NameCensus.

UK surname

Playle

A surname likely derived from an Old English personal name compounded with "lēah" meaning a meadow or clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 502 people recorded with the Playle surname, ranking it #6,759 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 717, ranked #7,575, down from #6,759 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hawkwell and Rochford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Lincolnshire, County Durham and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Playle is 795 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.8%.

1881 census count

502

Ranked #6,759

Modern count

717

2016, ranked #7,575

Peak year

1999

795 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Playle had 502 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,759 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 717 in 2016, ranked #7,575.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 737 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Playle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Playle surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Playle 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 295 #7,737
1861 historical 258 #9,603
1881 historical 502 #6,759
1891 historical 508 #7,341
1901 historical 628 #6,820
1911 historical 737 #5,816
1997 modern 757 #6,829
1998 modern 770 #6,968
1999 modern 795 #6,832
2000 modern 764 #7,006
2001 modern 749 #6,990
2002 modern 768 #6,990
2003 modern 750 #7,018
2004 modern 740 #7,098
2005 modern 712 #7,229
2006 modern 708 #7,287
2007 modern 701 #7,414
2008 modern 696 #7,521
2009 modern 720 #7,470
2010 modern 714 #7,661
2011 modern 721 #7,521
2012 modern 705 #7,562
2013 modern 739 #7,432
2014 modern 725 #7,571
2015 modern 733 #7,455
2016 modern 717 #7,575

Geography

Back to top

Where Playles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hawkwell, Rochford, Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar and Ridgwell, Stamborne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Lincolnshire, County Durham, Braintree, North Tyneside and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Hawkwell Essex
3 Rochford Essex
4 Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar Essex
5 Ridgwell, Stamborne Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Lincolnshire 001 North East Lincolnshire
2 County Durham 018 County Durham
3 Braintree 011 Braintree
4 North Tyneside 026 North Tyneside
5 Kingston upon Hull 024 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Playle

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Playle

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Playle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Playle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Playle is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Playle is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Playle

The surname Playle is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Dorset. Its roots can be traced back to the late 12th or early 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from an old English word "plæglian," which means "to play" or "to engage in sport or recreation."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Playle appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Dorset, dated 1327. In these rolls, the name is spelled as "Pleyly," which suggests that the current spelling evolved over time. The name may also have been influenced by the Old English word "plegian," meaning "to frolic" or "to gambol."

In the Hundred Rolls of Dorset, compiled in 1273, there is a reference to a place called "Pleylegh," which could be linked to the origin of the surname. This place name might have been derived from the Old English words "plæg" (meaning "play" or "sport") and "leah" (meaning "a clearing" or "a meadow").

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Playle was John Playle, born around 1480 in Dorset. He was a landowner and is mentioned in several historical records from the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Another notable figure was William Playle (1535-1610), a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Playle started to spread beyond Dorset to other parts of England, particularly in the neighboring counties of Somerset and Wiltshire. In the 18th century, the name was also found in London and other major cities.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Playle was Sir Thomas Playle (1609-1679), an English royalist and military officer who fought in the English Civil War. He was knighted by King Charles I in 1643 for his service to the Crown.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Playle (1760-1837), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Bristol. He was instrumental in establishing several charitable institutions in the city, including the Bristol Infirmary and the Bristol Blind Asylum.

In the 19th century, the Playle surname gained prominence in the literary world with the author and poet Emily Playle (1820-1890). Her works, which often explored themes of nature and rural life, were widely acclaimed during her lifetime.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Playle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Playle 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. Essex leads with 288 Playles recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.56x.

County Total Index
Essex 288 29.56x
Middlesex 61 1.24x
Suffolk 28 4.66x
Surrey 28 1.16x
Hertfordshire 25 7.35x
Kent 25 1.48x
Norfolk 19 2.50x
Durham 8 0.54x
Channel Islands 4 2.73x
Huntingdonshire 4 4.08x
Lincolnshire 4 0.51x
Gloucestershire 3 0.31x
Cornwall 2 0.36x
Sussex 2 0.24x
Angus 1 0.22x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.32x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Northumberland 1 0.14x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ridgwell in Essex leads with 35 Playles recorded in 1881 and an index of 3153.15x.

