NameCensus.

UK surname

Smylie

A surname derived from the nickname "smiler" for someone with a cheerful disposition.

In the 1881 census there were 74 people recorded with the Smylie surname, ranking it #23,062 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 297, ranked #14,839, up from #23,062 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to New Monkland, Killean and Kilchenzie and St James Westminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Carrick South and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Smylie is 309 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 301.4%.

1881 census count

74

Ranked #23,062

Modern count

297

2016, ranked #14,839

Peak year

2010

309 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Smylie had 74 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,062 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016, ranked #14,839.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 113 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Smylie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Smylie surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Smylie 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 32 #27,570
1861 historical 49 #27,768
1881 historical 74 #23,062
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 113 #21,296
1911 historical 56 #27,216
1997 modern 269 #14,543
1998 modern 278 #14,620
1999 modern 284 #14,474
2000 modern 288 #14,312
2001 modern 278 #14,444
2002 modern 291 #14,275
2003 modern 278 #14,540
2004 modern 283 #14,418
2005 modern 285 #14,273
2006 modern 286 #14,322
2007 modern 281 #14,660
2008 modern 280 #14,823
2009 modern 294 #14,628
2010 modern 309 #14,420
2011 modern 294 #14,798
2012 modern 289 #14,875
2013 modern 299 #14,780
2014 modern 295 #15,020
2015 modern 296 #14,893
2016 modern 297 #14,839

Geography

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Where Smylies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around New Monkland, Killean and Kilchenzie, St James Westminster, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Carrick South, Northumberland, Mid Argyll and North Lincolnshire. 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 New Monkland Lanark
2 Killean and Kilchenzie Argyll
3 St James Westminster London (West Districts)
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 009 Westminster
2 Carrick South South Ayrshire
3 Northumberland 011 Northumberland
4 Mid Argyll Argyll and Bute
5 North Lincolnshire 004 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Smylie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Smylie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Smylie, 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 Smylie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Smylie 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Smylie 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

Smylie is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Smylie falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Smylie

The surname Smylie is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It derives from the Old English word "smylere," which referred to a person with a cheerful or smiling disposition. The name was initially a descriptive nickname given to individuals known for their pleasant and jovial demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Smylie can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1273, where it appears as "Smylere." This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time, eventually adopting the more modern form of "Smylie."

During the medieval period, the Smylie family was concentrated primarily in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Northumberland. They may have been associated with the village of Smiley, located in the West Riding of Yorkshire, which could have influenced the surname's development.

In the 16th century, the Smylie name appeared in the records of the Court of the Star Chamber, where a certain John Smylie was mentioned in connection with a legal dispute in 1532. This historical reference suggests that the Smylie family had established itself as a prominent presence in the region by that time.

One notable figure bearing the Smylie surname was Sir Thomas Smylie (1558-1626), a member of the English gentry and a landowner in Yorkshire. He served as a Justice of the Peace and was involved in local administration during the reign of King James I.

Another significant individual was Robert Smylie (1671-1744), a Scottish clergyman and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1736. He played a crucial role in shaping the Presbyterian Church's doctrine and governance during his time.

In the literary realm, the Irish writer and poet Samuel Smylie (1829-1906) gained recognition for his works, including the novel "The Curate of Cranston" and various poems reflecting the life and culture of his native Ulster.

The Smylie name also found its way across the Atlantic, with notable individuals such as John Smylie (1776-1857), an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia in the early 19th century.

Throughout its history, the Smylie surname has been associated with various professions and social strata, from clergymen and landowners to writers and politicians, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who have carried this name over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Smylie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Smylie 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. Lanarkshire leads with 24 Smylies recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.28x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 24 10.28x
Lancashire 19 2.22x
Middlesex 5 0.69x
Surrey 5 1.42x
Wigtownshire 5 52.19x
Renfrewshire 4 7.15x
Staffordshire 4 1.64x
Worcestershire 3 3.18x
Angus 1 1.50x
Ayrshire 1 1.85x
Derbyshire 1 0.89x
Kent 1 0.41x
Oxfordshire 1 2.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 11 Smylies recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.63x.

Place Total Index
Barony 11 18.63x
Barrow In Furness 11 94.42x
Glasgow 8 19.31x
Battersea 5 18.83x
Carluke 5 235.85x
Hulme 5 27.96x
Kirkinner 5 1250.00x
Abbey 4 46.89x
Wednesbury 4 65.68x
Levenshulme 3 340.91x
St Martin In Fields 3 69.44x
Worcester St Clement 3 500.00x
Deptford St Paul 1 5.27x
Edmonton 1 17.21x
Fernilee 1 384.62x
Girvan 1 73.53x
Liff Benvie 1 9.85x
St Pancras London 1 1.72x
Westcote Barton 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Mary 4
Ellen 2
Harriett 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Alesandria 1
Alicia 1
Annie 1
Eva 1
Janet 1
Louisa 1
Margret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
Robert 3
John 2
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Smylie households.

FAQ

Smylie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Smylie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 74 people were recorded with the Smylie surname. That placed it at #23,062 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Smylie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016. That gives Smylie a modern rank of #14,839.

What does the Smylie surname mean?

A surname derived from the nickname "smiler" for someone with a cheerful disposition.

What does the Smylie map show?

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