NameCensus.

UK surname

Sigley

A habitational surname derived from a place name, likely indicating a person from a region with hills or valleys.

In the 1881 census there were 255 people recorded with the Sigley surname, ranking it #10,924 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 395, ranked #11,991, down from #10,924 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Alstonfield, Glossop and Leek. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Staffordshire Moorlands, Tameside and Lichfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sigley is 429 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.9%.

1881 census count

255

Ranked #10,924

Modern count

395

2016, ranked #11,991

Peak year

1911

429 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sigley had 255 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,924 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 395 in 2016, ranked #11,991.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 429 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Sigley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sigley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sigley 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 196 #10,573
1861 historical 200 #12,005
1881 historical 255 #10,924
1891 historical 332 #10,251
1901 historical 402 #9,463
1911 historical 429 #8,815
1997 modern 360 #11,929
1998 modern 418 #11,009
1999 modern 417 #11,091
2000 modern 420 #10,998
2001 modern 421 #10,789
2002 modern 419 #11,059
2003 modern 401 #11,242
2004 modern 394 #11,417
2005 modern 401 #11,165
2006 modern 400 #11,257
2007 modern 396 #11,459
2008 modern 402 #11,419
2009 modern 405 #11,616
2010 modern 411 #11,723
2011 modern 396 #11,943
2012 modern 392 #11,898
2013 modern 405 #11,813
2014 modern 407 #11,848
2015 modern 399 #11,928
2016 modern 395 #11,991

Geography

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Where Sigleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Alstonfield, Glossop, Leek, Manchester and Hope. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Staffordshire Moorlands, Tameside, Lichfield and North Hertfordshire. 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 Alstonfield Staffordshire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Leek Staffordshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Hope Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Staffordshire Moorlands 001 Staffordshire Moorlands
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 009 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 Tameside 013 Tameside
4 Lichfield 012 Lichfield
5 North Hertfordshire 005 North Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sigley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sigley

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Sigley 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

Sigley is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sigley falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sigley

The surname Sigley is of English origin, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from a place name that referred to a specific geographical area or settlement.

One theory suggests that the surname Sigley is derived from the Old English word "sicol," which means "small stream" or "rivulet." This indicates that the name may have initially been used to identify individuals who lived near a small watercourse or stream.

Another possible origin lies in the Old English word "sigel," which means "sun" or "sunbeam." In this case, the surname could have been given to someone who lived in an area that was particularly sunny or bright.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Sigley can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1230 mention a certain "Walter de Sigeleye," which is believed to be an early spelling variation of the name.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Sigley was Sir Thomas Sigley (c. 1480-1554), an English landowner and member of the gentry from Northamptonshire. He played a role in the dissolution of the monasteries during the reign of King Henry VIII.

Another individual of note was John Sigley (1670-1737), a prominent merchant and businessman from Bristol, who was involved in the city's thriving trade with the American colonies in the early 18th century.

In the realm of literature, the surname Sigley is associated with the English poet and writer Elizabeth Sigley (1794-1868), whose works often explored themes of nature and rural life.

The name Sigley also has connections to certain geographical locations. For instance, the village of Sigley in Derbyshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English word "sigelege," meaning "sunny place."

Throughout history, various spelling variations of the surname have been recorded, such as Sighley, Sygley, Sighleigh, and Seighley, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects.

It's important to note that while the surname Sigley is relatively uncommon, it has persisted throughout the centuries, carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and occupations, each contributing to the rich tapestry of the name's history and legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sigley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sigley 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. Staffordshire leads with 105 Sigleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.41x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 105 12.41x
Lancashire 44 1.48x
Cheshire 37 6.69x
Derbyshire 24 6.12x
Worcestershire 13 3.97x
Denbighshire 11 11.62x
Middlesex 8 0.32x
Fife 7 4.72x
Surrey 4 0.33x
Yorkshire 3 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 3.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leek Lowe in Staffordshire leads with 38 Sigleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 337.48x.

Place Total Index
Leek Lowe 38 337.48x
Ashton Under Lyne 13 20.00x
Hurdsfield 13 382.35x
Mellor 12 1121.50x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 13.37x
Allington 11 1549.30x
Wolstanton 11 42.80x
Macclesfield 9 36.59x
Caverswall 8 181.82x
Claines 8 89.09x
Cotton 8 1428.57x
Norton In Moors 8 178.57x
Bollington In 7 141.99x
Ormskirk 7 123.02x
Scoonie 7 218.07x
Fairfield 6 229.01x
Kirkdale 6 11.99x
Oldham 6 6.25x
Onecote 6 1875.00x
Titteworth 6 461.54x
Westminster St James 5 19.40x
Worcester St Helen 5 476.19x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 4 263.16x
Battersea 3 3.25x
Cheddleton 3 169.49x
Hartington Upper 3 160.43x
St Pancras London 3 1.49x
Sutton In Macclesfield 3 52.26x
Wakefield 3 15.73x
Chorley 2 11.98x
Hyde 2 12.25x
Manchester 2 1.50x
Stretford 2 12.22x
Toxteth Park 2 1.99x
Wincle 2 833.33x
Wormhill 2 243.90x
Bosley 1 294.12x
Burslem 1 4.13x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.12x
Derby St Werburgh 1 4.41x
Fulwood 1 31.15x
Lambeth 1 0.46x
Royal Navy 1 3.92x
Rusholme 1 12.61x
Withington 1 10.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 13
James 12
Thomas 12
William 11
George 8
Joseph 8
Abraham 5
Henry 5
Albert 4
Charles 4
Samuel 4
Sampson 3
Thos. 3
Edward 2
Elijah 2
Geor. 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Jesse 2
Moses 2
Solomon 2
Alfred 1
Benjamin 1
Ed.C. 1
Edwin 1
Enock 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Gustave 1
Jas. 1
Jonothan 1
Jos. 1
Moston 1
Oswald 1
Percival 1
Peter 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Sigley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sigley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 255 people were recorded with the Sigley surname. That placed it at #10,924 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sigley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 395 in 2016. That gives Sigley a modern rank of #11,991.

What does the Sigley surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name, likely indicating a person from a region with hills or valleys.

What does the Sigley map show?

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