NameCensus.

UK surname

Pulley

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of pulleys or a person living near a drawwell.

In the 1881 census there were 507 people recorded with the Pulley surname, ranking it #6,718 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 470, ranked #10,475, down from #6,718 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cotswold, Chichester and Trafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pulley is 668 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.3%.

1881 census count

507

Ranked #6,718

Modern count

470

2016, ranked #10,475

Peak year

1911

668 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pulley had 507 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,718 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 470 in 2016, ranked #10,475.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 668 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pulley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pulley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Pulley 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 372 #6,397
1861 historical 379 #6,739
1881 historical 507 #6,718
1891 historical 538 #6,998
1901 historical 609 #6,988
1911 historical 668 #6,301
1997 modern 554 #8,610
1998 modern 563 #8,758
1999 modern 546 #9,038
2000 modern 546 #9,001
2001 modern 532 #9,028
2002 modern 552 #8,961
2003 modern 545 #8,902
2004 modern 536 #9,032
2005 modern 511 #9,297
2006 modern 487 #9,664
2007 modern 479 #9,873
2008 modern 485 #9,864
2009 modern 489 #10,034
2010 modern 505 #9,985
2011 modern 493 #10,056
2012 modern 466 #10,403
2013 modern 487 #10,227
2014 modern 481 #10,387
2015 modern 467 #10,535
2016 modern 470 #10,475

Geography

Back to top

Where Pulleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Lambeth 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 Cotswold, Chichester, Trafford, Fenland and Cornwall. 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cotswold 011 Cotswold
2 Chichester 010 Chichester
3 Trafford 016 Trafford
4 Fenland 011 Fenland
5 Cornwall 054 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Pulley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Pulley

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Pulley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Pulley is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pulley falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pulley

The surname Pulley is believed to have originated in England, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from an occupational name, referring to someone who was involved in the manufacture or operation of pulleys, which were mechanical devices used for lifting and moving heavy objects.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pulley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from the year 1275, where a person named Richard le Puliere is mentioned. This spelling variation, "le Puliere," reflects the Old French influence on the English language during that time.

The name Pulley is also associated with various place names in England, particularly in the county of Gloucestershire. For example, the village of Pulley, located near Tewkesbury, is believed to have taken its name from the Pulley family who resided there during the 13th and 14th centuries.

In the 16th century, the surname Pulley appeared in several historical records, including the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1524, which mentions a John Pulley. Another notable example is the will of William Pulley, a yeoman from Gloucestershire, dated 1578.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Pulley have achieved recognition in various fields. One such person was Sir Christopher Pulley (1565-1626), an English judge who served as the Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King James I. Another notable figure was John Pulley (1638-1714), a English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford.

In the literary world, Pauline Pulley (1909-1993) was an American novelist and short story writer, known for her works set in the American South. Meanwhile, in the realm of sports, Clive Pulley (born 1955) was an English cricketer who played for Hampshire County Cricket Club in the 1970s and 1980s.

Additionally, the name Pulley has been associated with several places in the United States, such as Pulley's Mill, a historic grist mill located in Virginia, and Pulley Ridge, an underwater ridge in the Gulf of Mexico known for its diverse marine ecosystem.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Pulley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pulley 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. Surrey leads with 77 Pulleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.21x.

