NameCensus.

UK surname

Smailes

A surname referring to a person considered diminutive or small in stature.

In the 1881 census there were 431 people recorded with the Smailes surname, ranking it #7,555 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 711, ranked #7,621, down from #7,555 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Darlington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, Northumberland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Smailes is 843 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.0%.

1881 census count

431

Ranked #7,555

Modern count

711

2016, ranked #7,621

Peak year

1999

843 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Smailes had 431 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,555 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 711 in 2016, ranked #7,621.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 774 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Smailes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Smailes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Smailes 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 231 #9,334
1861 historical 280 #8,953
1881 historical 431 #7,555
1891 historical 546 #6,925
1901 historical 699 #6,295
1911 historical 774 #5,608
1997 modern 813 #6,449
1998 modern 823 #6,609
1999 modern 843 #6,530
2000 modern 833 #6,567
2001 modern 815 #6,549
2002 modern 836 #6,543
2003 modern 781 #6,787
2004 modern 784 #6,784
2005 modern 764 #6,855
2006 modern 758 #6,930
2007 modern 759 #6,988
2008 modern 769 #6,964
2009 modern 776 #7,059
2010 modern 780 #7,169
2011 modern 753 #7,293
2012 modern 752 #7,209
2013 modern 758 #7,282
2014 modern 752 #7,361
2015 modern 730 #7,482
2016 modern 711 #7,621

Geography

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Where Smailes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Darlington, Warkworth and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, Northumberland and County Durham. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Darlington Durham
4 Warkworth Northumberland
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 012 Hartlepool
2 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
3 County Durham 009 County Durham
4 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
5 Northumberland 009 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Smailes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Smailes

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Smailes is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Smailes is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Smailes

The surname SMAILES has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "smæl," meaning "thin" or "slender," and was likely initially used as a descriptive nickname for a person of a slight or slender build.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a William Smaleman. This suggests that the name may have initially taken the form of "Smaleman" before evolving into its current spelling.

In the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, a Johannes Smale is listed, indicating the name's early presence in that region. The name was also found in various other medieval records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, which mentions a Willelmus Smale.

The SMAILES surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was John Smailes (c. 1460-1540), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1526 until his death.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Smailes (1787-1857), a British engineer and inventor who is credited with developing an early form of the steam hammer, which revolutionized the production of large metal components.

In the literary world, George Smailes (1857-1932) was a British author and journalist who wrote several novels and short stories, including "The Wanton Widow" and "The Pagan Madonna."

The SMAILES surname has also been associated with place names, such as Smailes Farm in Northumberland, England, which likely derived its name from an early bearer of the surname who resided there.

Another notable figure was Sir John Smailes (1885-1963), a British lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland from 1944 to 1956.

While the name has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with bearers of the SMAILES surname found in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Smailes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Smailes 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. Durham leads with 165 Smailes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.01x.

County Total Index
Durham 165 13.01x
Yorkshire 125 2.96x
Northumberland 89 14.03x
Gloucestershire 13 1.55x
Lancashire 10 0.20x
Isle of Man 6 7.58x
Warwickshire 6 0.56x
Derbyshire 4 0.60x
Cheshire 3 0.32x
Middlesex 3 0.07x
Berkshire 2 0.63x
Hertfordshire 2 0.68x
Surrey 2 0.10x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.39x
Devon 1 0.11x
Essex 1 0.12x
Glamorgan 1 0.13x
Kent 1 0.07x
Midlothian 1 0.18x
Somerset 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tanfield in Durham leads with 35 Smailes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 232.10x.

Place Total Index
Tanfield 35 232.10x
Dunston 17 4250.00x
Darlington 13 26.55x
Newbottle 12 173.16x
Collierley 11 194.69x
Moorsley 11 808.82x
Westbury On Trym 11 38.84x
Benfieldside 8 95.92x
Chopwell 8 338.98x
Craster 8 2500.00x
Gateshead 8 8.43x
Oldham 8 4.90x
Pickering 8 150.38x
Ecclesfield 7 22.60x
Hedley Woodside 7 1076.92x
Holbeck 7 25.01x
Lorbottle 7 5000.00x
Stockton On Tees 7 11.45x
Warkworth 7 686.27x
Bishopwearmouth 6 5.51x
Causey Park 6 5000.00x
Leeds 6 2.52x
Lesbury 6 428.57x
Lonan 6 125.26x
Morpeth 6 80.43x
North Frodingham 6 600.00x
Preston In Belford 6 6666.67x
Ripley 6 1304.35x
Southwick 6 49.96x
Tunstall 6 95.09x
Wallsend 6 29.82x
West Rainton 6 152.67x
Bilton 5 201.61x
Cottingham 5 54.95x
Skerne 5 1923.08x
Wolsingham 5 43.25x
East Thickley 4 155.64x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 14.71x
Honley 4 54.13x
Hutton Rudby 4 317.46x
Kyo 4 67.00x
Riccall 4 347.83x
Willington 4 54.57x
Bedlington 3 14.16x
Bellingham 3 283.02x
Bishopthorpe 3 370.37x
Bulmer Stittenham 3 638.30x
East Chevington 3 142.18x
Farmanby 3 416.67x
Harton 3 59.88x
Hawnby 3 882.35x
Morton 3 234.38x
Ruswarp 3 63.83x
Scarborough 3 7.82x
Selby 3 33.98x
Swinton In Rotherham 3 26.86x
Ampleforth St Peter 2 588.24x
Barmston 2 689.66x
Bollington In 2 23.87x
Brandon Byshottles 2 12.59x
Cheshunt 2 19.47x
Lambeth 2 0.54x
Wakefield 2 6.17x
Westoe 2 2.78x
Whitby 2 14.04x
Wombleton 2 465.12x
York St Mary 2 11.43x
Barlow 1 74.63x
Bradford 1 0.98x
Cardiff St Mary 1 2.45x
Enfield 1 3.58x
Huttons Ambo 1 163.93x
Jesmond 1 11.21x
Kimblesworth 1 58.82x
Middlesbrough 1 1.82x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 2.64x
North Bierley 1 4.38x
Sheffield 1 0.74x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 8.27x
Wilton In Pickering 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 20
Jane 19
Margaret 15
Sarah 13
Ann 11
Isabella 11
Hannah 10
Annie 7
Eliza 7
Ellen 6
Emma 4
Maria 4
Agnes 3
Alice 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Eleanor 3
Martha 3
Eliz. 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Louisa 2
Theodotia 2
Cathern 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Elizebeth 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Hath 1
Henretta 1
Janey 1
Jemima 1
Laura 1
Lilley 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Matilda 1
Mercy 1
Minna 1
Nanny 1
Rachel 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
Thomas 27
Robert 25
William 18
George 10
James 10
Ralph 8
Richard 8
Joseph 6
Edward 5
Andrew 3
Francis 3
Henry 3
Nicholas 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
David 2
Isaac 2
Leonard 2
Austin 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Bertie 1
Claud 1
Cugthul 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Emanuel 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Gordon 1
Harry 1
Harvey 1
Hermon 1
Jas. 1
Leanord 1
Matthew 1
Peter 1
Reavley 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Smith 1
Thos.B. 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wilkinson 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Smailes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Smailes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 431 people were recorded with the Smailes surname. That placed it at #7,555 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Smailes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 711 in 2016. That gives Smailes a modern rank of #7,621.

What does the Smailes surname mean?

A surname referring to a person considered diminutive or small in stature.

What does the Smailes map show?

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