NameCensus.

UK surname

Solley

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 260 people recorded with the Solley surname, ranking it #10,781 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 348, ranked #13,233, down from #10,781 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ash-near-Sandwich, London parishes and Woodnesborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hawick Central, Thanet and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Solley is 370 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.8%.

1881 census count

260

Ranked #10,781

Modern count

348

2016, ranked #13,233

Peak year

1998

370 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Solley had 260 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,781 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 348 in 2016, ranked #13,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 260 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Solley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Solley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Solley 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 163 #12,156
1861 historical 216 #11,273
1881 historical 260 #10,781
1891 historical 258 #12,440
1901 historical 224 #14,091
1911 historical 222 #13,992
1997 modern 359 #11,956
1998 modern 370 #12,052
1999 modern 356 #12,456
2000 modern 355 #12,430
2001 modern 338 #12,669
2002 modern 344 #12,777
2003 modern 340 #12,685
2004 modern 335 #12,870
2005 modern 338 #12,698
2006 modern 339 #12,754
2007 modern 321 #13,403
2008 modern 326 #13,374
2009 modern 321 #13,770
2010 modern 342 #13,440
2011 modern 338 #13,435
2012 modern 343 #13,158
2013 modern 353 #13,104
2014 modern 356 #13,098
2015 modern 341 #13,425
2016 modern 348 #13,233

Geography

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Where Solleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ash-near-Sandwich, London parishes, Woodnesborough, Margate and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hawick Central, Thanet, Cornwall and Gracemount, Southhouse and Burdiehouse. 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 Ash-near-Sandwich Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Woodnesborough Kent
4 Margate Kent
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hawick Central Scottish Borders
2 Thanet 012 Thanet
3 Thanet 013 Thanet
4 Cornwall 007 Cornwall
5 Gracemount, Southhouse and Burdiehouse City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Solley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Solley

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Solley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Solley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Solley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Solley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Solley falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Solley

The surname Solley is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from a place name, likely derived from the Old English words "sol" meaning "muddy" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who resided near a muddy clearing or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Solley can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Solli." This medieval document was a record of landholders and their holdings in various counties of England. The name also appears in various forms, such as Solly and Sully, in various historical records from the 13th to the 16th centuries.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name Solley was John Solley, a landowner and yeoman farmer from Oxfordshire. Records from this period indicate that he held substantial lands in the village of Solleihull, which may have contributed to the development of the surname.

During the 16th century, the Solley family gained prominence in the county of Gloucestershire. William Solley (1523-1592) was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol. He was known for his successful trading ventures and his involvement in local governance.

In the 17th century, the name Solley was associated with the English Civil War. Thomas Solley (1612-1678) was a Puritan minister and a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause. He served as a chaplain in the New Model Army and was renowned for his fiery sermons against the Royalists.

Moving into the 18th century, the Solley family had established themselves in various parts of England. Notable individuals from this period include Edward Solley (1738-1812), a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Throughout history, the surname Solley has been linked to various place names and locations across England. Some examples include Solley in Hampshire, Solley Green in Hertfordshire, and Solley Farm in Gloucestershire. These place names may have contributed to the development and distribution of the surname over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Solley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Solley 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. Kent leads with 134 Solleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.49x.

County Total Index
Kent 134 15.49x
Middlesex 31 1.22x
Surrey 28 2.27x
Worcestershire 18 5.44x
Sussex 12 2.81x
Yorkshire 10 0.40x
Durham 8 1.06x
Cumberland 5 2.29x
Dumfriesshire 5 8.93x
Midlothian 2 0.59x
Derbyshire 1 0.25x
Devon 1 0.19x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 2.72x
Lancashire 1 0.03x
Lincolnshire 1 0.25x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.29x
Warwickshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ramsgate in Kent leads with 25 Solleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 177.05x.

Place Total Index
Ramsgate 25 177.05x
Ash Next Sandwich 12 628.27x
Camberwell 11 6.79x
Lye 10 181.49x
Hove 8 42.64x
Preston Next Wingham 8 2051.28x
St George Hanover 8 24.17x
Worcester St John 8 202.02x
Bishopwearmouth 7 10.81x
Chelsham 7 1794.87x
Dover St Mary Virgin 7 83.63x
Faversham 7 84.85x
St Lawrence 7 117.65x
St Pancras London 7 3.43x
Woodnesborough 7 886.08x
Worth 7 1794.87x
Lewisham 6 13.00x
Northbourne 6 731.71x
Annan 5 103.95x
Caldewgate 5 41.81x
Ickham Well 5 1000.00x
Lambeth 5 2.26x
Minster In Thanet 5 277.78x
Bethnal Green London 4 3.63x
Sholden 4 1176.47x
Shoreditch London 4 3.64x
Whitwood 4 112.04x
Buckland In Faversham 3 5000.00x
Dover St James 3 79.16x
Minster In Sheppey 3 20.94x
St Marylebone London 3 2.22x
Stodmarsh 3 2500.00x
Bermondsey 2 2.65x
Croydon 2 2.92x
Eastchurch 2 235.29x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.46x
Hackney London 2 1.41x
Milton In Gravesend 2 15.41x
Newhaven 2 57.64x
Staple 2 444.44x
Adisham 1 250.00x
Ashford 1 11.86x
Canterbury St Alphage 1 108.70x
Chelsea London 1 1.31x
Coventry Holy Trinity 1 5.24x
Cuckfield 1 23.15x
Derby St Peter 1 7.91x
Devonport 1 16.47x
Eastbourne 1 5.08x
Elvet 1 18.35x
Everton 1 1.04x
Gravesend 1 13.64x
Great Grimsby 1 3.89x
Great Mongeham 1 243.90x
Holy Trinity 1 1.65x
Kelton 1 33.11x
Leeds 1 0.70x
Maidstone 1 3.88x
Margate St John Baptist 1 6.31x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.50x
Newark Upon Trent 1 8.14x
Nonington 1 144.93x
Osbaldwick 1 714.29x
Sandwich St Peter 1 109.89x
Sheffield 1 1.25x
Twickenham 1 9.20x
Wakefield 1 5.18x
Wandsworth 1 4.10x
Westwell 1 114.94x
Wheatley 1 116.28x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
Henry 10
John 10
George 9
Thomas 8
Robert 7
Stephen 7
Alfred 6
Charles 6
James 6
Edward 4
Chas. 3
Frederick 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Richard 2
Edmond 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Erbert 1
Fredk. 1
Gustavius 1
Harriet 1
Isaac 1
Julius 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Ralph 1
Sidney 1
Stephne 1
Thos.Hy. 1

FAQ

Solley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Solley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 260 people were recorded with the Solley surname. That placed it at #10,781 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Solley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 348 in 2016. That gives Solley a modern rank of #13,233.

What does the Solley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Solley map show?

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