NameCensus.

UK surname

Nunley

Derived from a place name meaning "from the meadow" or "from the nun's meadow" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 46 people recorded with the Nunley surname, ranking it #27,188 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 108, ranked #29,578, down from #27,188 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nunley is 126 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 134.8%.

1881 census count

46

Ranked #27,188

Modern count

108

2016, ranked #29,578

Peak year

2008

126 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nunley had 46 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,188 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016, ranked #29,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 74 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Nunley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nunley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nunley 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 37 #29,339
1881 historical 46 #27,188
1891 historical 26 #32,189
1901 historical 63 #27,134
1911 historical 74 #25,423
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 115 #25,591
2001 modern 109 #26,059
2002 modern 116 #25,632
2003 modern 122 #24,628
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 119 #25,193
2006 modern 120 #25,269
2007 modern 121 #25,469
2008 modern 126 #25,131
2009 modern 120 #26,496
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 120 #26,930
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 112 #28,675
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 108 #29,578

Geography

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Where Nunleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 005 East Northamptonshire
2 East Northamptonshire 006 East Northamptonshire
3 East Northamptonshire 007 East Northamptonshire
4 East Northamptonshire 009 East Northamptonshire
5 East Northamptonshire 008 East Northamptonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nunley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nunley

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Nunley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Nunley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Nunley is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nunley 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

Nunley falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Nunley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Nunley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nunley

The surname NUNLEY is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period, specifically in the counties of Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Yorkshire. It is derived from the Old English words "nunnan" meaning "nun" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked on lands associated with a nunnery or convent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1195, where a certain "Richard de Nunnelea" is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Nunnelea," provides insight into the name's evolution over time.

In the 13th century, records from the Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire reference a "William de Nunleia," further reinforcing the connection between the name and the geographical areas it originated from.

The NUNLEY surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Nunley Hill in Staffordshire and Nunley Moor in Yorkshire. These place names likely derived from the same root words as the surname, indicating that the name may have initially been used to identify individuals from those specific locations.

Throughout history, there have been notable individuals who carried the NUNLEY surname. One such person was John NUNLEY, a prominent merchant and landowner in Yorkshire during the 16th century, born around 1510 and died in 1587.

Another notable figure was William NUNLEY, a Puritan minister who emigrated from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 17th century. Born in 1595, he is known for his influential sermons and his involvement in the establishment of several Puritan settlements.

In the 18th century, there was Thomas NUNLEY, a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Staffordshire, who lived from 1715 to 1798. His innovations in clock design and mechanisms earned him widespread recognition during his lifetime.

The NUNLEY name also appears in historical records related to the English Civil War, with mentions of soldiers and participants bearing the surname on both sides of the conflict.

Additionally, the surname can be found in various parish records, tax rolls, and legal documents throughout the centuries, further solidifying its presence in various regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nunley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nunley 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 36 Nunleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.23x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 36 87.23x
Montgomeryshire 5 49.75x
Leicestershire 2 4.11x
Middlesex 2 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Raunds in Northamptonshire leads with 36 Nunleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8571.43x.

Place Total Index
Raunds 36 8571.43x
Meifod 5 2083.33x
Hugglescote 2 277.78x
Kensington London 1 4.10x
Westminster St James 1 22.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 5
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Elizabeth 2
Mary 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Lily 1
Margaret 1
Phebe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Joseph 3
Owen 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Harris 1
James 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Nunley households.

FAQ

Nunley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nunley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 46 people were recorded with the Nunley surname. That placed it at #27,188 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nunley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016. That gives Nunley a modern rank of #29,578.

What does the Nunley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "from the meadow" or "from the nun's meadow" in Old English.

What does the Nunley map show?

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