NameCensus.

UK surname

Rylands

An English surname deriving from places named with the Olde English elements "ryge" meaning ridge and "land" meaning land.

In the 1881 census there were 414 people recorded with the Rylands surname, ranking it #7,778 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 464, ranked #10,570, down from #7,778 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Penrith and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden, Liverpool and Derbyshire Dales.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rylands is 499 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.1%.

1881 census count

414

Ranked #7,778

Modern count

464

2016, ranked #10,570

Peak year

1999

499 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rylands had 414 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,778 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 464 in 2016, ranked #10,570.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 459 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rylands surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rylands surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Rylands 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 206 #10,183
1861 historical 186 #12,751
1881 historical 414 #7,778
1891 historical 378 #9,277
1901 historical 437 #8,894
1911 historical 459 #8,364
1997 modern 465 #9,817
1998 modern 491 #9,737
1999 modern 499 #9,674
2000 modern 492 #9,749
2001 modern 488 #9,645
2002 modern 495 #9,709
2003 modern 479 #9,793
2004 modern 455 #10,208
2005 modern 448 #10,250
2006 modern 455 #10,160
2007 modern 463 #10,130
2008 modern 463 #10,204
2009 modern 491 #9,999
2010 modern 491 #10,192
2011 modern 491 #10,094
2012 modern 479 #10,176
2013 modern 481 #10,315
2014 modern 482 #10,371
2015 modern 478 #10,343
2016 modern 464 #10,570

Geography

Back to top

Where Rylands' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Penrith, Batley, Prescot and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden, Liverpool, Derbyshire Dales and Halton. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Penrith Cumberland
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Prescot Lancashire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 003 Eden
2 Liverpool 058 Liverpool
3 Liverpool 031 Liverpool
4 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales
5 Halton 003 Halton

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Rylands

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Rylands

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Rylands is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rylands is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Rylands

The surname Rylands is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "rye," meaning "rye" or "coarse grain," and "land," referring to an area of land. This suggests that the name originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near or owned land where rye or coarse grain was grown.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century, with various spellings such as Rylond, Ryland, and Rylande found in medieval records and documents. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Rylond, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292.

The Rylands surname is most prevalent in the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire, where it is believed to have originated. Several place names in these areas, such as Rylands in Wigan and Rylands in Warrington, may have contributed to the development of the surname.

In the 16th century, the Rylands family had a notable presence in the town of Wigan, where they were involved in the textile industry. John Rylands (1561-1637) was a prominent member of this family, serving as a bailiff and mayor of Wigan.

Another significant figure was Enriqueta Rylands (1843-1908), an English scholar and philanthropist. She founded the Rylands Library in Manchester, which is now part of the University of Manchester Library and houses a significant collection of rare books and manuscripts.

Thomas Glazebrook Rylands (1818-1900) was a notable English banker and philanthropist. He was involved in various charitable organizations and donated funds for the construction of several churches and schools in Manchester.

In the 19th century, the Rylands family had a presence in the United States, with several individuals bearing the surname. One notable example is John A. Rylands (1821-1888), a businessman and industrialist from Pennsylvania who founded the Rylands Brothers Company, a successful manufacturing firm.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Rylands surname. However, it is possible that some of the early ancestors of the Rylands family may have been recorded using different or more localized spellings or variations of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Rylands families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rylands 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 193 Rylands' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.03x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 193 4.03x
Yorkshire 69 1.72x
Cheshire 32 3.59x
Middlesex 22 0.54x
Cumberland 18 5.18x
Staffordshire 16 1.17x
Shropshire 13 3.73x
Essex 8 1.00x
Buckinghamshire 7 2.87x
Westmorland 6 6.76x
Wiltshire 5 1.40x
Devon 4 0.48x
Derbyshire 3 0.47x
Kent 3 0.22x
Caernarfonshire 2 1.22x
Denbighshire 2 1.31x
Durham 2 0.17x
Gloucestershire 2 0.25x
Northumberland 2 0.33x
Surrey 2 0.10x
Lincolnshire 1 0.15x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.18x
Worcestershire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Derby in Lancashire leads with 22 Rylands' recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.69x.

