NameCensus.

UK surname

Pelly

An English surname derived from the Anglo-Norman French "pel", meaning skin or fur.

In the 1881 census there were 157 people recorded with the Pelly surname, ranking it #15,046 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 185, ranked #20,652, down from #15,046 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Compton, Nether, London parishes and Walthamstow, Low Leyton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Winchester, South Northamptonshire and Uttlesford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pelly is 274 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.8%.

1881 census count

157

Ranked #15,046

Modern count

185

2016, ranked #20,652

Peak year

1891

274 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pelly had 157 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,046 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016, ranked #20,652.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pelly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pelly surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Pelly 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 129 #14,406
1861 historical 166 #14,039
1881 historical 157 #15,046
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 238 #13,528
1911 historical 222 #13,992
1997 modern 160 #20,259
1998 modern 175 #19,658
1999 modern 171 #20,072
2000 modern 188 #18,916
2001 modern 184 #18,907
2002 modern 186 #19,150
2003 modern 177 #19,549
2004 modern 169 #20,206
2005 modern 160 #20,899
2006 modern 167 #20,447
2007 modern 178 #19,887
2008 modern 177 #20,169
2009 modern 172 #20,950
2010 modern 186 #20,379
2011 modern 186 #20,217
2012 modern 170 #21,379
2013 modern 186 #20,502
2014 modern 192 #20,230
2015 modern 192 #20,138
2016 modern 185 #20,652

Geography

Back to top

Where Pellys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Compton, Nether, London parishes, Walthamstow, Low Leyton and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Winchester, South Northamptonshire, Uttlesford, Sevenoaks and Newport and Wormit. 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 Compton, Nether Dorset
2 London parishes London 1
3 Walthamstow, Low Leyton Essex
4 London parishes London 3
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Winchester 011 Winchester
2 South Northamptonshire 008 South Northamptonshire
3 Uttlesford 005 Uttlesford
4 Sevenoaks 015 Sevenoaks
5 Newport and Wormit Fife

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Pelly

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Pelly

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Pelly is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pelly is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pelly falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pelly

The surname Pelly is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to England in the 7th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pyll," meaning a small stream or creek, suggesting that the name may have been initially used to identify someone who lived near a small body of water.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Pelly can be found in various medieval documents, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Pelle." This suggests that the name was well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the Middle Ages, the name underwent several spelling variations, including Pelle, Pelley, and Pelli, reflecting the inconsistencies in record-keeping and spelling conventions of the time. The surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, where many place names incorporate the word "pell" or "pilly," further reinforcing the connection to the original meaning.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Pelly was Sir John Pelly (1684-1751), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for Huntingdon. He played a significant role in the development of the East India Company and served as its Governor from 1748 to 1751.

Another prominent individual was Sir Lewis Pelly (1825-1892), a British diplomat and Colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Leeward Islands and the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company territories. He was knighted for his contributions to the British Empire in 1866.

In the literary realm, John Pelly (1777-1856) was an English writer and poet known for his works on rural life and nature. His most famous work, "The Book of the Seasons," published in 1823, celebrated the beauty of the English countryside.

The name Pelly also has a connection to the world of exploration and adventure. Captain John Pelly (1777-1856) was a British naval officer and Arctic explorer who participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions in the early 19th century.

Lastly, Sir Eric Pelly (1898-1981) was a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the Chief Secretary of the Straits Settlements (now Singapore and Malaysia) from 1934 to 1942. He played a crucial role in the defense of Singapore during World War II and was later appointed as the Governor of British Honduras (now Belize) from 1949 to 1954.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Pelly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pelly 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. Middlesex leads with 28 Pellys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 28 1.83x
Surrey 27 3.62x
Lancashire 14 0.77x
Sussex 14 5.42x
Yorkshire 12 0.79x
Essex 11 3.64x
Hampshire 7 2.23x
Hertfordshire 7 6.63x
Suffolk 5 2.68x
Cheshire 4 1.18x
Gloucestershire 4 1.33x
Kent 4 0.77x
Somerset 4 1.62x
Dorset 3 2.98x
Midlothian 3 1.46x
Berkshire 2 1.74x
Pembrokeshire 2 4.11x
Channel Islands 1 2.20x
Derbyshire 1 0.42x
Devon 1 0.31x
Lanarkshire 1 0.20x
Royal Navy 1 5.48x
Westmorland 1 2.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hendon in Middlesex leads with 8 Pellys recorded in 1881 and an index of 145.19x.

Place Total Index
Hendon 8 145.19x
Morden 8 2162.16x
Horsforth 7 210.21x
Merstham 7 1489.36x
St Albans St Peter 7 196.63x
Newington 6 10.61x
Tottington Lower End 6 69.44x
Hornsey 5 25.81x
Woodford 5 146.20x
Claughton With Grange 4 259.74x
Clifton 4 26.35x
Yoxford 4 714.29x
Chigwell 3 105.26x
Christchurch 3 44.05x
Clerkenwell London 3 8.30x
Corstorphine 3 265.49x
Hollington 3 326.09x
Islington London 3 2.02x
Little Bolton 3 12.84x
Manchester 3 3.67x
Normanton 3 65.79x
Southwark St Saviour 3 38.12x
Taunton St James 3 83.57x
Westerham 3 247.93x
Alverstoke 2 17.61x
Bradford 2 5.44x
Brighton 2 3.84x
Eastbourne 2 16.84x
Edmonton 2 16.21x
Harrow On The Hill 2 65.36x
Hastings St Michael 2 1111.11x
Hove 2 17.65x
Pembroke St Michael 2 281.69x
Portsmouth 2 27.66x
Reigate Foreign 2 24.75x
Stoke Newington London 2 16.76x
Aldeburgh 1 90.91x
Belchamp Walter 1 312.50x
Birtle Cum Bamford 1 84.03x
Caundle Purse 1 1000.00x
Chelsea London 1 2.17x
Cheriton 1 46.95x
Chertsey 1 20.75x
Corfe Mullen 1 277.78x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 76.92x
Felstead 1 96.15x
Hackney London 1 1.16x
Hastings St Clement 1 41.15x
Hastings St Leonards 1 26.32x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 18.15x
Hindley 1 12.90x
Lambourn 1 87.72x
Longeaton 1 1000.00x
Mansergh 1 769.23x
Maryhill 1 10.31x
Pinner 1 74.63x
Royal Navy 1 6.41x
Sandhurst 1 44.84x
Sherborne 1 33.78x
St Peter Port 1 11.92x
Walthamstow 1 9.19x
Yeovil 1 19.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Mary 7
Alice 4
Ann 3
Anna 3
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Louisa 3
Sarah 3
Annie 2
Cecila 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Francis 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Marie 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Barbara 1
Charlotte 1
Christable 1
Constance 1
Eleine 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellie 1
Emilia 1
Emma 1
Florance 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Isabel 1
Kate 1
Lidia 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Mildred 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Rosetta 1
Thizza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
Charles 5
William 5
Henry 4
Thomas 4
Francis 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Percy 2
Raymond 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Arther 1
Arthur 1
Augustus 1
Benj. 1
Bernard 1
Clement 1
Duglas 1
Edward 1
Eli 1
Harold 1
Justinian 1
Lancelot 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Saml. 1
Saville 1
Stanley 1

FAQ

Pelly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pelly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 157 people were recorded with the Pelly surname. That placed it at #15,046 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pelly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016. That gives Pelly a modern rank of #20,652.

What does the Pelly surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Anglo-Norman French "pel", meaning skin or fur.

What does the Pelly map show?

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