 20.69x
Lewisham 5 4.52x
Springfield 5 95.06x
Barony 4 0.80x
Bromley 4 12.66x
Clerkenwell London 4 2.79x
Colchester St Leonard 4 103.63x
East Ham 4 17.97x
Great Baddow 4 93.68x
Halstead 4 28.59x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 4 58.22x
Ipswich St Mathew 4 19.29x
Langham 4 952.38x
Little Berkhampstead 4 454.55x
Maldon St Peter 4 65.47x
North Shields 4 22.17x
Portsea 4 1.64x
Blackburn 3 1.56x
Buttsbury 3 319.15x
Carlton 3 1500.00x
Hampstead London 3 3.17x
Ipswich St Margaret 3 11.94x
Ipswich St Peter 3 30.12x
Limehouse London 3 4.50x
Shadwell London 3 17.64x
Streatham 3 6.65x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 2 27.82x
Bardwell 2 126.58x
Battersea 2 0.89x
Bishop Auckland 2 8.24x
Croydon 2 1.22x
Ipswich St Clement 2 10.63x
Kensington London 2 0.59x
Kersey 2 194.17x
Petersham 2 170.94x
Rainham 2 76.63x
Stowmarket 2 23.39x
Whitechapel London 2 3.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Sarah 21
Eliza 20
Ellen 20
Elizabeth 18
Jane 16
Alice 12
Edith 12
Emma 11
Ann 10
Emily 9
Annie 8
Martha 8
Harriet 7
Fanny 6
Hannah 6
Maria 6
Amelia 5
Charlotte 5
Kate 5
Lucy 4
Susan 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Harriett 3
Matilda 3
Maud 3
Rachel 3
Susanna 3
Agnes 2
Anna 2
Bessie 2
Ethel 2
Jessie 2
Lillian 2
Margaret 2
Marian 2
Miriam 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2
Rosina 2
Susannah 2
Willey 2
Angnela 1
Beatrice 1
Betsey 1
Elinor 1
Emelia 1
Julia 1
Leah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 36
George 30
John 30
James 20
Thomas 13
Arthur 11
Edward 11
Henry 10
Alfred 9
Charles 8
Herbert 8
Robert 8
Walter 7
Benjamin 5
Ernest 5
Frederick 5
Richard 4
David 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Samuel 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Freeman 2
Timothy 2
Bixby 1
Earnest 1
Ed. 1
Ephrahim 1
Ferdinand 1
Florence 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.J. 1
Fredrick 1
Goold 1
Harold 1
Hubert 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
Job 1
Magness 1
Martha 1
Maurice 1
Ruben 1
Rupert 1
Samuell 1

FAQ

Mulley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mulley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 623 people were recorded with the Mulley surname. That placed it at #5,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mulley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 968 in 2016. That gives Mulley a modern rank of #5,949.

What does the Mulley surname mean?

A variant of the surname Molley, likely derived from a nickname for someone with mulled or ruddy complexion.

What does the Mulley map show?

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