NameCensus.

UK surname

Soley

A surname derived from a diminutive form of the name Solomon.

In the 1881 census there were 259 people recorded with the Soley surname, ranking it #10,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 377, ranked #12,415, down from #10,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Ealing, Chiswick and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Malvern Hills, Wyre Forest and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Soley is 410 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.6%.

1881 census count

259

Ranked #10,808

Modern count

377

2016, ranked #12,415

Peak year

2012

410 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Soley had 259 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 377 in 2016, ranked #12,415.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 362 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Soley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Soley surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Soley 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 206 #10,183
1861 historical 206 #11,725
1881 historical 259 #10,808
1891 historical 238 #13,202
1901 historical 320 #11,142
1911 historical 362 #10,020
1997 modern 366 #11,781
1998 modern 364 #12,201
1999 modern 378 #11,935
2000 modern 367 #12,153
2001 modern 360 #12,127
2002 modern 375 #12,018
2003 modern 366 #12,010
2004 modern 373 #11,859
2005 modern 372 #11,813
2006 modern 368 #11,990
2007 modern 367 #12,152
2008 modern 372 #12,123
2009 modern 381 #12,174
2010 modern 378 #12,508
2011 modern 386 #12,170
2012 modern 410 #11,518
2013 modern 406 #11,790
2014 modern 401 #11,979
2015 modern 391 #12,113
2016 modern 377 #12,415

Geography

Back to top

Where Soleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Ealing, Chiswick, St Marylebone, Oldswinford and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Malvern Hills, Wyre Forest and Dudley. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Oldswinford Worcestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Malvern Hills 004 Malvern Hills
2 Wyre Forest 002 Wyre Forest
3 Dudley 035 Dudley
4 Malvern Hills 006 Malvern Hills
5 Malvern Hills 007 Malvern Hills

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Soley

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Soley

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Soley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Soley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Soley is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Soley is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Soley falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Soley

The surname Soley has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'sol', meaning 'muddy' or 'wallowing', and was likely a topographic name given to someone who lived near a muddy area or a swamp.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Soley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1208, where a certain Adam de Soley is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the early 13th century.

During the 14th century, the name appears in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a William Soley. In the same century, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332 mention a John Soley.

By the 15th century, the Soley name had spread to other parts of England. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1418 include an entry for a Thomas Soley, while the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1427 record a John Soley.

One notable individual bearing the Soley surname was Sir Thomas Soley, a wealthy English merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1598. He played a significant role in the growth and development of the East India Company.

Another person of historical significance was Samuel Soley (1701-1768), an English clergyman and mathematician who served as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge from 1749 until his death.

In the 19th century, Charles Camille Soley (1842-1920) was a prominent American naval officer who served during the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War. He later became the first President of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

Moving into the 20th century, John Soley (1904-1972) was a British politician and Labour Party Member of Parliament for Billericay from 1945 to 1970. He served as a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons from 1964 to 1970.

Lastly, Sylvia Soley (1929-2007) was a British artist and sculptor known for her abstract works in various mediums, including bronze, steel, and wood. She was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1997.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Soley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Soley 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. Middlesex leads with 71 Soleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.81x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 71 2.81x
Worcestershire 43 13.03x
Herefordshire 37 35.72x
Lancashire 32 1.07x
Montgomeryshire 10 17.27x
Kent 9 1.04x
Durham 7 0.93x
Warwickshire 7 1.10x
Berkshire 6 3.16x
Oxfordshire 6 3.85x
Buckinghamshire 5 3.27x
Surrey 5 0.41x
Gloucestershire 4 0.81x
Northumberland 4 1.06x
Derbyshire 3 0.76x
Essex 2 0.40x
Lanarkshire 2 0.24x
Northamptonshire 2 0.84x
Cheshire 1 0.18x
Hertfordshire 1 0.57x
Lincolnshire 1 0.25x
Suffolk 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ealing in Middlesex leads with 39 Soleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 172.72x.

Place Total Index
Ealing 39 172.72x
Toxteth Park 12 11.82x
Kirkdale 11 21.81x
Ombersley 11 597.83x
Harmondsworth 9 573.25x
Broadwas 8 2962.96x
Oldham 8 8.27x
Whitbourne 8 1250.00x
Worcester St Peter 8 128.21x
Fulwell 7 1521.74x
St Lawrence 7 118.04x
Bromyard 6 441.18x
Claines 6 66.30x
Cowley 6 123.20x
Holme Lacy 6 2222.22x
St Pancras London 6 2.95x
Cradley 5 328.95x
St Marylebone London 5 3.71x
Warwick St Mary 5 90.42x
Bishops Frome 4 634.92x
Great Marlow 4 97.09x
Islington London 4 1.63x
Longbenton 4 25.13x
Abbey Dore 3 652.17x
Acton 3 20.26x
Battersea 3 3.23x
Clewer 3 38.61x
Lower Sapey 3 1500.00x
Montgomery 3 291.26x
New Windsor 3 47.02x
Barony 2 0.97x
Chiswick 2 14.49x
Gloucester St Michael 2 176.99x
Lapworth 2 333.33x
Llanllwchaiarn 2 79.68x
Newtown 2 54.05x
Stapenhill 2 33.96x
Weedon Loys 2 512.82x
Welland 2 263.16x
Worcester St Nicholas 2 128.21x
Beckenham 1 8.87x
Berkhampstead 1 25.58x
Birkenhead 1 2.25x
Bodenham 1 131.58x
Breinton 1 250.00x
Camberwell 1 0.62x
Carno 1 131.58x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.68x
Doynton 1 285.71x
Eastham 1 344.83x
Epping 1 49.26x
Frampton 1 129.87x
Habergham Eaves 1 3.65x
Hagley 1 93.46x
Hereford St Owen 1 29.24x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 9.58x
Llanwnog 1 82.64x
Llanwnog Surnant 1 333.33x
Mathon 1 103.09x
Matlock 1 18.83x
Mickleton 1 153.85x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.51x
Milton In Gravesend 1 7.73x
Much Dewchurch 1 204.08x
St Bartholomew Great 1 43.48x
Stone 1 84.03x
Streatham 1 5.34x
Tedstone Delamere 1 454.55x
Walthamstow 1 5.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Sarah 10
Elizabeth 8
Ann 6
Eliza 6
Annie 5
Emily 4
Emma 4
Hannah 4
Jane 4
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Matilda 3
Charlotte 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Rosenna 2
C.E. 1
Charlote 1
Clara 1
E.S. 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Etty 1
Francis 1
G.A. 1
Gracie 1
Harriett 1
Hellen 1
Hester 1
J.H. 1
Leah 1
Lucy 1
Marion 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1
Nelly 1
Ocean 1
Rachel 1
Richard 1
Rose 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 17
William 14
Thomas 12
James 11
John 11
Henry 9
Charles 5
Edward 4
Harry 4
Richard 4
Alfred 3
Benjamin 3
Arthur 1
Bonnor 1
C.E. 1
Caleb 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edmond 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Esther 1
Evan 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Jack 1
Joseph 1
Micheel 1
S.A. 1
Sampson 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Soley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Soley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 259 people were recorded with the Soley surname. That placed it at #10,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Soley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 377 in 2016. That gives Soley a modern rank of #12,415.

What does the Soley surname mean?

A surname derived from a diminutive form of the name Solomon.

What does the Soley map show?

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