Place Total Index
Ridgwell 35 3153.15x
Hawkwell 18 4000.00x
Hornchurch 16 334.73x
Clapham 13 21.07x
Islington London 13 2.72x
Bengeo 11 278.48x
Stambourne 11 1506.85x
Hindringham 10 1000.00x
Layer Marney 10 2083.33x
Maldon St Marys 10 427.35x
Maldon St Peter 10 201.61x
Rochford 10 352.11x
Southminster 10 467.29x
Steeple Bumpstead 10 561.80x
West Ham 9 4.18x
Camberwell 8 2.54x
Hackney London 8 2.89x
Lewisham 8 8.91x
Bethnal Green London 7 3.26x
Burnham 7 194.44x
Finchley 7 37.00x
Great Totham 7 551.18x
Latchingdon Snoreham 7 752.69x
Totteridge 7 660.38x
Barking 6 192.93x
Bishop Stortford 6 52.82x
Bradwell 6 359.28x
Carbrooke 6 582.52x
Chatham 6 12.95x
Messing 6 491.80x
South Shields 6 45.87x
St Lawrence Newland 6 1666.67x
Walthamstow 6 17.11x
Deptford St Paul 5 3.85x
Eastwood 5 588.24x
Glemsford 5 118.48x
Great Warley 5 226.24x
Helion Bumpstead 5 381.68x
Layer Breton 5 1000.00x
Mountnessing 5 337.84x
South Weald 5 59.95x
Stanstead 5 793.65x
Woodham Walter 5 561.80x
Acton 4 13.82x
Barnes 4 39.33x
Brentwood 4 67.34x
Castle Hedingham 4 227.27x
Feltham 4 81.14x
Great Baddow 4 115.27x
Heybridge 4 141.34x
Mistley 4 152.67x
Shadwell London 4 28.96x
Spitalfields London 4 10.77x
Sudbury St Gregory 4 82.99x
Tillingham 4 232.56x
Tolleshunt Major 4 579.71x
Cheltenham 3 4.02x
Holywell Cum Needingworth 3 243.90x
Hunstanton 3 117.19x
Inworth 3 277.78x
Leyton Low 3 15.14x
Lowestoft 3 10.56x
St Michaelinthe Vale 3 57.47x
Birch 2 125.00x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.59x
Bocking 2 34.13x
Boston 2 8.35x
Broadwater 2 10.48x
Chelsea London 2 1.34x
Croydon 2 1.50x
Harlow 2 47.62x
Havering 2 266.67x
Ingrave 2 224.72x
Orsett 2 78.74x
Purleigh 2 137.93x
Sible Hedingham 2 61.35x
St Blazey 2 40.73x
St Marylebone London 2 0.76x
Woolwich 2 3.21x
Grantchester 1 51.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 25
Mary 25
Sarah 17
Eliza 13
Emma 12
Alice 11
Emily 11
Ann 9
Annie 8
Ellen 8
Edith 6
Martha 6
Hannah 5
Harriett 5
Maria 5
Caroline 4
Julia 4
Louisa 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Ethel 3
Isabella 3
Jane 3
Lily 3
Matilda 3
Ruth 3
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Jessie 2
Phoebe 2
Rosana 2
Rosina 2
Susan 2
Susanah 2
Adelaide 1
Amelia 1
Arrabella 1
Augusta 1
Charloote 1
Chryssie 1
Doreen 1
Elizth. 1
Elvira 1
Helena 1
Hepzibah 1
Infant 1
Thomazie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 29
George 19
James 19
Charles 15
John 15
Thomas 12
Frederick 11
Henry 11
Arthur 9
Alfred 8
Walter 7
Samuel 6
Joseph 5
Harry 4
Albert 3
Daniel 3
Edward 3
Fredrick 3
Augustus 2
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Hubert 2
Jas. 2
Matthew 2
Robert 2
Stephen 2
Alerd 1
Archibald 1
Earnest 1
Eli 1
Elias 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Horace 1
Infant 1
Jno. 1
Josiah 1
Justus 1
Obed 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
Reuben 1
Robt. 1
Ruben 1
Simon 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1
Victor 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Playle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Playle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 502 people were recorded with the Playle surname. That placed it at #6,759 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Playle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 717 in 2016. That gives Playle a modern rank of #7,575.

What does the Playle surname mean?

A surname likely derived from an Old English personal name compounded with "lēah" meaning a meadow or clearing.

What does the Playle map show?

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