NameCensus.

UK surname

Soulby

In the 1881 census there were 103 people recorded with the Soulby surname, ranking it #19,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 128, ranked #26,401, down from #19,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Bottesford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Soulby is 153 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.3%.

1881 census count

103

Ranked #19,410

Modern count

128

2016, ranked #26,401

Peak year

1911

153 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Soulby had 103 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016, ranked #26,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 153 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Soulby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Soulby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Soulby 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 112 #15,913
1861 historical 107 #20,008
1881 historical 103 #19,410
1891 historical 145 #18,752
1901 historical 121 #20,444
1911 historical 153 #17,633
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 129 #23,722
1999 modern 128 #24,017
2000 modern 121 #24,824
2001 modern 121 #24,493
2002 modern 123 #24,735
2003 modern 130 #23,672
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 131 #23,737
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 132 #24,166
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 128 #26,036
2011 modern 125 #26,220
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 131 #25,932
2014 modern 137 #25,345
2015 modern 138 #25,103
2016 modern 128 #26,401

Geography

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Where Soulbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Bottesford, Orby, Ingoldmells, Addlethorpe and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire and South Lakeland. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bottesford Lincolnshire
4 Orby, Ingoldmells, Addlethorpe Lincolnshire
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 014 North Lincolnshire
2 North Lincolnshire 012 North Lincolnshire
3 North Lincolnshire 016 North Lincolnshire
4 North Lincolnshire 008 North Lincolnshire
5 South Lakeland 004 South Lakeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Soulby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Soulby

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Soulby, 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 Soulby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Soulby 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, Soulby 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

Soulby 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

Soulby falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Soulby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Soulby 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. Yorkshire leads with 26 Soulbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.61x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 26 2.61x
Lincolnshire 23 14.32x
Lancashire 16 1.34x
Middlesex 15 1.49x
Durham 7 2.34x
Surrey 5 1.02x
Norfolk 4 2.59x
Cheshire 3 1.35x
Bedfordshire 1 1.92x
Essex 1 0.50x
Oxfordshire 1 1.61x
Westmorland 1 4.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Orby in Lincolnshire leads with 9 Soulbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6428.57x.

Place Total Index
Orby 9 6428.57x
Tunstall 7 469.80x
Bradford 6 24.90x
Huttons Ambo 6 4285.71x
Alford 5 500.00x
Shoreditch London 5 11.48x
Keighley 4 37.70x
Lambeth 4 4.57x
St Marylebone London 4 7.46x
Walsoken 4 430.11x
Barrow In Furness 3 18.51x
Frodingham 3 526.32x
Frodsham Lordship 3 789.47x
Holy Trinity 3 12.53x
Liverpool 3 4.14x
New Malton 3 252.10x
North Meols 3 25.71x
Wuerdle Wardle 3 82.87x
Coningsby 2 434.78x
Mareham Le Fen 2 800.00x
Sutterton 2 625.00x
Ulverston 2 57.64x
Willesden 2 21.12x
Ambleside 1 147.06x
Birkdale 1 33.11x
Camberwell 1 1.56x
Christ Church Newgate 1 212.77x
Cranfield 1 200.00x
Islington London 1 1.03x
Mirfield 1 18.28x
Old Malton 1 158.73x
Oxford St Ebbe 1 54.64x
Sheffield 1 3.15x
St George Hanover 1 7.63x
St Pancras London 1 1.24x
West Derby 1 2.87x
West Ham 1 2.28x
York St Maurice 1 53.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 9
Edward 5
Henry 5
Charles 4
John 3
Thomas 3
Walter 3
Frederick 2
George 2
Michael 2
Anthony 1
Arther 1
Arthur 1
Emily 1
Harniss 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Robt.M. 1
Wells 1

FAQ

Soulby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Soulby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 103 people were recorded with the Soulby surname. That placed it at #19,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Soulby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016. That gives Soulby a modern rank of #26,401.

What does the Soulby map show?

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