NameCensus.

UK surname

Naylor

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of nails.

In the 1881 census there were 11,272 people recorded with the Naylor surname, ranking it #381 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14,343, ranked #439, down from #381 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, London parishes and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Broxtowe and Bolsover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Naylor is 15,147 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.2%.

1881 census count

11,272

Ranked #381

Modern count

14,343

2016, ranked #439

Peak year

1911

15,147 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Naylor had 11,272 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #381 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 14,343 in 2016, ranked #439.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 15,147 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Naylor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Naylor surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Naylor 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 6,784 #411
1861 historical 6,496 #431
1881 historical 11,272 #381
1891 historical 11,448 #394
1901 historical 14,106 #371
1911 historical 15,147 #320
1997 modern 14,309 #422
1998 modern 14,755 #424
1999 modern 14,871 #425
2000 modern 14,733 #427
2001 modern 14,419 #428
2002 modern 14,712 #428
2003 modern 14,296 #430
2004 modern 14,242 #429
2005 modern 14,003 #432
2006 modern 13,921 #436
2007 modern 14,044 #436
2008 modern 14,077 #436
2009 modern 14,418 #437
2010 modern 14,672 #439
2011 modern 14,513 #438
2012 modern 14,324 #435
2013 modern 14,627 #433
2014 modern 14,665 #437
2015 modern 14,547 #436
2016 modern 14,343 #439

Geography

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Where Naylors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, London parishes, Bradford and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Broxtowe, Bolsover and Barnsley. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 003 Derbyshire Dales
2 Broxtowe 002 Broxtowe
3 Bolsover 010 Bolsover
4 Barnsley 007 Barnsley
5 Broxtowe 001 Broxtowe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Naylor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Naylor

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Naylor, 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 Naylor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Naylor 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, Naylor 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

Naylor is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Naylor

The surname Naylor originated in England and is derived from the Old English words 'nearu' meaning narrow and 'fealu' meaning fallow land, referring to a person who lived or worked near a narrow piece of fallow land. It is an occupational surname that initially described someone's livelihood or place of residence.

The earliest recorded reference to the surname Naylor dates back to the 13th century, with mentions in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273 and the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1275. These early records provide evidence that the name was in use during the medieval period.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname Naylor was William Naylor, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301. Another early record is that of John Naylor, who was mentioned in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379.

In the 16th century, there are records of the Naylor family in various parts of England, including Lancashire and Derbyshire. One notable individual from this era was Edmund Naylor, a clergyman born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, in 1565.

During the 17th century, the surname Naylor became more widespread, with several prominent individuals bearing the name. One of the most notable was James Naylor, a Quaker leader born in Ardsley, Yorkshire, in 1616. He was a controversial figure who was convicted of blasphemy and punished severely for his beliefs.

Another significant figure was Samuel Naylor, a puritan minister born in Woodhouse, Yorkshire, in 1629. He was a prolific writer and published several religious works during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the surname Naylor continued to be found across various parts of England, with several notable individuals emerging. One such person was John Naylor, a mathematician and astronomer born in Wigan, Lancashire, in 1713. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and published several works on the subject.

