NameCensus.

UK surname

Risley

Derived from a place name meaning "rye clearing" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near such a clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 378 people recorded with the Risley surname, ranking it #8,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 419, ranked #11,445, down from #8,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warrington, Wigan and East Hertfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Risley is 526 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.8%.

1881 census count

378

Ranked #8,288

Modern count

419

2016, ranked #11,445

Peak year

1911

526 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Risley had 378 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 419 in 2016, ranked #11,445.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 526 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Risley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Risley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Risley 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 238 #9,120
1861 historical 281 #8,921
1881 historical 378 #8,288
1891 historical 420 #8,528
1901 historical 449 #8,717
1911 historical 526 #7,543
1997 modern 429 #10,440
1998 modern 443 #10,526
1999 modern 445 #10,535
2000 modern 447 #10,497
2001 modern 428 #10,653
2002 modern 434 #10,751
2003 modern 430 #10,669
2004 modern 421 #10,866
2005 modern 418 #10,812
2006 modern 402 #11,213
2007 modern 400 #11,374
2008 modern 400 #11,468
2009 modern 413 #11,436
2010 modern 428 #11,352
2011 modern 416 #11,492
2012 modern 412 #11,479
2013 modern 424 #11,402
2014 modern 428 #11,371
2015 modern 426 #11,320
2016 modern 419 #11,445

Geography

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Where Risleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Budworth, Great and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Warrington, Wigan, East Hertfordshire, Flintshire and Croydon. 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 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Budworth, Great Cheshire
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Warrington 013 Warrington
2 Wigan 026 Wigan
3 East Hertfordshire 012 East Hertfordshire
4 Flintshire 008 Flintshire
5 Croydon 044 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Risley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Risley

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Risley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Risley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Risley

The surname Risley is of English origin, deriving from the place name Risley, a village in Derbyshire, England. The name has its roots in Old English, with "ris" meaning "brushwood" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing," suggesting that the original inhabitants lived in a clearing among brushwood.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Riseleie." This indicates that the name was already well-established in the region during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Risley was prominent among the landed gentry and nobility of Derbyshire and neighboring counties. Notable bearers of the name include Sir John Risley (born c. 1340), a renowned knight and landowner in Derbyshire, and Sir Ralph Risley (c. 1400-1460), a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Derbyshire.

In the 16th century, the Risley family established themselves in Lancashire, where they became influential landowners and industrialists. One notable member was Nathaniel Risley (1570-1639), a successful merchant and philanthropist who founded Risley Grammar School, which still operates today.

The name Risley also has a strong association with the village of Risley in Cheshire, where the Risley family held a significant estate for several centuries. Sir Thomas Risley (1630-1707), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament, was responsible for rebuilding the parish church in Risley.

Other notable individuals with the surname Risley include John Risley (1777-1845), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and Samuel Risley (1818-1887), an American educator and abolitionist who founded several colleges and universities in the United States.

Throughout its history, the surname Risley has maintained a strong presence in England, particularly in the regions of Derbyshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire, where it originated and flourished over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Risley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Risley 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 130 Risleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.55x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 130 3.55x
Lancashire 58 1.34x
Essex 43 5.96x
Cheshire 36 4.46x
Surrey 25 1.40x
Hertfordshire 11 4.36x
Northamptonshire 9 2.62x
Glamorgan 7 1.10x
Suffolk 7 1.57x
Buckinghamshire 6 2.71x
Kent 5 0.40x
Somerset 5 0.85x
Durham 4 0.37x
Staffordshire 4 0.32x
Derbyshire 3 0.52x
Oxfordshire 3 1.33x
Sussex 3 0.49x
Yorkshire 3 0.08x
Bedfordshire 2 1.06x
Hampshire 2 0.27x
Ayrshire 1 0.37x
Berkshire 1 0.36x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.65x
Cornwall 1 0.24x
Gloucestershire 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 2.29x
Shropshire 1 0.32x
Wiltshire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edmonton in Middlesex leads with 49 Risleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 166.27x.

Place Total Index
Edmonton 49 166.27x
West Ham 29 18.19x
Bedford 14 154.19x
Tottenham 14 24.03x
Cheshunt 10 113.51x
Hammersmith London 10 11.10x
Appleton 9 491.80x
Bromley London 9 11.18x
Great Budworth 8 559.44x
Islington London 8 2.26x
Northampton St Sepulchre 8 45.71x
Shoreditch London 8 5.05x
Stoke Newington London 8 28.08x
Clerkenwell London 7 8.11x
Ipswich St Peter 7 116.67x
Lambeth 7 2.19x
Swansea Town 7 13.40x
Waltham Holy Cross 7 103.70x
Widnes 7 22.36x
Battersea 6 4.46x
Manchester 6 3.07x
Woodford St Mary 6 731.71x
Ashcott 5 555.56x
Clapham 5 10.93x
Macclesfield 5 13.93x
Mile End Old Town 5 8.66x
Parr 5 32.20x
Pennington In Leigh 5 60.02x
Rostherne 5 1041.67x
Shalstone 5 2173.91x
Warrington 5 9.72x
Bishopwearmouth 4 4.28x
Kirkdale 4 5.48x
Norton 4 930.23x
Oldham 4 2.86x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 5.43x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 3.06x
Camberwell 3 1.28x
Chatham 3 8.74x
Chesterfield 3 13.97x
Hackney London 3 1.46x
Isleworth 3 18.45x
Bedford St Mary 2 40.98x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.26x
Bollin Fee 2 55.87x
Brighton 2 1.61x
Liverpool 2 0.76x
Nuffield 2 740.74x
Skerton 2 56.18x
Walton Inferior 2 322.58x
Atherton 1 6.33x
Bosley 1 200.00x
Budock 1 32.05x
Carmarthen St Ishmael 1 61.35x
Cheriton 1 19.65x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.45x
Cosgrove 1 125.00x
Deddington 1 40.82x
Dundonald 1 9.91x
Ecclesfield 1 3.76x
Enfield 1 4.17x
Finchley 1 7.13x
Folkestone 1 4.13x
Giggleswick 1 81.97x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 1 7.62x
Horncastle 1 16.56x
Lancing 1 59.17x
Nazeing 1 107.53x
Openshaw 1 4.92x
Oswestry Town 1 9.88x
Portsmouth 1 5.79x
Reading St Mary 1 4.55x
Royal Navy 1 2.68x
St Pancras London 1 0.34x
Sutton Veney 1 109.89x
Toxteth Park 1 0.68x
Water Stratford 1 416.67x
Watford 1 5.12x
Westminster St 1 7.41x
Wombwell 1 9.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Sarah 16
Elizabeth 15
Ann 9
Annie 8
Margaret 8
Emma 7
Florence 7
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Charlotte 5
Clara 5
Ada 4
Harriet 4
Jane 4
Martha 4
Minnie 4
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Lucy 3
Maud 3
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Lydia 2
Olivia 2
Rachel 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Beky 1
Daisy 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Evelyr 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Henretta 1
Indora 1
Lilley 1
Mabel 1
Marey 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Martina 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
George 15
James 14
Henry 12
Thomas 12
William 12
Arthur 10
Joseph 10
Charles 8
Alfred 6
Edward 5
Walter 4
Percy 3
Geo. 2
Job 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
Algernon 1
Andrew 1
Benjamine 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Holford 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jonathan 1
Martin 1
Philemon 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Shuckburgh 1
Simon 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Risley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Risley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 378 people were recorded with the Risley surname. That placed it at #8,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Risley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 419 in 2016. That gives Risley a modern rank of #11,445.

What does the Risley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "rye clearing" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near such a clearing.

What does the Risley map show?

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