NameCensus.

UK surname

Scholey

A variant of the English surname Scholey, derived from a northern English dialect term for a herdsman or shepherd.

In the 1881 census there were 1,031 people recorded with the Scholey surname, ranking it #3,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,292, ranked #4,633, down from #3,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Silkstone, London parishes and Wakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Rotherham and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Scholey is 1,447 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.3%.

1881 census count

1,031

Ranked #3,808

Modern count

1,292

2016, ranked #4,633

Peak year

1999

1,447 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Scholey had 1,031 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,292 in 2016, ranked #4,633.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,436 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Scholey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Scholey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Scholey 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 776 #3,443
1861 historical 832 #3,314
1881 historical 1,031 #3,808
1891 historical 1,120 #3,793
1901 historical 1,354 #3,707
1911 historical 1,436 #3,369
1997 modern 1,374 #4,199
1998 modern 1,444 #4,183
1999 modern 1,447 #4,201
2000 modern 1,441 #4,203
2001 modern 1,430 #4,145
2002 modern 1,425 #4,233
2003 modern 1,388 #4,252
2004 modern 1,370 #4,305
2005 modern 1,306 #4,416
2006 modern 1,283 #4,491
2007 modern 1,299 #4,490
2008 modern 1,298 #4,517
2009 modern 1,333 #4,509
2010 modern 1,364 #4,504
2011 modern 1,350 #4,494
2012 modern 1,340 #4,456
2013 modern 1,355 #4,484
2014 modern 1,341 #4,546
2015 modern 1,313 #4,587
2016 modern 1,292 #4,633

Geography

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Where Scholeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Silkstone, London parishes, Wakefield, Sheffield and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Rotherham and Barnsley. 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 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
2 Rotherham 020 Rotherham
3 Rotherham 013 Rotherham
4 Barnsley 028 Barnsley
5 Rotherham 018 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Scholey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Scholey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Scholey, 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 Scholey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Scholey 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Scholey 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

Scholey 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

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

Meaning and origin of Scholey

The surname Scholey originated in England, likely in the late medieval period or early modern era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "scolere," meaning a scholar or student. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to someone associated with education or learning.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Scholey can be found in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1379, where it appears as "Scolaye." This indicates that the name was already in use and established in the region by the 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, variations of the spelling emerged, including Scholey, Scoley, and Schoeley. This was common as standardized spelling was not yet widely adopted. The name Scholey was particularly prevalent in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and parts of Cheshire, where it is believed to have originated.

In terms of historical references, the Scholey surname is mentioned in several parish records and local archives from the 16th and 17th centuries. For example, in the parish registers of Whalley, Lancashire, there are entries for the baptism of John Scholey in 1590 and the marriage of William Scholey in 1621.

One notable individual bearing the Scholey surname was Thomas Scholey (1624-1677), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Batley in Yorkshire. He wrote several religious works, including "A Vindication of the Christian Religion" and "A Discourse on the Attributes of God."

Another historical figure was John Scholey (1753-1824), a British architect and surveyor who worked on several notable projects in Yorkshire, including the design of the Leeds Corn Exchange and the renovation of Beverley Minster.

In the 19th century, James Scholey (1819-1898) was a prominent manufacturer and industrialist from Yorkshire. He founded the Scholey Brothers textile mill in Huddersfield and played a significant role in the town's industrial development.

William Scholey (1836-1909), born in Yorkshire, was a British politician and Member of Parliament who represented the constituency of Birmingham East from 1892 to 1900.

John Scholey (1880-1955), a Yorkshire-born artist and illustrator, gained recognition for his landscape paintings and etchings depicting rural scenes in northern England.

