NameCensus.

UK surname

Oglesby

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Ockel's farmstead" or "farmstead by oak trees" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 371 people recorded with the Oglesby surname, ranking it #8,417 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 749, ranked #7,298, up from #8,417 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, Doncaster and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oglesby is 761 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 101.9%.

1881 census count

371

Ranked #8,417

Modern count

749

2016, ranked #7,298

Peak year

2014

761 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oglesby had 371 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,417 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 749 in 2016, ranked #7,298.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 527 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Oglesby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oglesby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oglesby 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 256 #8,629
1861 historical 178 #13,202
1881 historical 371 #8,417
1891 historical 401 #8,860
1901 historical 465 #8,499
1911 historical 527 #7,533
1997 modern 692 #7,314
1998 modern 701 #7,468
1999 modern 697 #7,542
2000 modern 703 #7,463
2001 modern 685 #7,485
2002 modern 699 #7,522
2003 modern 674 #7,621
2004 modern 672 #7,654
2005 modern 684 #7,490
2006 modern 667 #7,651
2007 modern 687 #7,535
2008 modern 692 #7,552
2009 modern 727 #7,414
2010 modern 747 #7,402
2011 modern 735 #7,431
2012 modern 726 #7,415
2013 modern 755 #7,302
2014 modern 761 #7,281
2015 modern 746 #7,334
2016 modern 749 #7,298

Geography

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Where Oglesbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles, Sheffield and St Helen on the Wall, St Cuthbert, All Saints Peasholm, St Saviour. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull, Doncaster, Neath Port Talbot, South Oxfordshire and Dudley. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John Cambridgeshire
3 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 St Helen on the Wall, St Cuthbert, All Saints Peasholm, St Saviour Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 017 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Doncaster 004 Doncaster
3 Neath Port Talbot 016 Neath Port Talbot
4 South Oxfordshire 010 South Oxfordshire
5 Dudley 033 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oglesby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oglesby

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Oglesby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Oglesby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Oglesby is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Oglesby 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

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

Meaning and origin of Oglesby

The surname OGLESBY has its origins in England, and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words 'oegla' meaning 'from the island' and 'by' meaning a farm or settlement. This suggests that the name likely originated from a place name referring to a farm or village located on an island or peninsula.

One of the earliest recorded references to the OGLESBY name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, a medieval census document compiled in 1274-1275. The entry mentions a person named William de Oglesby, indicating the presence of the surname in this region during that time period.

Over the centuries, the OGLESBY name has been associated with various places in England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Northamptonshire. Some of the earliest recorded place names linked to the surname include Ogglesby in Lincolnshire, and Oglesby in Yorkshire, which may have contributed to the surname's development.

Notable individuals with the OGLESBY surname throughout history include Robert Oglesby (1619-1692), an English Puritan clergyman and writer who authored several religious works. Another prominent figure was Sir Richard Oglesby (1824-1899), an American politician who served as the 16th Governor of Illinois from 1865 to 1869.

In the literary world, Ralph Oglesby (1935-2011) was an American academic and antiwar activist, known for his involvement in the New Left movement and his critiques of American foreign policy. Thomas Kilbourne Oglesby (1911-1988) was an American naval officer and diplomat, who served as the United States Ambassador to Nicaragua from 1967 to 1969.

Additionally, the OGLESBY name has been associated with the Oglebay family, a prominent mining and business family in West Virginia. Earl W. Oglebay (1849-1926) was a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded the Oglebay Resort and Conference Center, a popular destination in Wheeling, West Virginia.

While the OGLESBY surname has ancient roots in England, it has since spread across various parts of the world, particularly to the United States, Canada, and other countries with significant English heritage and immigration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oglesby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oglesby 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 150 Oglesbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.19x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 150 4.19x
Lincolnshire 121 20.97x
Middlesex 19 0.53x
Norfolk 18 3.24x
Lancashire 16 0.37x
Durham 13 1.21x
Staffordshire 8 0.66x
Leicestershire 6 1.50x
Derbyshire 4 0.71x
Glamorgan 4 0.64x
Warwickshire 4 0.44x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.87x
Cheshire 1 0.13x
Gloucestershire 1 0.14x
Kent 1 0.08x
Sussex 1 0.16x
Worcestershire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Grimsby in Lincolnshire leads with 21 Oglesbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.33x.

