NameCensus.

UK surname

Ousley

Derived from a place name meaning "Oswulf's clearing" in Old English, referring to a person who lived there.

In the 1881 census there were 118 people recorded with the Ousley surname, ranking it #17,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 144, ranked #24,390, down from #17,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, East Devon and Exeter.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ousley is 161 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.0%.

1881 census count

118

Ranked #17,935

Modern count

144

2016, ranked #24,390

Peak year

1911

161 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ousley had 118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016, ranked #24,390.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 161 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Ousley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ousley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ousley 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 72 #20,720
1861 historical 62 #26,041
1881 historical 118 #17,935
1891 historical 160 #17,555
1901 historical 146 #18,335
1911 historical 161 #17,072
1997 modern 133 #22,705
1998 modern 148 #21,841
1999 modern 144 #22,405
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 144 #22,040
2002 modern 155 #21,431
2003 modern 158 #20,952
2004 modern 155 #21,352
2005 modern 149 #21,866
2006 modern 156 #21,399
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 151 #22,323
2009 modern 159 #22,072
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 144 #23,902
2013 modern 144 #24,323
2014 modern 147 #24,177
2015 modern 147 #24,036
2016 modern 144 #24,390

Geography

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Where Ousleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes, Clifton and Down. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Somerset, East Devon, Exeter, South Somerset and Bromley. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 Clifton Gloucestershire
5 Down Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 020 North Somerset
2 East Devon 015 East Devon
3 Exeter 013 Exeter
4 South Somerset 024 South Somerset
5 Bromley 008 Bromley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ousley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ousley

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Ousley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Ousley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ousley 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

Ousley 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

Ousley falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ousley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ousley

The surname Ousley has its origins in England, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ofa" and "leah," meaning "ridge" and "forest clearing" respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person living near a forest clearing on a ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ofesleah." This historical record provides valuable insight into the distribution of the name during the Norman conquest of England.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Offeslegh, Offesley, and Owsley, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings during that era. These variations often corresponded to different regions or local dialects.

Notably, the Ousley surname has been associated with several prominent individuals throughout history. One such figure was John Ousley, a 16th-century English Protestant reformer and Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, born around 1497 and dying in 1555.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Ousley, a 17th-century English politician and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1673 to 1677. He was born in 1631 and passed away in 1692.

In the realm of literature, William Ousley (1771-1847) was a notable English poet and clergyman, known for his contributions to religious poetry and hymns during the early 19th century.

The Ousley surname has also been associated with notable figures in the United States. One such individual was John Ousley (1821-1890), a prominent American politician and lawyer who served as a judge in Kentucky and later as a U.S. Representative from 1867 to 1869.

Another American figure with the Ousley surname was Roger Ousley (1918-2003), a renowned jazz musician and saxophonist who played with various big bands and orchestras throughout the 20th century.

While the surname Ousley has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns of individuals bearing this name over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ousley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ousley 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 24 Ousleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.02x.

County Total Index
Devon 24 10.02x
Somerset 18 9.72x
Kent 14 3.56x
Gloucestershire 12 5.32x
Lancashire 8 0.59x
Berkshire 7 8.10x
Lincolnshire 7 3.80x
Yorkshire 6 0.53x
Cheshire 5 1.97x
Northamptonshire 5 4.62x
Surrey 5 0.89x
Dorset 2 2.65x
Northumberland 2 1.17x
Nottinghamshire 2 1.29x
Middlesex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Upton Pyne in Devon leads with 15 Ousleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9375.00x.

Place Total Index
Upton Pyne 15 9375.00x
Clifton 8 70.11x
Downe 8 3636.36x
Caistor 7 958.90x
Thorverton 7 1944.44x
Kingstone 6 6666.67x
Speen 6 425.53x
Ashley 5 4166.67x
Dukinfield 5 42.59x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 13.40x
Bishops Hull 4 666.67x
Horfield 4 176.21x
Manchester 4 6.51x
Ramsgate 4 62.40x
Skelton In Guisbrough 4 129.45x
Langford Budville 3 2142.86x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 12.95x
Taunton St James 3 111.11x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 18.81x
Chirton 2 51.55x
Southwark Christchurch 2 37.11x
Stapleford 2 158.73x
Broadwinsor 1 204.08x
Canterbury St Mary 1 37.88x
Chardstock 1 192.31x
Corfe 1 666.67x
Exeter Heavitree 1 55.87x
Exeter St Mary Steps 1 185.19x
Hornsey 1 6.87x
Margate St John Baptist 1 13.91x
Reading St Mary 1 14.45x
Wayford 1 1111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 8
Mary 8
Sarah 8
Jane 6
Ellen 3
Annie 2
Emily 2
Alice 1
Allice 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Charlotte 1
Dorcas 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Johanah 1
Mima 1
Sophia 1
Tamarine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
James 7
John 6
Henry 4
Fred 3
George 3
Walter 3
Charles 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Sidney 2
Arthur 1
Aurther 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Hary 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Ousley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ousley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 118 people were recorded with the Ousley surname. That placed it at #17,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ousley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016. That gives Ousley a modern rank of #24,390.

What does the Ousley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Oswulf's clearing" in Old English, referring to a person who lived there.

What does the Ousley map show?

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