NameCensus.

UK surname

Pauley

A variant of the surname Paul, derived from the Latin name Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble."

In the 1881 census there were 325 people recorded with the Pauley surname, ranking it #9,194 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 512, ranked #9,823, down from #9,194 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Sheepshead and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, Ashford and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pauley is 517 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.5%.

1881 census count

325

Ranked #9,194

Modern count

512

2016, ranked #9,823

Peak year

2014

517 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pauley had 325 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,194 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 512 in 2016, ranked #9,823.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 325 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pauley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pauley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pauley 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 177 #11,441
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 325 #9,194
1891 historical 245 #12,950
1901 historical 322 #11,090
1911 historical 272 #12,205
1997 modern 459 #9,920
1998 modern 472 #10,032
1999 modern 475 #10,042
2000 modern 469 #10,105
2001 modern 463 #10,009
2002 modern 472 #10,060
2003 modern 485 #9,701
2004 modern 477 #9,833
2005 modern 476 #9,783
2006 modern 471 #9,907
2007 modern 471 #9,992
2008 modern 469 #10,119
2009 modern 494 #9,953
2010 modern 504 #10,002
2011 modern 516 #9,731
2012 modern 503 #9,819
2013 modern 501 #10,006
2014 modern 517 #9,846
2015 modern 510 #9,875
2016 modern 512 #9,823

Geography

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Where Pauleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Sheepshead, Glasgow and Cottenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, Ashford, North East Lincolnshire, Peterborough and Braidfauld. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Sheepshead Leicestershire
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Cottenham Cambridgeshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 007 Fenland
2 Ashford 010 Ashford
3 North East Lincolnshire 004 North East Lincolnshire
4 Peterborough 007 Peterborough
5 Braidfauld Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pauley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pauley

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

Pauley 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

Pauley falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pauley

The surname Pauley originated in England, specifically in the county of Lincolnshire, during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French name "Paueli," which itself comes from the Latin name "Paulus," meaning "small" or "humble."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named William Paueli is mentioned. The name was also found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1208, referring to a Robertus Pauley.

In medieval England, the name was often associated with places like Pauley's Bridge in Lincolnshire and Pauley's Hill in Hertfordshire. These place names likely contributed to the development of the surname.

During the 13th century, the name evolved to its more modern spelling of "Pauley." In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a John Pauley is recorded as residing in Lincolnshire.

One notable early bearer of the surname was Sir William Pauley (c. 1290-1349), a prominent English soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.

Another historical figure was Thomas Pauley (1515-1582), an English Protestant reformer and scholar who served as the Dean of Worcester Cathedral during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, John Pauley (1642-1712) was a successful merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol, where he served as a city alderman.

During the American Revolutionary War, Captain James Pauley (1740-1818) fought for the Continental Army and was present at several key battles, including Saratoga and Yorktown.

In the 19th century, Mary Ann Pauley (1828-1891) was a well-known educator and advocate for women's rights, establishing several schools for girls in New England.

Throughout its history, the Pauley surname has maintained its connection to its English roots, with many bearers tracing their ancestry back to the county of Lincolnshire and the surrounding areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pauley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pauley 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 112 Pauleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.27x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 112 55.27x
Dorset 57 27.14x
Middlesex 22 0.69x
Lanarkshire 18 1.74x
Leicestershire 17 4.79x
Lincolnshire 17 3.32x
Devon 13 1.95x
Surrey 10 0.64x
Kent 9 0.82x
Yorkshire 8 0.25x
Durham 6 0.63x
Hampshire 6 0.91x
Cheshire 5 0.71x
Cornwall 5 1.38x
Northamptonshire 5 1.66x
Lancashire 4 0.11x
Somerset 4 0.78x
Dunbartonshire 2 2.33x
Royal Navy 2 5.25x
Channel Islands 1 1.05x
Derbyshire 1 0.20x
Gloucestershire 1 0.16x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.57x
Norfolk 1 0.20x
Sussex 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cottenham in Cambridgeshire leads with 43 Pauleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1598.51x.

Place Total Index
Cottenham 43 1598.51x
Buckland Newton 18 1914.89x
Grantchester 16 1269.84x
Barony 15 5.73x
Doddington 12 805.37x
Hilfield 12 8000.00x
Histon 12 1132.08x
Sheepshed 12 246.91x
Hermitage 10 8333.33x
Blyton 7 909.09x
Cerne Abbas 7 686.27x
Wootton Glanville 7 2692.31x
Belstone 6 3529.41x
Leverton 6 923.08x
Trumpington 6 582.52x
Waterbeach 6 363.64x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 16.93x
Deptford St Paul 5 5.94x
Leicester St Margaret 5 5.78x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 9.75x
South Stoneham 5 35.14x
Westminster St James 5 15.20x
Bromley 4 24.04x
Castor 4 312.50x
Farnham 4 33.00x
Gulval 4 171.67x
Hart 4 172.41x
Impington 4 909.09x
Tiverton 4 701.75x
Willesden 4 13.26x
Boston 3 19.33x
Chelsea London 3 3.11x
Glasgow 3 1.63x
Pickering 3 75.19x
St Andrewthe Less 3 12.96x
St Giles Cambridge 3 114.50x
St Pancras London 3 1.16x
Towerof London London 3 294.12x
Beddington 2 33.17x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 2 22.62x
Gateshead 2 2.81x
Hinton St George 2 266.67x
Liverpool 2 0.87x
Longburton 2 476.19x
Row 2 17.99x
Royal Navy 2 6.14x
Southwark St John 2 20.43x
St Clement Cambridge 2 238.10x
St George Hanover 2 4.79x
Swavesey 2 153.85x
Altrincham 1 8.10x
Ashborne 1 29.33x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.72x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 1.69x
Croydon 1 1.16x
Fen Stanton 1 85.47x
Gwinear 1 58.14x
Holdenhurst 1 5.81x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.67x
Minterne Magna 1 277.78x
North Cadbury 1 101.01x
North Tawton 1 48.78x
Oldham 1 0.82x
Peterborough 1 4.59x
Plympton Maurice 1 79.37x
Salford 1 0.90x
Skirbeck 1 34.84x
St Andrewthe Great 1 38.17x
St Helier 1 3.24x
Subdeanery 1 24.45x
West Rainham 1 270.27x
Westminster St 1 8.47x
Wrington 1 57.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 15
Emma 8
Eliza 7
Ann 6
Louisa 6
Jane 5
Alice 4
Annie 4
Catherine 4
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Hannah 3
Susan 3
Bertha 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Georgina 2
Kate 2
Mabel 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Char.Ann 1
Charlotte 1
Elay 1
Elen 1
Elisa 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanney 1
Flora 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Jennie 1
Josephine 1
Laura 1
Lenora 1
Lilla 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Mable 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
May 1
Sybella 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
John 12
George 9
Thomas 9
Charles 8
James 8
Frederick 7
Henry 7
Alfred 5
Arthur 4
Albert 3
Herbert 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Jonathan 2
Sidney 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Augustine 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ellis 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Horace 1
Ivet 1
Jas. 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Montague 1
Reuben 1
Richar 1
Richard 1
Stephen 1
Trimmingham 1
Webster 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Pauley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pauley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 325 people were recorded with the Pauley surname. That placed it at #9,194 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pauley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 512 in 2016. That gives Pauley a modern rank of #9,823.

What does the Pauley surname mean?

A variant of the surname Paul, derived from the Latin name Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble."

What does the Pauley map show?

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