NameCensus.

UK surname

Roughley

A surname indicating a person from a rough or uneven area.

In the 1881 census there were 524 people recorded with the Roughley surname, ranking it #6,528 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 979, ranked #5,896, up from #6,528 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ormskirk, Prescot and Warrington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lancashire, St. Helens and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roughley is 1,020 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 86.8%.

1881 census count

524

Ranked #6,528

Modern count

979

2016, ranked #5,896

Peak year

2010

1,020 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roughley had 524 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,528 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 979 in 2016, ranked #5,896.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 854 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Roughley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roughley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Roughley 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 320 #7,250
1861 historical 415 #6,187
1881 historical 524 #6,528
1891 historical 661 #5,884
1901 historical 741 #5,997
1911 historical 854 #5,191
1997 modern 948 #5,727
1998 modern 948 #5,913
1999 modern 987 #5,772
2000 modern 985 #5,769
2001 modern 973 #5,701
2002 modern 996 #5,710
2003 modern 954 #5,819
2004 modern 941 #5,883
2005 modern 965 #5,705
2006 modern 959 #5,748
2007 modern 972 #5,737
2008 modern 970 #5,783
2009 modern 997 #5,775
2010 modern 1,020 #5,788
2011 modern 1,001 #5,818
2012 modern 959 #5,932
2013 modern 986 #5,886
2014 modern 1,004 #5,840
2015 modern 989 #5,861
2016 modern 979 #5,896

Geography

Back to top

Where Roughleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ormskirk, Prescot and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lancashire, St. Helens and Wigan. 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 Ormskirk Lancashire
2 Prescot Lancashire
3 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lancashire 011 West Lancashire
2 St. Helens 007 St. Helens
3 Wigan 035 Wigan
4 St. Helens 016 St. Helens
5 St. Helens 014 St. Helens

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Roughley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Roughley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Roughley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Roughley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Roughley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Roughley 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

Roughley falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Roughley

The surname Roughley is believed to have originated in England, likely during the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name such as Roughley in Lancashire or Roughlee in Yorkshire. These place names are believed to have evolved from the Old English words "rough" and "leah," meaning a rough or untamed woodland clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Roughley can be found in the Lancashire Inquests, Extents, and Feudal Aids from the year 1311, where a Richard de Roughley is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the early 14th century.

In the 16th century, records show a John Roughley who was born in Roughlee, Yorkshire, around 1550. He is noted as being a landowner and farmer in the area during that time period.

The Roughley surname also appears in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Prestbury, Cheshire, in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Notable individuals from this period include William Roughley, who was born in 1592, and his son, also named William Roughley, born in 1625.

A notable figure from the 18th century was Sir Thomas Roughley (1743-1817), a successful businessman and landowner from Lancashire. He played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in the region during the Industrial Revolution.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Roughley (1789-1865), a philanthropist and social reformer from Yorkshire. She is remembered for her efforts in establishing schools and advocating for the education of underprivileged children in her community.

Throughout the 19th century, the Roughley surname continued to appear in various records across northern England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire. Some examples include James Roughley (1801-1879), a teacher and author from Rochdale, and Mary Roughley (1823-1901), a prominent member of the temperance movement in Manchester.

While the surname Roughley is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history that can be traced back several centuries, with roots in the rural areas of northern England and a connection to the region's agricultural and industrial heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Roughley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roughley 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. Lancashire leads with 501 Roughleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.29x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 501 8.29x
Cheshire 8 0.71x
Kent 6 0.35x
Staffordshire 6 0.35x
Middlesex 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. Skelmersdale in Lancashire leads with 64 Roughleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 635.55x.

Place Total Index
Skelmersdale 64 635.55x
Eccleston In Prescot 51 168.15x
Lathom 38 520.55x
Parr 33 152.64x
Warrington 29 40.49x
Sutton 27 133.27x
Ormskirk 19 164.36x
Windle 17 50.00x
Upholland 16 206.72x
Bickerstaffe 15 379.75x
Salford 13 7.32x
Toxteth Park 12 5.87x
Worsley 12 32.22x
Billinge Chapel End 11 324.48x
Ashton In Makerfield 10 58.11x
Lunt 10 5555.56x
Manchester 10 3.68x
Elton 9 43.10x
Hindley 9 34.94x
Much Woolton 9 109.76x
Everton 8 4.15x
Aughton 7 117.06x
Great Crosby 7 42.50x
Pemberton 6 24.91x
Pendlebury 6 47.02x
Wolverhampton 6 4.54x
Rainford 5 76.57x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.99x
Haydock 4 38.42x
North Meols 4 6.76x
Widnes 4 9.18x
Colne 3 16.67x
Gorton 3 5.28x
Great Bolton 3 3.75x
Kirkdale 3 2.95x
Latchford 3 40.16x
Little Bolton 3 3.86x
Monks Coppenhall 3 7.07x
Pennington In Leigh 3 25.88x
Sefton 3 447.76x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.08x
Halliwell 2 9.10x
Hulme 2 1.59x
Newton In Makerfield 2 10.81x
Penketh 2 91.74x
Ardwick 1 1.83x
Broughton In Salford 1 1.81x
Gillingham 1 2.79x
Halewood 1 30.86x
Kensington London 1 0.35x
Knowsley 1 45.87x
Milton In Gravesend 1 3.84x
Sale 1 7.25x
Tranmere 1 2.42x
Walton On Hill 1 3.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Elizabeth 32
Ellen 20
Margaret 19
Alice 17
Jane 16
Ann 11
Annie 11
Sarah 9
Esther 7
Martha 6
Emma 4
Margt. 4
Maria 4
Elizth. 3
Agnes 2
Barbara 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Isabella 2
Isabl. 2
Maggie 2
Margery 2
Phoebe 2
Ada 1
Bertha 1
Edith 1
Elizth 1
Emmaline 1
Ester 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Margt.Alice 1
Mgt. 1
Minnie 1
Nancy 1
Pheobe 1
Phillis 1
Rachael 1
Rachel 1
Ruth 1
Selina 1
Sidney 1
Sophia 1
Vanda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 46
James 29
William 29
Thomas 20
George 19
Edward 17
Peter 17
Richard 16
Henry 14
Wm. 10
Joseph 7
Robert 4
Edwd. 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Frederick 2
Jas. 2
Richd. 2
Saml. 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Christopher 1
Edwd.H. 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Isaac 1
Jno. 1
Job. 1
Jos. 1
Joshua 1
Noah 1
Rd. 1
Septimas 1
Thos. 1
W. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Roughley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roughley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 524 people were recorded with the Roughley surname. That placed it at #6,528 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roughley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 979 in 2016. That gives Roughley a modern rank of #5,896.

What does the Roughley surname mean?

A surname indicating a person from a rough or uneven area.

What does the Roughley map show?

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