NameCensus.

UK surname

Oakley

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a field of oak trees.

In the 1881 census there were 6,359 people recorded with the Oakley surname, ranking it #674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,877, ranked #651, up from #674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, London parishes and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oakley is 10,514 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.3%.

1881 census count

6,359

Ranked #674

Modern count

9,877

2016, ranked #651

Peak year

1999

10,514 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oakley had 6,359 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,877 in 2016, ranked #651.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,101 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Oakley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oakley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oakley 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 3,570 #796
1861 historical 3,435 #824
1881 historical 6,359 #674
1891 historical 6,722 #681
1901 historical 8,192 #657
1911 historical 9,101 #538
1997 modern 10,055 #614
1998 modern 10,461 #611
1999 modern 10,514 #613
2000 modern 10,434 #617
2001 modern 10,231 #614
2002 modern 10,400 #618
2003 modern 10,155 #621
2004 modern 10,125 #621
2005 modern 9,945 #623
2006 modern 9,942 #624
2007 modern 9,940 #630
2008 modern 9,967 #635
2009 modern 10,089 #643
2010 modern 10,246 #643
2011 modern 10,193 #639
2012 modern 10,009 #641
2013 modern 10,155 #642
2014 modern 10,116 #648
2015 modern 9,970 #648
2016 modern 9,877 #651

Geography

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Where Oakleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, London parishes, Dudley and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley and Shropshire. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 006 Dudley
2 Shropshire 029 Shropshire
3 Dudley 007 Dudley
4 Dudley 008 Dudley
5 Dudley 017 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oakley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oakley

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Oakley 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

Oakley 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

Oakley falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Oakley

The surname Oakley originated from England and dates back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words 'ac' meaning oak and 'leah' meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. Thus, the name literally means 'oak clearing' or 'oak meadow'.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire in 1195, where it was written as 'de Ackeley'. In the 13th century, the spelling evolved to 'Ockley' and 'Okeley', before eventually becoming 'Oakley'.

The name is closely associated with various places in England, particularly Oakley in Staffordshire, Oakley in Hampshire, and Oakley in Buckinghamshire. These place names are derived from the same Old English roots as the surname and were recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Aclei', 'Acelie', and 'Achelei', respectively.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Sir William Oakley, who was born in 1285 and served as a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire in the early 14th century. Another notable figure was Thomas Oakley, a 16th-century English clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Essex from 1558 to 1574.

In the 17th century, John Oakley (1609-1678) was a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as the Recorder of London from 1671 until his death. His contemporary, Sir Thomas Oakley (1626-1692), was a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1666.

The 18th century saw the rise of Sir Charles Oakley (1751-1826), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. He later served as the Governor of Antigua and Barbuda from 1810 to 1815.

Throughout history, the Oakley surname has been associated with various occupations, including agriculture, law, politics, and military service. Its enduring presence in England for over eight centuries reflects its deep roots and historical significance within the country's cultural fabric.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oakley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oakley 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. Staffordshire leads with 1,004 Oakleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.81x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 1,004 4.81x
Middlesex 695 1.12x
Worcestershire 414 5.12x
Surrey 328 1.09x
Essex 325 2.66x
Lancashire 300 0.41x
Hertfordshire 299 7.01x
Shropshire 286 5.35x
Yorkshire 284 0.46x
Hampshire 256 2.02x
Derbyshire 212 2.19x
Warwickshire 206 1.32x
Norfolk 177 1.86x
Kent 137 0.65x
Herefordshire 134 5.28x
Gloucestershire 118 0.97x
Suffolk 113 1.50x
Sussex 105 1.01x
Buckinghamshire 87 2.33x
Durham 87 0.47x
Bedfordshire 83 2.59x
Cheshire 77 0.56x
Northamptonshire 64 1.10x
Leicestershire 60 0.87x
Nottinghamshire 56 0.67x
Monmouthshire 53 1.18x
Oxfordshire 51 1.33x
Glamorgan 42 0.39x
Somerset 33 0.33x
Devon 32 0.25x
Pembrokeshire 31 1.58x
Dorset 29 0.71x
Berkshire 22 0.47x
Cambridgeshire 21 0.54x
Huntingdonshire 20 1.63x
Angus 13 0.23x
Carmarthenshire 13 0.50x
Wiltshire 11 0.20x
Midlothian 9 0.11x
Northumberland 7 0.08x
Rutland 7 1.54x
Montgomeryshire 6 0.42x
Royal Navy 6 0.81x
Lincolnshire 5 0.05x
Fife 4 0.11x
Perthshire 4 0.14x
Renfrewshire 4 0.08x
Ayrshire 3 0.06x
Brecknockshire 2 0.16x
Denbighshire 2 0.09x
Lanarkshire 2 0.01x
Cornwall 1 0.01x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.11x
Westmorland 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sedgley in Staffordshire leads with 237 Oakleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.55x.

