NameCensus.

UK surname

Smedley

An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a smith or metalworker.

In the 1881 census there were 2,452 people recorded with the Smedley surname, ranking it #1,812 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,357, ranked #2,019, down from #1,812 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stapleford, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Erewash and Mansfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Smedley is 3,551 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.9%.

1881 census count

2,452

Ranked #1,812

Modern count

3,357

2016, ranked #2,019

Peak year

2010

3,551 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Smedley had 2,452 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,812 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,357 in 2016, ranked #2,019.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,160 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Smedley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Smedley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Smedley 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 1,635 #1,756
1861 historical 1,489 #1,897
1881 historical 2,452 #1,812
1891 historical 2,445 #1,927
1901 historical 2,923 #1,920
1911 historical 3,160 #1,649
1997 modern 3,470 #1,867
1998 modern 3,531 #1,908
1999 modern 3,512 #1,933
2000 modern 3,456 #1,956
2001 modern 3,375 #1,956
2002 modern 3,435 #1,968
2003 modern 3,391 #1,955
2004 modern 3,390 #1,955
2005 modern 3,333 #1,963
2006 modern 3,345 #1,951
2007 modern 3,369 #1,952
2008 modern 3,363 #1,983
2009 modern 3,457 #1,973
2010 modern 3,551 #1,960
2011 modern 3,512 #1,956
2012 modern 3,436 #1,962
2013 modern 3,484 #1,966
2014 modern 3,454 #2,002
2015 modern 3,402 #2,011
2016 modern 3,357 #2,019

Geography

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Where Smedleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stapleford, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, St Werburgh and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Erewash and Mansfield. 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 Stapleford Derbyshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Erewash 001 Erewash
2 Erewash 012 Erewash
3 Erewash 003 Erewash
4 Erewash 006 Erewash
5 Mansfield 004 Mansfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Smedley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Smedley

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Smedley 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

Smedley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Smedley

The surname Smedley is of English origin, traced back to the 13th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "smiđ" meaning "smith" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow." The name likely referred to a smith or metalworker who lived in a clearing or meadow.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Smetheleye." This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution from the original Old English components.

In the 14th century, the Smedley surname appeared in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, where it was written as "Smetheleye," and the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire from 1379, where it was recorded as "Smethelay."

The Smedley name also has ties to several place names, such as Smedley in Cheshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Smedelee." This suggests that the surname may have originated from a location bearing a similar name.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the Smedley surname. One of the earliest recorded was John Smedley (c. 1500 - 1562), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Dean of Carlisle Cathedral.

Another notable figure was Obadiah Smedley (1676 - 1742), an English churchman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1735 to 1736.

In the 19th century, Martha Smedley (1825 - 1907) was a prominent English philanthropist and social reformer who advocated for women's rights and education.

John Smedley (1853 - 1922) was an English industrialist and founder of the Smedley's Hydro textile company, which became renowned for its high-quality underwear and apparel.

