NameCensus.

UK surname

Smalley

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "small clearing" or "small wood" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 2,716 people recorded with the Smalley surname, ranking it #1,640 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,503, ranked #1,936, down from #1,640 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn, Ribble Valley and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Smalley is 3,808 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.0%.

1881 census count

2,716

Ranked #1,640

Modern count

3,503

2016, ranked #1,936

Peak year

1911

3,808 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Smalley had 2,716 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,640 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,503 in 2016, ranked #1,936.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,808 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Smalley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Smalley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Smalley 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 1,523 #1,882
1861 historical 1,613 #1,766
1881 historical 2,716 #1,640
1891 historical 2,858 #1,662
1901 historical 3,314 #1,686
1911 historical 3,808 #1,358
1997 modern 3,614 #1,791
1998 modern 3,672 #1,834
1999 modern 3,680 #1,850
2000 modern 3,684 #1,830
2001 modern 3,599 #1,834
2002 modern 3,666 #1,846
2003 modern 3,546 #1,862
2004 modern 3,544 #1,867
2005 modern 3,471 #1,875
2006 modern 3,475 #1,876
2007 modern 3,492 #1,887
2008 modern 3,526 #1,885
2009 modern 3,615 #1,885
2010 modern 3,694 #1,885
2011 modern 3,576 #1,926
2012 modern 3,515 #1,915
2013 modern 3,617 #1,894
2014 modern 3,600 #1,912
2015 modern 3,537 #1,931
2016 modern 3,503 #1,936

Geography

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Where Smalleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Preston, Blackburn and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Blackburn with Darwen, Newark and Sherwood and Chorley. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 006 Hyndburn
2 Ribble Valley 001 Ribble Valley
3 Blackburn with Darwen 015 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Newark and Sherwood 007 Newark and Sherwood
5 Chorley 010 Chorley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Smalley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Smalley

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Smalley 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

Smalley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Smalley

The surname Smalley is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "smæl" meaning "small" or "slender," combined with the Old English word "leah" meaning "a clearing in a forest" or "meadow." It likely originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived in a small clearing or meadow.

The name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Smaleia" and "Smalelei." These early forms suggest that the name was initially applied as a topographic surname, referring to a specific location or settlement.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared as "Smaleleye" and "Smaleye" in various records from Lancashire and Cheshire, indicating that the name was prevalent in these areas of northern England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the year 1195, where a person named Richard de Smaleye is mentioned.

During the Middle Ages, the surname was also associated with several notable individuals. In the 14th century, a man named John Smaleleye was recorded as a merchant in the city of York.

In the 15th century, a Robert Smalley (1400-1462) from Yorkshire served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Hedon in 1432 and 1435.

Another notable figure was John Smalley (1530-1591), an English Catholic priest and writer who was born in Derbyshire. He was known for his religious works and his opposition to the Protestant Reformation.

In the 17th century, a prominent bearer of the name was William Smalley (1637-1678), an English clergyman and author who served as a rector in Suffolk.

In the 18th century, John Smalley (1734-1820) was a Baptist minister and author from Connecticut, who played a significant role in the development of the Baptist church in America.