Place Total Index
Sedgley 237 30.55x
Dudley 144 14.66x
Lambeth 98 1.82x
Walsall Foreign 85 7.88x
Birmingham 80 1.54x
West Bromwich 79 6.61x
Aston 76 1.77x
Islington London 72 1.20x
Stoke Upon Trent 72 3.25x
Wolverhampton 69 4.30x
West Ham 56 2.08x
Camberwell 51 1.29x
St Pancras London 50 1.00x
Wivenhoe 47 96.91x
Portsea 46 1.85x
Tipton 46 7.19x
Tottenham 44 4.46x
Luton 42 7.57x
Normanton 41 22.25x
St Albans St Peter 41 28.49x
Tring 40 35.13x
Glemsford 39 73.68x
Battersea 38 1.67x
Southampton St Mary 38 4.76x
St Marylebone London 38 1.15x
Ardeley 36 343.51x
Kidderminster Borough 35 7.40x
Shoreditch London 34 1.27x
St Albans 34 38.91x
Eversholt 33 202.83x
Hackney London 33 0.95x
Willenhall 32 8.18x
Kensington London 31 0.90x
Upton On Severn 31 58.57x
Cannock 30 8.23x
Broseley 26 27.37x
Kingswinford 26 3.43x
Nottingham St Mary 26 1.21x
Orsett 26 81.61x
Paddington London 26 1.14x
Birkenhead 25 2.30x
Kettering 25 10.62x
Newington 25 1.09x
Penkridge 25 46.42x
Shrewsbury St Mary 25 11.85x
Bilston 24 5.93x
Mile End Old Town 24 2.46x
Salford 24 1.11x
Pendleton In Salford 23 2.63x
Wednesfield 23 7.48x
Derby St Peter 22 7.13x
Kings Norton 22 3.04x
Byfleet 21 78.24x
Chorlton On Medlock 21 1.80x
Derby St Werburgh 21 3.75x
Grays Thurrock 21 18.50x
Bethnal Green London 20 0.74x
Enfield 20 4.93x
Redditch 20 12.21x
Rowley Regis 20 3.44x
West Derby 20 0.93x
Weston 20 97.37x
Bermondsey 19 1.03x
Bow London 19 2.41x
Condover 19 50.48x
Holdenhurst 19 5.71x
Pembroke St Mary 19 7.50x
Ropley 19 102.43x
Brightside Bierlow 18 1.50x
Manchester 18 0.55x
Minsterley 18 91.28x
Norton 18 195.02x
Litchurch 17 4.36x
Pontesbury 17 26.15x
Tonbridge 17 2.23x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 17 8.04x
Westminster St John 17 2.26x
Bromyard 16 47.88x
Long Melford 16 22.84x
Merthyr Tydfil 16 1.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 441
Sarah 267
Elizabeth 252
Eliza 142
Emma 130
Jane 115
Ann 103
Ellen 93
Hannah 88
Alice 80
Annie 78
Emily 60
Martha 57
Harriet 48
Maria 44
Edith 40
Caroline 37
Fanny 35
Charlotte 34
Louisa 34
Catherine 32
Florence 32
Clara 31
Ada 29
Kate 28
Agnes 25
Frances 25
Margaret 25
Amelia 24
Susan 24
Anne 21
Lucy 21
Esther 17
Rose 17
Susannah 17
Sophia 16
Minnie 15
Eleanor 14
Julia 14
Phoebe 13
Lizzie 12
Selina 12
Elizth. 11
Harriett 11
Laura 11
Rosa 11
Lydia 10
Anna 9
Jessie 9
Rebecca 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 408
John 332
George 231
Thomas 225
James 206
Charles 131
Henry 131
Joseph 125
Richard 87
Edward 82
Alfred 80
Frederick 62
Arthur 60
Robert 59
Samuel 57
Albert 48
Benjamin 41
David 39
Harry 38
Walter 34
Edwin 30
Frank 29
Ernest 25
Herbert 25
Wm. 24
Francis 20
Thos. 16
Daniel 15
Edmund 13
Fredk. 11
Isaac 11
Abraham 9
Chas. 9
Peter 9
Joshua 8
Fredrick 7
Geo. 7
Jesse 7
Josiah 7
Timothy 7
Tom 7
Andrew 5
Caleb 5
Christopher 5
Harold 5
Henery 5
Horace 5
Sidney 5
Stephen 5
Saml. 4

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 Oakley households.

FAQ

Oakley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oakley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,359 people were recorded with the Oakley surname. That placed it at #674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oakley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,877 in 2016. That gives Oakley a modern rank of #651.

What does the Oakley surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a field of oak trees.

What does the Oakley map show?

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