The 19th century saw the Naylor surname spread further, with individuals bearing the name found in various professions and areas of society. One notable example was Charles Naylor, a politician and businessman born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, in 1818. He served as a Member of Parliament for the Wakefield constituency and was involved in various business ventures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Naylor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Naylor 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 5,046 Naylors recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.62x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 5,046 4.62x
Lancashire 2,319 1.77x
Middlesex 540 0.49x
Lincolnshire 437 2.48x
Derbyshire 388 2.25x
Staffordshire 301 0.81x
Nottinghamshire 295 1.99x
Kent 253 0.67x
Durham 219 0.67x
Surrey 207 0.39x
Cheshire 186 0.77x
Warwickshire 119 0.43x
Worcestershire 90 0.63x
Leicestershire 89 0.73x
Rutland 85 10.51x
Norfolk 80 0.47x
Cambridgeshire 73 1.05x
Northamptonshire 69 0.67x
Essex 60 0.28x
Hampshire 54 0.24x
Northumberland 42 0.26x
Gloucestershire 37 0.17x
Suffolk 37 0.28x
Lanarkshire 34 0.10x
Sussex 27 0.15x
Devon 22 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 18 0.82x
Channel Islands 13 0.40x
Shropshire 12 0.13x
Berkshire 11 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.15x
Cumberland 10 0.11x
Glamorgan 10 0.05x
Montgomeryshire 10 0.40x
Bedfordshire 9 0.16x
Flintshire 8 0.27x
Herefordshire 8 0.18x
Renfrewshire 8 0.09x
Hertfordshire 7 0.09x
Isle of Man 5 0.24x
Midlothian 5 0.03x
Westmorland 5 0.21x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.09x
Royal Navy 4 0.30x
Somerset 4 0.02x
Denbighshire 3 0.07x
Roxburghshire 3 0.15x
Dorset 2 0.03x
Selkirkshire 2 0.20x
Anglesey 1 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.03x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.06x
Monmouthshire 1 0.01x
Oxfordshire 1 0.01x
Pembrokeshire 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. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 272 Naylors recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.41x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 272 4.41x
Halifax 167 10.43x
Bradford 158 5.98x
Sheffield 155 4.46x
Keighley 149 12.81x
Horton In Bradford 146 8.57x
Holbeck 128 17.71x
Wortley In Bramley 116 13.42x
Hipperholme Cum 112 23.36x
Cleckheaton 108 26.87x
Pudsey 101 17.32x
Southowram 96 28.83x
Ecclesall Bierlow 94 4.24x
Northowram 92 12.03x
Wigan 91 4.98x
Newton In Makerfield 90 22.50x
Headingley Cum Burley 89 12.67x
Manchester 89 1.51x
Hunslet 82 4.82x
Warrington 82 5.29x
Manningham 81 6.03x
Heckmondwike 80 22.80x
Eccleston In Prescot 77 11.74x
Ashton In Makerfield 74 19.89x
Warley 74 23.47x
Liverpool 73 0.92x
Bowling 68 6.29x
Brightside Bierlow 68 3.18x
Everton 67 1.61x
Bramley In Bramley 66 15.80x
Preston 66 1.89x
Islington London 65 0.61x
Salford 65 1.69x
Liversedge 64 13.18x
Morley 63 11.11x
Alfreton 61 11.65x
Greasley 59 17.62x
Nether Hallam 58 3.93x
Oldham 58 1.38x
Dudley 57 3.26x
Ovenden 57 11.74x
Windle 57 7.75x
Sculcoates 55 3.18x
Sedgley 55 3.98x
West Derby 53 1.39x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 51 5.02x
Dewsbury 51 4.56x
Great Bolton 51 2.95x
Parr 51 10.91x
Walton Le Dale 51 14.53x
Chesterfield 47 7.27x
Little Bolton 46 2.74x
Chapel Allerton 45 27.56x
North Bierley 45 7.64x
Gomersal 44 8.64x
Sowerby In Halifax 44 12.33x
St Pancras London 44 0.50x
Stoke Upon Trent 44 1.12x
Batley 43 4.15x
Idle 42 8.30x
Armley 41 8.52x
Eastwood 41 30.90x
Gateshead 41 1.67x
Toxteth Park 41 0.93x
Drighlington 40 25.17x
Sutton 40 9.13x
Upholland 40 23.89x
Aston 39 0.51x
Barnsley 39 3.47x
Shipley 39 6.89x
Hackney London 37 0.60x
Preston 37 359.57x
Bingley 36 5.18x
Camberwell 36 0.51x
Holy Trinity 36 1.37x
Sutton In Ashfield 36 11.18x
Rainham 35 33.90x
Ashton Under Lyne 34 1.19x
Boxley 34 58.93x
Huddersfield 34 2.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 875
Sarah 491
Elizabeth 449
Ann 239
Jane 201
Hannah 199
Annie 188
Alice 169
Emma 161
Ellen 154
Eliza 152
Martha 128
Emily 117
Margaret 89
Clara 79
Harriet 68
Ada 65
Louisa 59
Edith 57
Maria 56
Lucy 55
Catherine 54
Florence 54
Frances 53
Fanny 48
Charlotte 47
Esther 42
Susannah 40
Caroline 35
Isabella 33
Ruth 33
Rebecca 32
Agnes 31
Grace 30
Kate 30
Amelia 27
Anne 25
Harriett 24
Matilda 23
Rose 23
Rachel 22
Betsy 21
Minnie 21
Gertrude 18
Lydia 18
Susan 18
Eleanor 17
Elizth. 17
Amy 16
Lilly 16

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 727
William 638
James 397
Thomas 388
George 331
Joseph 265
Charles 195
Henry 184
Samuel 135
Arthur 120
Alfred 103
Robert 98
Edward 94
Richard 94
Walter 91
Harry 75
Albert 65
Fred 59
Frederick 59
Herbert 56
Benjamin 52
Ernest 49
Frank 42
David 39
Wm. 35
Francis 33
Peter 30
Edwin 27
Isaac 26
Joshua 26
Sam 26
Thos. 24
Tom 24
Abraham 18
Joe 17
Matthew 17
Willie 17
Daniel 15
Christopher 14
Mark 14
Fredrick 12
Percy 12
Chas. 11
Jonathan 11
Ben 10
Ralph 10
Stephen 10
Andrew 9
Edmund 9
Michael 9

FAQ

Naylor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Naylor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,272 people were recorded with the Naylor surname. That placed it at #381 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Naylor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 14,343 in 2016. That gives Naylor a modern rank of #439.

What does the Naylor surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of nails.

What does the Naylor map show?

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