Over the centuries, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, including Smaleley, Smawley, Smaley, and Smallie, among others. The modern spelling of "Smalley" became more standardized in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Smalley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Smalley 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 1,139 Smalleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.63x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,139 3.63x
Lincolnshire 381 9.01x
Yorkshire 239 0.91x
Nottinghamshire 231 6.48x
Leicestershire 164 5.60x
Middlesex 105 0.40x
Derbyshire 61 1.47x
Warwickshire 59 0.88x
Cheshire 45 0.77x
Staffordshire 44 0.49x
Cambridgeshire 42 2.51x
Surrey 29 0.23x
Northamptonshire 26 1.05x
Worcestershire 26 0.75x
Kent 19 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 14 2.67x
Durham 12 0.15x
Hertfordshire 12 0.66x
Northumberland 9 0.23x
Essex 8 0.15x
Sussex 8 0.18x
Flintshire 7 0.99x
Gloucestershire 6 0.12x
Hampshire 4 0.07x
Herefordshire 4 0.37x
Norfolk 4 0.10x
Suffolk 4 0.12x
Shropshire 3 0.13x
Devon 1 0.02x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.12x
Rutland 1 0.52x
Wiltshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 178 Smalleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.33x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 178 21.33x
Oswaldtwistle 99 89.33x
Preston 79 9.41x
Over Darwen 51 20.35x
Accrington 45 15.78x
Wigan 45 10.27x
Walton Le Dale 38 45.08x
Nottingham St Mary 34 3.69x
Witton 31 78.56x
Leicester St Margaret 28 3.92x
Aspull 27 36.59x
Boston 27 21.05x
Grindleton 27 478.72x
Little Bolton 26 6.45x
Heaton Norris 25 14.00x
Chorley 24 13.63x
Farnsfield 22 232.80x
Packington 22 210.73x
St Pancras London 22 1.03x
Louth 21 21.68x
Birmingham 20 0.90x
Brightside Bierlow 20 3.89x
Great Bolton 20 4.81x
Leyland 20 36.64x
Sheepshed 20 49.79x
Leverington 19 172.41x
Oldbury 19 11.19x
Clitheroe 18 19.50x
Lambeth 18 0.78x
Paddington London 18 1.85x
Pemberton 18 14.39x
Rotherham 15 10.16x
Selston 15 37.69x
Manthorpe Cum Little 14 43.33x
Newark Upon Trent 14 10.93x
Oldham 14 1.38x
Salford 14 1.52x
St Peterin Eastgate 14 107.03x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 13 5.33x
Hyde 13 7.55x
Radcliffe On Trent 13 257.43x
West Derby 13 1.42x
Aston 12 0.65x
East Keal 12 335.20x
Farnworth 12 6.38x
Greasley 12 14.93x
Holbeach 12 25.49x
Lower Darwen 12 29.15x
North Meols 12 3.91x
Penwortham 12 80.75x
Tonge With Haulgh 12 19.65x
Toxteth Park 12 1.13x
Ashton In Makerfield 11 12.32x
Besthorpe 11 632.18x
Coddington 11 233.55x
East Leake 11 128.66x
Huttoft 11 202.95x
Manchester 11 0.78x
Oadby 11 70.06x
Skendleby 11 450.82x
Spittlegate 11 18.81x
Barrow In Furness 10 2.34x
Crompton 10 11.19x
Halliwell 10 8.76x
Hatfield 10 27.07x
Hindley 10 7.48x
Radford 10 5.52x
Sawley In Clitheroe 10 621.12x
Skegness 10 82.58x
Thorpe St Peter 10 193.80x
Wisbech St Peter 10 11.91x
Anstey 9 77.72x
Hasland 9 21.36x
Hulme 9 1.37x
Idle 9 7.41x
Livesey 9 16.35x
Mancetter 9 46.92x
Martin In Sleaford 9 121.62x
Nether Hallam 9 2.54x
Rushall 9 17.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 202
Elizabeth 124
Sarah 102
Ann 73
Jane 72
Alice 64
Ellen 51
Margaret 43
Annie 39
Eliza 36
Emma 34
Hannah 32
Emily 28
Fanny 21
Harriet 19
Martha 19
Lucy 15
Ada 14
Charlotte 13
Florence 12
Betsy 11
Catherine 11
Maria 11
Isabella 10
Harriett 9
Nancy 9
Rebecca 9
Susannah 9
Agnes 8
Amelia 8
Betty 8
Clara 8
Kate 8
Louisa 8
Caroline 7
Anne 6
Elizth. 6
Esther 6
Frances 6
Betsey 5
Eleanor 5
Rachel 5
Edith 4
Gertrude 4
Lydia 4
Margt. 4
Phoebe 4
Ruth 4
Susan 4
Ida 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 182
John 175
Thomas 111
Joseph 80
George 78
James 76
Robert 59
Henry 58
Samuel 40
Richard 28
Charles 26
Arthur 24
Edward 23
Walter 23
Frederick 21
Albert 18
Alfred 17
Harry 14
David 13
Herbert 11
Peter 10
Fred 9
Reuben 8
Wm. 8
Benjamin 7
Edwin 7
Edmund 6
Ralph 6
Aaron 5
Christopher 5
Josiah 5
Luke 5
Frank 4
Geo. 4
Job 4
Matthew 4
Miles 4
Moses 4
Tom 4
Andrew 3
Daniel 3
Isaac 3
Jacob 3
Jno. 3
Nathaniel 3
Percy 3
Robt. 3
Sam 3
Seth 3
Thos. 3

FAQ

Smalley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Smalley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,716 people were recorded with the Smalley surname. That placed it at #1,640 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Smalley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,503 in 2016. That gives Smalley a modern rank of #1,936.

What does the Smalley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "small clearing" or "small wood" in Old English.

What does the Smalley map show?

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