NameCensus.

UK surname

Orley

A locational surname derived from any of several places named Orley or Orly in France.

In the 1881 census there were 53 people recorded with the Orley surname, ranking it #26,134 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, down from #26,134 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Seaton, Stranton and Woolwich. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Orley is 153 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 145.3%.

1881 census count

53

Ranked #26,134

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

1891

153 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Orley had 53 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,134 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 153 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Orley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Orley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Orley 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 48 #24,615
1861 historical 88 #22,554
1881 historical 53 #26,134
1891 historical 153 #18,078
1901 historical 55 #28,064
1911 historical 92 #23,580
1997 modern 127 #23,352
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 123 #24,643
2000 modern 117 #25,324
2001 modern 119 #24,733
2002 modern 119 #25,231
2003 modern 128 #23,890
2004 modern 128 #24,117
2005 modern 128 #24,076
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 136 #24,485
2010 modern 141 #24,460
2011 modern 136 #24,819
2012 modern 132 #25,289
2013 modern 135 #25,395
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 130 #26,152

Geography

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Where Orleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Seaton, Stranton, Woolwich, St Mary Cray and Scarborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool. 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 Seaton Devon
2 Stranton Durham
3 Woolwich London (South Districts)
4 St Mary Cray Kent
5 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 003 Hartlepool
2 Hartlepool 005 Hartlepool
3 Hartlepool 008 Hartlepool
4 Hartlepool 009 Hartlepool
5 Hartlepool 012 Hartlepool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Orley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Orley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Orley, 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 Orley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Orley 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Orley is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Orley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Orley

The surname Orley originated in England during the late medieval period, derived from the Old English words "or" meaning a bank or shore, and "leah" meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. This suggests the name likely referred to someone who resided near a riverbank or shoreline within a clearing or meadow.

Orley was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Ordeleia" in Norfolk, England. This early recorded spelling provides evidence of the name's Old English roots and its association with a specific location.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Robert de Orley, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166. The "de" prefix indicated he was from the place named Orley.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared as "de Orleye" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, referring to a place now known as Arley, located in the county's northwestern region.

The Orley surname has been associated with several notable historical figures. Sir John Orley (c.1400-1476) was a prominent English courtier and Speaker of the House of Commons during the Wars of the Roses. Richard Orley (c.1510-1564) was a distinguished Tudor-era painter who served as the King's Painter to Henry VIII.

Another individual of note was Andrew Orley (1492-1546), a French scholar and theologian who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation. He served as the chancellor of the University of Paris and was a vocal critic of the Catholic Church's practices.

In the 16th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including "Orlie," "Orlye," and "Orlaye," reflecting the evolution of the English language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

By the 17th century, the Orley surname had spread beyond England to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies, where it can be found in early colonial records.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Orley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Orley 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. Devon leads with 18 Orleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.12x.

County Total Index
Devon 18 16.12x
Middlesex 10 1.86x
Yorkshire 6 1.13x
Gloucestershire 5 4.75x
Hampshire 4 3.64x
Lancashire 4 0.63x
Surrey 2 0.77x
Channel Islands 1 6.29x
Essex 1 0.94x
Lanarkshire 1 0.58x
Northamptonshire 1 1.98x
Nottinghamshire 1 1.38x
Royal Navy 1 15.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Seaton in Devon leads with 18 Orleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4186.05x.

Place Total Index
Seaton 18 4186.05x
Chelsea London 6 37.13x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 142.45x
Scarborough 4 82.82x
St Pancras London 4 9.27x
Pemberton 3 118.11x
Portsea 3 13.92x
Barony 1 2.28x
Clarborough 1 185.19x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 9.25x
Newington 1 5.05x
Portsmouth 1 39.53x
Royal Navy 1 18.32x
St Martin 1 103.09x
Streatham 1 25.13x
Walthamstow 1 26.25x
Wellingborough 1 39.37x
Wigan 1 11.25x
Wombwell 1 64.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Alma 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Christiana 1
Christiner 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth.F. 1
Emeline 1
Eva 1
Jane 1
Leah 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Mercy 1
Minnie 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Joseph 3
William 3
Richd. 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Henry 1
J. 1
James 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 Orley households.

FAQ

Orley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Orley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 53 people were recorded with the Orley surname. That placed it at #26,134 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Orley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Orley a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Orley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from any of several places named Orley or Orly in France.

What does the Orley map show?

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