County Total Index
Surrey 77 3.21x
Worcestershire 76 11.84x
Northamptonshire 65 14.06x
Warwickshire 58 4.68x
Middlesex 54 1.10x
Bedfordshire 35 13.75x
Staffordshire 29 1.75x
Kent 24 1.43x
Gloucestershire 18 1.87x
Berkshire 8 2.17x
Cambridgeshire 8 2.57x
Lancashire 6 0.10x
Leicestershire 6 1.10x
Devon 5 0.49x
Essex 4 0.41x
Hertfordshire 4 1.18x
Norfolk 4 0.53x
Wiltshire 4 0.92x
Hampshire 3 0.30x
Lincolnshire 3 0.38x
Herefordshire 2 0.99x
Oxfordshire 2 0.66x
Shropshire 2 0.47x
Channel Islands 1 0.69x
Derbyshire 1 0.13x
Durham 1 0.07x
Glamorgan 1 0.12x
Renfrewshire 1 0.26x
Somerset 1 0.13x
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. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 20 Pulleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.37x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 20 6.37x
Bermondsey 18 12.30x
Northampton All Sts 18 114.72x
Hackney London 17 6.17x
Northampton St Sepulchre 16 68.00x
Aston 14 4.10x
Cranfield 14 571.43x
Birmingham 13 3.15x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 13.14x
Hawnes 11 700.64x
Kingswinford 11 18.26x
Rowley Regis 11 23.78x
Broadway 10 362.32x
Kings Norton 9 15.63x
Wellingborough 8 34.41x
Worcester St Martin 8 92.38x
Battersea 7 3.87x
Kidderminster Borough 7 18.63x
Sevenoaks 7 51.47x
Studley 7 132.08x
Chatteris 6 75.57x
Hampstead London 6 7.84x
Hardingstone 6 136.05x
Leicester St Margaret 6 4.51x
Northampton Priory St 6 21.62x
Solihull 6 67.34x
Stoke 6 245.90x
Grendon 5 549.45x
Lambeth 5 1.17x
Sedgeberrow 5 1000.00x
Cardington 4 193.24x
Gravesend 4 28.17x
Islington London 4 0.84x
Longborough 4 377.36x
Newington 4 2.20x
Pershore Holy Cross 4 97.32x
Redditch 4 30.72x
Richmond 4 11.92x
Royston 4 138.41x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 2.27x
Swindon 4 11.86x
Toxteth Park 4 2.02x
Twickenham 4 18.98x
Winchcomb 4 83.68x
Wormington 4 2500.00x
Arrow 3 508.47x
Bideford 3 27.37x
Cheltenham 3 4.03x
Dudley 3 3.84x
Evesham St Lawrence 3 87.98x
Hornsey 3 4.83x
Kensington London 3 1.10x
Louth 3 16.65x
Martin Hussingtree 3 1071.43x
Norwich St Peter Southgate 3 315.79x
Reading St Lawrence 3 38.02x
Reading St Mary 3 10.15x
Tibberton 3 517.24x
Whittington 3 476.19x
Wilshampstead 3 217.39x
Worcester St Peter 3 24.69x
Alcester 2 48.90x
Bedford St Peter 2 30.26x
Bidford 2 75.47x
Bromley 2 7.82x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.72x
Coventry St Michael 2 5.02x
Holdfast Queenshill 2 645.16x
Kingston On Thames 2 3.48x
Lower Bullingham 2 250.00x
Milton In Gravesend 2 7.95x
Minster In Sheppey 2 7.20x
Paddington London 2 1.11x
Powick 2 44.94x
St George Hanover 2 3.12x
Streatham 2 5.48x
Tardebigg 2 204.08x
Wantage 2 34.01x
Wednesbury 2 4.82x
Wolverley 2 35.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 19
Ann 12
Emily 10
Annie 9
Emma 9
Jane 8
Caroline 7
Eliza 7
Ada 5
Alice 5
Florence 5
Amy 4
Martha 4
Agnes 3
Clara 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Louisa 3
Lydia 3
Maria 3
Matilda 3
Sophia 3
Edith 2
Georgina 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lucretia 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Benjamin 1
Bertie 1
Catharine 1
Eliz.C. 1
Elizh. 1
Ella 1
Ellen 1
Isibella 1
Jessica 1
Jessie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 40
George 23
John 23
Charles 19
Joseph 16
James 15
Henry 13
Thomas 13
Albert 8
Alfred 7
Samuel 7
Edward 6
Harry 5
Arthur 4
Francis 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
David 2
Ernest 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Sydney 2
Alfr. 1
Bradwell 1
Chas. 1
Eli 1
Ellis 1
Emmanuel 1
Ephraim 1
Fredck.C. 1
Fredk 1
Fredrick 1
Infant 1
Jno. 1
Louis 1
Philip 1
Sephenson 1
Wilfred 1
Willy 1

FAQ

Pulley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pulley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 507 people were recorded with the Pulley surname. That placed it at #6,718 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pulley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 470 in 2016. That gives Pulley a modern rank of #10,475.

What does the Pulley surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of pulleys or a person living near a drawwell.

What does the Pulley map show?

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