Place Total Index
Great Grimsby 21 57.33x
Holy Trinity 20 23.25x
Gate Fulford 12 143.71x
Kimberworth 10 50.38x
Scawby 10 523.56x
Terrington St John 10 1190.48x
Tottenham 10 17.40x
Glanford Brigg 9 436.89x
Haxey 9 367.35x
Ardwick 8 20.71x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 8 24.01x
Nether Hallam 8 16.53x
York St Saviour 8 234.60x
Aldridge 7 299.15x
Canwick 7 2333.33x
Holmpton 7 2592.59x
Brocklesby 6 1875.00x
East Halton 6 750.00x
Leeds 6 2.97x
Liverpool 6 2.31x
Stranton 6 16.60x
Tydd St Mary 6 521.74x
Wrawby 6 384.62x
York Mint Yard St 6 1935.48x
Caistor 5 217.39x
Horkstow 5 1470.59x
Nettleham 5 423.73x
Walpole St Peter 5 354.61x
York St Andrew 5 1428.57x
Birmingham 4 1.32x
Brightside Bierlow 4 5.70x
Fillingham 4 1052.63x
Kingstonupon Hull 4 139.37x
Mile End Old Town 4 7.02x
Rotherham 4 19.84x
Sculcoates 4 7.05x
Skipton 4 35.56x
Swansea St Thomas 4 63.39x
York St Helen On Walls 4 677.97x
Gainsborough 3 22.06x
Harpswell 3 2000.00x
Hemswell 3 652.17x
Melton Mowbray 3 41.72x
Roos 3 454.55x
Skirbeck 3 92.88x
Whitton 3 352.94x
York St Martin Mklgt W 3 370.37x
Clee With Weelsby 2 15.84x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 2.75x
Harrow On The Hill 2 27.74x
Holy Trinity St Mary 2 36.76x
Newbold Dunston 2 37.24x
North South Killingholme 2 208.33x
Seaham 2 51.15x
Shipley 2 10.78x
Sutton Stoneferry 2 19.55x
Wisbech St Peter 2 17.45x
York All Sts Peasholme 2 344.83x
Barugh 1 33.11x
Bennington By Boston 1 147.06x
Bradford 1 1.16x
Cheltenham 1 1.83x
Claxby In Caistor 1 250.00x
Clayton 1 11.43x
Dukinfield 1 2.72x
Eckington 1 7.28x
Holgate 1 142.86x
Kippax 1 31.75x
Leicester Newarke 1 47.85x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 4.77x
Mountsorrel North End 1 129.87x
South Frodingham 1 434.78x
St George In East 1 4.07x
St George Martyr 1 16.45x
Tilney St Lawrence 1 112.36x
Ulceby 1 71.43x
Withernsea 1 243.90x
York St Cuthbert 1 30.58x
York St Maurice 1 14.86x
York St Michael Le 1 86.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Annie 12
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 10
Emma 10
Jane 8
Edith 6
Eliza 6
Harriet 4
Maria 4
Ruth 4
Amelia 3
Ann 3
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Florence 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Phillis 2
Susannah 2
Agnes 1
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Dorothy 1
Emly 1
Esthel 1
Evaline 1
F. 1
Florance 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Liley 1
Lilian 1
Lilie 1
Lillian 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 17
George 16
Thomas 11
Frederick 9
Charles 8
Robert 7
James 6
Joseph 5
Richard 5
Ernest 4
Henry 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Edward 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Alfred 2
Edwin 2
F.D. 2
Fred 2
Isaac 2
Jackson 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Arther 1
Baby 1
Bengiman 1
Darwin 1
David 1
Evelyn 1
Forster 1
Frdk. 1
Fred.W. 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
H. 1
Harnold 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Hy. 1
Jno. 1
Laceby 1
Olban 1
Percy 1
Proctor 1
Sam 1
Wilfred 1
Zephin 1

FAQ

Oglesby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oglesby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 371 people were recorded with the Oglesby surname. That placed it at #8,417 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oglesby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 749 in 2016. That gives Oglesby a modern rank of #7,298.

What does the Oglesby surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Ockel's farmstead" or "farmstead by oak trees" in Old English.

What does the Oglesby map show?

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