NameCensus.

UK surname

Pressley

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "priest's meadow" or "priest's clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 280 people recorded with the Pressley surname, ranking it #10,202 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 433, ranked #11,120, down from #10,202 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Romsey Extra, Michelmersh, Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry) and Fraserburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pressley is 470 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.6%.

1881 census count

280

Ranked #10,202

Modern count

433

2016, ranked #11,120

Peak year

1999

470 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pressley had 280 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,202 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 433 in 2016, ranked #11,120.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 386 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pressley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pressley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pressley 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 158 #12,461
1861 historical 251 #9,830
1881 historical 280 #10,202
1891 historical 311 #10,781
1901 historical 386 #9,708
1911 historical 372 #9,807
1997 modern 459 #9,920
1998 modern 468 #10,098
1999 modern 470 #10,120
2000 modern 456 #10,321
2001 modern 456 #10,136
2002 modern 457 #10,314
2003 modern 459 #10,113
2004 modern 446 #10,391
2005 modern 423 #10,713
2006 modern 427 #10,683
2007 modern 424 #10,867
2008 modern 419 #11,058
2009 modern 443 #10,821
2010 modern 449 #10,931
2011 modern 442 #10,942
2012 modern 438 #10,896
2013 modern 438 #11,071
2014 modern 441 #11,082
2015 modern 432 #11,183
2016 modern 433 #11,120

Geography

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Where Pressleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Romsey Extra, Michelmersh, Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry), Fraserburgh, Sheffield and Killamarsh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw. 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 Romsey Extra, Michelmersh Hampshire
2 Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry) Kent
3 Fraserburgh Aberdeen
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Killamarsh Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 016 Bassetlaw
2 Bassetlaw 013 Bassetlaw
3 Bassetlaw 006 Bassetlaw
4 Bassetlaw 009 Bassetlaw
5 Bassetlaw 004 Bassetlaw

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pressley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pressley

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Pressley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pressley 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

Pressley falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pressley

The surname Pressley is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old English words "preost" meaning "priest" and "leah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who lived near a meadow or clearing belonging to a priest or church.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Huntingdonshire Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Prestesleye." This early spelling variation highlights the name's connection to the Old English words from which it originated.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various records across different counties in England, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where it was recorded as "Presteley." This suggests that the name had spread and become more widely used throughout the country.

The earliest known individual with the surname Pressley was John Pressley, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. Another notable early bearer of the name was Robert Pressley, mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1379.

As the centuries passed, the name continued to evolve and take on different spellings, including Pressley, Presly, Preslie, and Presley. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Elvis Presley (1935-1977), the legendary American singer and actor often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll."

Other notable figures with the surname Pressley include Rachel Pressley (born 1955), an American author and journalist; Charles Pressley (1917-1995), an American blues singer and guitarist; and James Pressley (1913-1997), an American football player and coach.

It is worth noting that the surname Pressley has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Prestley in Cheshire and Prestleigh in Warwickshire, further reinforcing its potential connection to locations associated with priests or churches.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pressley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pressley 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. Yorkshire leads with 64 Pressleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.37x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 64 2.37x
Nottinghamshire 37 10.09x
Hampshire 31 5.56x
Derbyshire 25 5.87x
Wiltshire 19 7.89x
Hertfordshire 17 9.06x
Kent 17 1.83x
Middlesex 16 0.59x
Aberdeenshire 15 5.95x
Lancashire 12 0.37x
Surrey 8 0.60x
Gloucestershire 7 1.31x
Cheshire 4 0.67x
Somerset 2 0.46x
Essex 1 0.19x
Lanarkshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 3.08x
Sussex 1 0.22x
Warwickshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Worksop in Nottinghamshire leads with 35 Pressleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 321.69x.

Place Total Index
Worksop 35 321.69x
Sheffield 29 33.78x
Killamarsh 18 679.25x
Essendon 17 2982.46x
Brightside Bierlow 10 18.90x
Fraserburgh 9 126.76x
Romsey Extra 9 271.08x
Wath On Dearne 9 167.29x
Fonthill Gifford 8 1777.78x
Millbrook 8 56.94x
Shoreditch London 7 5.93x
Tidenham Beachley 7 1206.90x
West Derby 7 7.41x
Heytesbury 6 681.82x
Denton In North 5 2500.00x
Herne 5 121.65x
St Pancras London 5 2.28x
Alfreton 4 30.91x
Lambeth 4 1.69x
Liscard 4 36.97x
Wortley In Wortley 4 377.36x
Romsey Infra 3 158.73x
Ryde 3 25.04x
St Mary Cray 3 168.54x
Aberdeen Old Machar 2 3.80x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 2.83x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 7.96x
Camberwell 2 1.15x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 3.65x
Inverurie 2 70.18x
Kimberworth 2 13.36x
Lee 2 14.84x
Little Bolton 2 4.82x
North South Anston 2 169.49x
Plumstead 2 6.46x
Portsea 2 1.83x
Southampton St Mary 2 5.70x
Basford 1 5.91x
Basingstoke 1 15.58x
Bolsover 1 46.73x
Brampton Bierlow 1 28.99x
Burbage 1 81.30x
Glossop Dale 1 5.01x
Hampton London 1 22.37x
Hartley Wintney 1 59.52x
Heckfield 1 192.31x
Henstridge 1 82.64x
Horningsham 1 131.58x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.14x
Little Thurrock 1 232.56x
Logie Buchan 1 138.89x
Mansfield Woodhouse 1 40.98x
Maryhill 1 5.80x
Michelmersh 1 92.59x
Monckton Deverill 1 833.33x
New Deer 1 21.93x
New Shoreham 1 36.36x
North Wingfield 1 52.63x
Oldham 1 0.96x
Rawmarsh 1 10.49x
Royal Navy 1 3.61x
Sowerby In Halifax 1 11.34x
St Andrew Holborn 1 10.83x
St Marylebone London 1 0.69x
Stoke Newington London 1 4.72x
Thornaby 1 9.92x
Warminster 1 18.98x
Wimbledon 1 6.72x
Winterslow 1 123.46x
Wolston Marston 1 196.08x
Woolverton 1 833.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 11
Jane 7
Fanny 6
Annie 5
Emily 5
Alice 4
Emma 4
Florence 4
Louisa 4
Ann 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Caroline 2
Cecilia 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Julia 2
Matilda 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Allice 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Betsy 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh.J. 1
Emilie 1
Eva 1
Hannah 1
Jemima 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Minnie 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Susanna 1
Susannah 1
Verena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 22
Thomas 8
Charles 6
Frank 6
Frederick 6
Henry 6
John 6
William 6
Abraham 4
Edward 4
Francis 4
James 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Harvey 3
Frederic 2
Joseph 2
Ralph 2
Alex 1
Archd. 1
Ben 1
Chas 1
Edith 1
Ernest 1
Fredk.H. 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Jack 1
Jacob 1
Jno. 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Moses 1
Oliver 1
Robert 1
Rokeby 1
Theophilus 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Pressley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pressley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 280 people were recorded with the Pressley surname. That placed it at #10,202 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pressley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 433 in 2016. That gives Pressley a modern rank of #11,120.

What does the Pressley surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "priest's meadow" or "priest's clearing."

What does the Pressley map show?

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