NameCensus.

UK surname

Oley

A surname derived from an English place name.

In the 1881 census there were 74 people recorded with the Oley surname, ranking it #23,062 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, down from #23,062 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Wiltshire and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oley is 129 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.2%.

1881 census count

74

Ranked #23,062

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

2002

129 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oley had 74 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,062 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 96 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Oley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oley 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 51 #24,096
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 74 #23,062
1891 historical 65 #28,660
1901 historical 82 #25,019
1911 historical 96 #23,193
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 110 #26,129
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 121 #24,493
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 123 #24,497
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 115 #25,702
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 116 #26,209
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 116 #27,062
2010 modern 128 #26,036
2011 modern 127 #25,926
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 127 #26,494
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Oleys 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 South Tyneside, Wiltshire 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 012 South Tyneside
2 South Tyneside 002 South Tyneside
3 Wiltshire 039 Wiltshire
4 South Tyneside 022 South Tyneside
5 Sunderland 008 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oley

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Oley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Oley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Oley falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Oley

The surname Oley has its origins in Germany and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "Olaha," which meant "olive tree" or "olive garden." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near or worked in olive groves or olive-related industries.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Oley can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, particularly in the southern and central parts of the country. One notable historical reference is found in the Bavarian Codex, a collection of legal documents from the 14th century, where the name "Oley" appears in connection with a landowner.

In the 15th century, the name Oley was also documented in the Heidelberg Manuscript, a significant compilation of historical records from the region of Heidelberg. This suggests that the surname had spread to different areas of Germany by that time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Oley was Johann Oley, a prominent theologian and scholar who lived from 1545 to 1623. He served as a professor of theology at the University of Heidelberg and authored several influential works on religious subjects.

Another notable figure with the surname Oley was Friedrich Oley, a German artist and engraver who lived from 1711 to 1783. He is best known for his intricate engravings and etchings, many of which depicted landscapes and architectural subjects.

In the 19th century, the surname Oley gained further recognition through the work of Karl Oley, a German architect and urban planner who lived from 1835 to 1901. He was instrumental in the design and development of several important public buildings and urban spaces in various German cities.

The name Oley was also associated with the town of Oley in Pennsylvania, United States, which was founded by German immigrants in the early 18th century. It is possible that some individuals with this surname may have originated from or lived in this area.

Throughout history, the surname Oley has undergone various spelling variations, such as Ohley, Olei, and Olaye, reflecting regional differences and the evolution of language over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oley 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. Durham leads with 50 Oleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.29x.

County Total Index
Durham 50 23.29x
Northumberland 12 11.18x
Middlesex 10 1.39x
Denbighshire 1 3.67x
Lancashire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westoe in Durham leads with 18 Oleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 147.90x.

Place Total Index
Westoe 18 147.90x
Benfieldside 12 851.06x
Coundon 11 1264.37x
Hammersmith London 8 44.99x
West Rainton 4 606.06x
Westgate 3 45.11x
Brandon Byshottles 2 74.35x
Elswick 2 23.34x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 2 31.20x
St George In East 2 40.73x
Sunderland 2 52.77x
Wallsend 2 58.82x
Cocken 1 769.23x
Heaton 1 277.78x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 1 250.00x
Parr 1 32.68x
Seaton Delaval 1 106.38x
Whittonstall 1 2500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Ann 2
Elisabeth 2
Elizabeth 2
Isabella 2
Lucy 2
Ada 1
Barbara 1
Besey 1
Catherine 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
May 1
Pheobe 1
Ruth 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

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 Oley households.

FAQ

Oley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 74 people were recorded with the Oley surname. That placed it at #23,062 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Oley a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Oley surname mean?

A surname derived from an English place name.

What does the Oley map show?

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