While the Scholey surname has its roots in England, particularly in the northern counties, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and family connections.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Scholey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Scholey 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 747 Scholeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.51x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 747 7.51x
Lincolnshire 101 6.29x
Surrey 30 0.61x
Nottinghamshire 29 2.14x
Lancashire 28 0.24x
Middlesex 27 0.27x
Kent 20 0.58x
Sussex 16 0.95x
Essex 11 0.56x
Oxfordshire 5 0.81x
Cheshire 3 0.14x
Norfolk 3 0.19x
Hampshire 2 0.10x
Warwickshire 2 0.08x
Berkshire 1 0.13x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Northumberland 1 0.07x
Somerset 1 0.06x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnsley in Yorkshire leads with 55 Scholeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.61x.

Place Total Index
Barnsley 55 53.61x
Leeds 46 8.19x
Nether Hallam 33 24.52x
Holy Trinity 26 10.87x
Bramley In Rotherham 25 1811.59x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 24 66.45x
Brightside Bierlow 24 12.30x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 23 64.73x
Sheffield 22 6.95x
Wakefield 22 28.81x
Ackworth 21 274.87x
Hunslet 21 13.54x
Holbeck 19 28.83x
Ecclesfield 18 24.68x
Manningham 18 14.69x
Bentley Cum Arksey 15 288.46x
Owston 15 328.95x
Brighton 14 4.10x
Mexborough 13 65.86x
Bowling 11 11.17x
Greenwich 11 6.88x
Mattersey 11 932.20x
Sculcoates 11 6.98x
Badsworth 10 1315.79x
Bradford 10 4.15x
Kimberworth 10 18.12x
Maltby In Rotherham 10 361.01x
York St Mary 10 24.27x
Batley 9 9.52x
Camberwell 9 1.40x
Garthorpe 9 466.32x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 9 74.26x
Rotherham 9 16.05x
Bardney 8 167.01x
Beaghall 8 695.65x
Doncaster 8 11.01x
Hemsworth 8 140.11x
Horsforth 8 36.68x
Manchester 8 1.49x
Moss 8 833.33x
Newark Upon Trent 8 16.45x
Worsbrough 8 27.45x
Elland Cum Greetland 7 15.62x
Horbury 7 40.23x
Lambeth 7 0.80x
Nottingham St Mary 7 2.00x
Wardleworth 7 10.28x
West Ham 7 1.60x
Wickersley 7 254.55x
Baumber 6 504.20x
Handsworth 6 22.82x
Hatfield In Thorne 6 96.62x
Knottingley 6 34.32x
Soothill 6 16.70x
Warmsworth 6 419.58x
Wortley In Wortley 6 153.45x
Bishopthorpe 5 261.78x
Bramley In Bramley 5 13.13x
Darrington 5 276.24x
Eastoft 5 240.38x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 2.47x
Great Grimsby 5 4.91x
Hooten Levitt 5 1515.15x
Oldham 5 1.30x
Poplar London 5 2.64x
Salford 5 1.43x
Scopwick 5 362.32x
Althorpe 4 109.59x
Cleethorpes 4 42.37x
Hackney London 4 0.71x
Halifax 4 2.74x
Halling 4 89.09x
Monk Bretton 4 39.72x
Ockley 4 185.19x
Shadwell 4 105.54x
South Hiendley 4 317.46x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 17.72x
St Swithin Lincoln 4 15.85x
Tattershall 4 240.96x
Wanstead 4 11.53x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 70
William 56
George 53
Thomas 43
Charles 27
Joseph 20
James 19
Alfred 16
Walter 12
Henry 11
Robert 10
Samuel 10
Albert 9
Harry 9
Tom 8
Arthur 7
Edward 7
Frederick 7
Herbert 7
Richard 7
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Fred 4
Geo. 4
Wm. 4
Benjamin 3
Ernest 3
Chas. 2
Cornelius 2
Frank 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Richd. 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2
Andrew 1
Benjamine 1
Broughton 1
Carl 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Joe 1
Joel 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Woolan 1

FAQ

Scholey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Scholey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,031 people were recorded with the Scholey surname. That placed it at #3,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Scholey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,292 in 2016. That gives Scholey a modern rank of #4,633.

What does the Scholey surname mean?

A variant of the English surname Scholey, derived from a northern English dialect term for a herdsman or shepherd.

What does the Scholey map show?

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