More recently, Constance Smedley (1876 - 1941) was a British author and journalist known for her travel writing and novels set in Asia, particularly India and China.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Smedley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Smedley 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. Derbyshire leads with 725 Smedleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.38x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 725 19.38x
Nottinghamshire 538 16.70x
Yorkshire 288 1.22x
Lancashire 260 0.92x
Leicestershire 85 3.21x
Lincolnshire 69 1.81x
Middlesex 68 0.28x
Staffordshire 57 0.71x
Cheshire 56 1.06x
Northamptonshire 40 1.78x
Kent 34 0.42x
Warwickshire 29 0.48x
Durham 28 0.39x
Surrey 28 0.24x
Worcestershire 16 0.51x
Gloucestershire 15 0.32x
Monmouthshire 15 0.87x
Flintshire 12 1.87x
Northumberland 12 0.34x
Essex 11 0.23x
Westmorland 11 2.09x
Pembrokeshire 10 1.32x
Dorset 6 0.38x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.78x
Hampshire 5 0.10x
Hertfordshire 5 0.30x
Cornwall 4 0.15x
Denbighshire 4 0.44x
Lanarkshire 3 0.04x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.13x
Rutland 2 1.14x
Shropshire 2 0.10x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.21x
Oxfordshire 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 0.35x
Sussex 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 114 Smedleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.68x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 114 13.68x
Stapleford 69 263.76x
Sheffield 52 6.90x
Radford 47 28.72x
Derby St Werburgh 43 19.90x
Bulwell 41 58.54x
Little Bolton 39 10.70x
Basford 35 23.57x
Brightside Bierlow 33 7.10x
Matlock 32 63.69x
Ilkeston 31 29.55x
Belper 29 39.98x
Ashby De La Zouch 28 45.59x
Long Eaton 28 56.69x
Derby St Peter 26 21.82x
Nether Hallam 26 8.11x
Ashover 25 134.26x
Alfreton 24 21.11x
Kirk Ireton 24 604.53x
Bonsall 23 207.39x
Eckington 23 25.30x
Great Bolton 23 6.12x
Bramcote 22 357.72x
Ecclesall Bierlow 22 4.57x
Litchurch 22 14.61x
South Normanton 22 83.68x
Chesterfield 21 14.97x
Oldham 21 2.29x
Peterborough 21 12.90x
Loughborough 20 16.63x
Toxteth Park 20 2.08x
Tranmere 20 10.32x
Aston 19 1.14x
Everton 19 2.10x
Louth 19 21.69x
Wirksworth 19 55.85x
Greasley 18 24.77x
Carlton 17 46.25x
Leeds 17 1.27x
Selston 17 47.25x
Church Gresley 16 26.88x
Sawley 16 141.84x
Bishop Auckland 15 15.72x
Burton Upon Trent 15 7.95x
Eastwood 15 52.08x
Sculcoates 15 3.99x
Chorlton On Medlock 14 3.11x
Cromford 14 159.09x
Derby St Alkmund 14 12.48x
Manchester 14 1.10x
Snenton 14 11.06x
Staveley 14 21.08x
Beeston 13 35.13x
Dronfield 13 27.11x
Islington London 13 0.56x
Newark Upon Trent 13 11.23x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 1.52x
Broughton In Salford 12 4.63x
Camberwell 12 0.79x
Crowland 12 50.06x
St Pancras London 12 0.62x
Birkenhead 11 2.62x
Derby All Sts 11 35.20x
Kirkby In Ashfield 11 31.92x
Newton Solney 11 285.71x
Openshaw 11 8.28x
Stanton Newhall 11 91.74x
Bedwellty 10 3.28x
Great Bardfield 10 128.87x
Heaton Norris 10 6.20x
Hucknall Torkard 10 12.24x
Radford Lenton 10 124.69x
Sandiacre 10 74.91x
Southwell 10 42.64x
Stapenhill 10 17.95x
Greenwich 9 2.37x
Hoyland Nether 9 15.50x
Leicester All Sts 9 17.29x
Normanton 9 28.48x
Salford 9 1.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 181
Sarah 103
Elizabeth 89
Ann 52
Hannah 45
Annie 40
Jane 40
Ellen 39
Eliza 36
Emma 36
Alice 27
Martha 24
Clara 22
Fanny 20
Harriet 20
Margaret 18
Ada 17
Emily 17
Lucy 17
Maria 16
Charlotte 15
Edith 13
Florence 13
Frances 13
Anne 12
Caroline 12
Catherine 12
Kate 12
Louisa 12
Harriett 11
Rebecca 10
Agnes 9
Gertrude 9
Matilda 9
Esther 8
Susan 7
Susannah 7
Bertha 6
Elizth. 6
Grace 6
Selina 6
Minnie 5
Ruth 5
Amelia 4
Anna 4
Lily 4
Lydia 4
Rosa 4
Lilly 3
Phoebe 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 183
William 142
George 102
Joseph 75
Thomas 70
Henry 52
Samuel 39
James 36
Arthur 28
Charles 27
Edward 25
Robert 23
Alfred 19
Walter 18
Richard 16
Albert 15
Herbert 15
Frederick 14
Ernest 13
Frank 13
Harry 12
Isaac 12
Benjamin 11
Wm. 10
Francis 7
Fred 7
Thos. 7
Edwin 6
Daniel 5
Jonathan 5
Peter 5
Abraham 4
Adam 4
Elijah 4
Jarvis 4
Stephen 4
Allen 3
Andrew 3
David 3
Geo. 3
Gervase 3
Harold 3
Jacob 3
Matthew 3
Saml. 3
Wilfred 3
Abram 2
Christopher 2
Dan 2
Wm.James 2

FAQ

Smedley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Smedley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,452 people were recorded with the Smedley surname. That placed it at #1,812 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Smedley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,357 in 2016. That gives Smedley a modern rank of #2,019.

What does the Smedley surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked as a smith or metalworker.

What does the Smedley map show?

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