NameCensus.

UK surname

Pelley

Originally denoted someone who lived by a peel or creek; an occupational name for a furrier or fur trader.

In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Pelley surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 98, ranked #31,470, down from #17,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ringwood, Attleburgh and Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harlow, Plymouth and Ferryhill North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pelley is 147 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.3%.

1881 census count

120

Ranked #17,756

Modern count

98

2016, ranked #31,470

Peak year

1861

147 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 1891

Key insights

  • Pelley had 120 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016, ranked #31,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 147 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Pelley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pelley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pelley 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 107 #16,402
1861 historical 147 #15,539
1881 historical 120 #17,756
1891 historical 115 #21,878
1901 historical 84 #24,759
1911 historical 83 #24,531
1997 modern 80 #29,554
1998 modern 87 #29,240
1999 modern 81 #30,037
2000 modern 82 #29,922
2001 modern 81 #29,828
2002 modern 81 #30,294
2003 modern 80 #30,425
2004 modern 82 #30,468
2005 modern 86 #30,094
2006 modern 87 #30,292
2007 modern 87 #30,666
2008 modern 92 #30,286
2009 modern 90 #31,094
2010 modern 91 #31,497
2011 modern 97 #30,552
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 103 #30,235
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 98 #31,470

Geography

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Where Pelleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ringwood, Attleburgh, Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, Compton, Nether and Newchurch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harlow, Plymouth and Ferryhill North. 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 Ringwood Hampshire
2 Attleburgh Norfolk
3 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
4 Compton, Nether Dorset
5 Newchurch Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harlow 003 Harlow
2 Harlow 011 Harlow
3 Plymouth 029 Plymouth
4 Plymouth 022 Plymouth
5 Ferryhill North Aberdeen City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pelley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pelley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Pelley, 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 Pelley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Pelley 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Pelley is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pelley is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pelley falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pelley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Pelley

The surname Pelley is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pell," which referred to a type of fur or skin. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked with furs or skins, such as a furrier or a tanner.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Pelley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1166. This document mentions a person named William Pelle, which is likely an early spelling variation of the surname.

During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Pelle, Pely, and Pelley, in records from different parts of England, such as Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire. This indicates that the name was relatively widespread across the country at the time.

One notable historical reference is the mention of a John Pelley in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327. This record provides evidence of the surname's existence in the region during the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the name Pelley appeared in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Berkshire, suggesting that the family had established roots in the area. One such entry from 1665 lists a Thomas Pelley as a resident of the village of Longworth.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Pelley have gained prominence. One notable figure was Sir John Pelley (1530-1589), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Shoreham during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual was William Pelley (1890-1965), an American writer and fascist political activist who founded the Silver Shirt movement in the 1930s. Pelley's controversial views and activities garnered significant attention during his lifetime.

In the field of literature, Leonard Pelley (1850-1935) was a Canadian author and journalist who wrote several novels and short stories, including the book "Hudson's Green" in 1908.

In the realm of sports, John Pelley (born 1954) was a professional football player who played as a defensive back for the Detroit Lions in the National Football League (NFL) during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Lastly, Thomas Pelley (1899-1964) was a British artist and painter known for his landscapes and portrait works, many of which were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious galleries in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pelley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pelley 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. Hampshire leads with 33 Pelleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.53x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 33 13.53x
Essex 20 8.52x
Yorkshire 14 1.19x
Dorset 11 14.09x
Middlesex 10 0.84x
Sussex 7 3.49x
Kent 6 1.48x
Glamorgan 4 1.93x
Lancashire 3 0.21x
Channel Islands 2 5.67x
Gloucestershire 2 0.86x
Norfolk 2 1.09x
Surrey 2 0.35x
Berkshire 1 1.12x
Cornwall 1 0.74x
Hertfordshire 1 1.22x
Northamptonshire 1 0.89x
Somerset 1 0.52x
Wiltshire 1 0.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 22 Pelleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.03x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 22 46.03x
Sheffield 11 29.30x
Nether Compton 10 6250.00x
Bradwell 9 2250.00x
Walthamstow 8 94.67x
Broadwater 7 152.17x
Islington London 5 4.34x
Holdenhurst 4 62.50x
Roath 4 42.51x
Barking 3 43.67x
Margate St John Baptist 3 40.38x
Scarborough 3 28.01x
Brading 2 61.73x
Hammersmith London 2 6.82x
Heigham 2 20.37x
Ryde 2 38.17x
Sopley 2 588.24x
St George Hanover 2 12.88x
St Maryde Castro 2 229.89x
Tottington Lower End 2 29.81x
Alverstoke 1 11.33x
Bushey 1 51.28x
Camberwell 1 1.32x
Clifton 1 8.47x
Cransley 1 769.23x
Falmouth 1 20.96x
Greenwich 1 5.28x
Lewisham 1 4.62x
Liverpool 1 1.17x
Lydd 1 114.94x
Newland 1 51.02x
Portland 1 23.81x
Sandhurst 1 57.80x
Stoke Newington London 1 10.79x
Trent 1 526.32x
Warminster 1 43.29x
Wimbledon 1 15.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Alice 4
Annie 3
Catherine 3
Jane 3
Sarah 3
Clara 2
Elizabeth 2
Frances 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Rachel 2
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Betsy 1
Blanch 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Dinah 1
Dorothea 1
Edith 1
Elinor 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Emmarella 1
Esther 1
I. 1
Jemima 1
M.E. 1
Marey 1
Martha 1
May 1
Priscilla 1
Thirsa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 11
John 6
William 5
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
C.W. 1
Chas. 1
E. 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk.R. 1
G.C. 1
Herbert 1
Jacob 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Oswald 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Thomas 1
W.I. 1

FAQ

Pelley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pelley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Pelley surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pelley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016. That gives Pelley a modern rank of #31,470.

What does the Pelley surname mean?

Originally denoted someone who lived by a peel or creek; an occupational name for a furrier or fur trader.

What does the Pelley map show?

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