Place Total Index
West Derby 22 15.69x
Widnes 22 63.66x
Everton 20 13.10x
Morley 18 86.50x
Penrith 18 140.08x
Liverpool 14 4.81x
Manchester 13 6.03x
Much Woolton 13 200.00x
Toxteth Park 13 8.01x
Ardsley 12 260.30x
Bramley In Bramley 12 78.33x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 7.61x
Great Crosby 10 76.51x
Warrington 10 17.60x
Rotherham 9 39.89x
Thelwall 9 1304.35x
Tonge With Haulgh 9 96.46x
Edgmond 8 208.33x
Pendleton In Salford 8 14.01x
West Ham 8 4.55x
Wigan 8 11.95x
Hambleden 7 334.93x
Tranmere 7 21.37x
Cheetham 6 16.79x
Southowram 6 49.14x
Devizes St Mary 5 138.50x
St Luke London 5 7.72x
Undermilbeck 5 170.65x
Armley 4 22.66x
Bethnal Green London 4 2.28x
Drayton In Hales 4 55.63x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 6.18x
Runcorn 4 19.46x
Tottenham 4 6.22x
Windle 4 14.84x
Accrington 3 6.89x
Brightside Bierlow 3 3.82x
Chorley In Macclesfield 3 110.29x
Derby St Werburgh 3 8.22x
Little Sutton 3 250.00x
North Meols 3 6.40x
St George Hanover 3 5.69x
Barnsley 2 4.85x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 5.25x
Dwygyfylchi 2 66.23x
Folkestone 2 7.48x
Hulme 2 2.00x
Hyde 2 7.60x
Kensington London 2 0.89x
Longbenton 2 7.86x
Minera 2 96.62x
St Pancras London 2 0.62x
Stroud 2 12.98x
Wootton 2 800.00x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.53x
Birkdale 1 8.24x
Bishopwearmouth 1 0.97x
Bowdon 1 28.25x
Burton Extra 1 12.79x
Caverswall 1 14.10x
Clifton 1 185.19x
Clifton In York 1 11.95x
Frindsbury 1 19.27x
Godalming 1 8.07x
Haslington 1 39.84x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 31.15x
Kirkdale 1 1.24x
Layton With Warbreck 1 5.69x
Leeds 1 0.44x
Little Bolton 1 1.62x
Newchurch 1 2.55x
Nottingham St Mary 1 0.71x
Oldham 1 0.65x
Oxton 1 19.84x
Shifnal 1 10.56x
Shoreditch London 1 0.57x
Skidbrook 1 175.44x
Stretford 1 3.79x
Westoe 1 1.47x
Whiston 1 26.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 24
Ellen 14
Sarah 14
Hannah 8
Ann 7
Alice 6
Jane 6
Martha 6
Annie 5
Matilda 5
Caroline 4
Emma 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Catherine 3
Emily 3
Harriet 3
Isabella 3
Marcella 3
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Esther 2
Gertrude 2
Rachel 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
C.Georgiana 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Eliza 1
Elizebeth 1
Elsie 1
Enqita 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hellen 1
Henrietta 1
Josephine 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Malinda 1
Marian 1
Willimena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 26
James 22
Thomas 18
George 12
Joseph 8
Henry 7
Edward 6
Arthur 5
Charles 5
Alfred 4
Isaac 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Christopher 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Hugh 2
Josiah 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Ben. 1
Chas. 1
Dan 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Frederic 1
Harry 1
Hary 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Jas.T. 1
Jeffrey 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Jno.Batley 1
Louis 1
Michael 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
R. 1
S.V. 1
Sam 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Rylands surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rylands surname in 1881?

In 1881, 414 people were recorded with the Rylands surname. That placed it at #7,778 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rylands surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 464 in 2016. That gives Rylands a modern rank of #10,570.

What does the Rylands surname mean?

An English surname deriving from places named with the Olde English elements "ryge" meaning ridge and "land" meaning land.

What does the Rylands map show?

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