NameCensus.

UK surname

Speechley

A nickname for someone who spoke little or was taciturn.

In the 1881 census there were 316 people recorded with the Speechley surname, ranking it #9,375 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 339, ranked #13,492, down from #9,375 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Yaxley and Peterborough St John the Baptist. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, South Holland and South Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Speechley is 529 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.3%.

1881 census count

316

Ranked #9,375

Modern count

339

2016, ranked #13,492

Peak year

1911

529 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Speechley had 316 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,375 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016, ranked #13,492.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 529 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Speechley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Speechley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Speechley 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 257 #8,596
1861 historical 201 #11,949
1881 historical 316 #9,375
1891 historical 356 #9,697
1901 historical 460 #8,564
1911 historical 529 #7,509
1997 modern 396 #11,086
1998 modern 400 #11,335
1999 modern 414 #11,156
2000 modern 411 #11,185
2001 modern 403 #11,163
2002 modern 420 #11,041
2003 modern 411 #11,044
2004 modern 406 #11,155
2005 modern 390 #11,397
2006 modern 383 #11,600
2007 modern 369 #12,098
2008 modern 357 #12,509
2009 modern 367 #12,501
2010 modern 375 #12,568
2011 modern 363 #12,738
2012 modern 359 #12,698
2013 modern 361 #12,861
2014 modern 365 #12,853
2015 modern 347 #13,252
2016 modern 339 #13,492

Geography

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Where Speechleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Yaxley, Peterborough St John the Baptist, Crowland and Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, South Holland and South Cambridgeshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Yaxley Northamptonshire
3 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
4 Crowland Northamptonshire
5 Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire) Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 006 Fenland
2 South Holland 011 South Holland
3 South Holland 008 South Holland
4 Fenland 008 Fenland
5 South Cambridgeshire 003 South Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Speechley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Speechley

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Speechley is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Speechley is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Speechley

The surname Speechley is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Speechley in Staffordshire, which in turn comes from the Old English words "spæc" meaning "speech" and "leah" meaning "a clearing or meadow."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire from 1196, where a person named Richard de Speche is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms such as "de Speche," "de Spechia," and "de Spechy," reflecting the evolution of the spelling over time. The earliest recorded spelling of the modern form "Speechley" dates back to 1524, when it was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire.

Some notable individuals who bore the Speechley surname include:

1. William Speechley (c. 1600-1670), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Hartley Wespall in Hampshire.

2. John Speechley (1718-1784), a renowned English horticulturist and botanist, known for his work on the cultivation of pineapples.

3. Elizabeth Speechley (1785-1853), a British writer and educator, who published several books on education and moral instruction for children.

4. Sir John Speechley (1830-1911), a British businessman and politician, who served as the Mayor of Birmingham from 1891 to 1892.

5. Thomas Speechley (1858-1932), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Strand Palace Hotel.

While the name Speechley has its roots in the English countryside, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and descendants of the original name-bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Speechley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Speechley 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 54 Speechleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.57x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 54 27.57x
Northamptonshire 51 17.53x
Huntingdonshire 46 74.92x
Yorkshire 46 1.50x
Lincolnshire 39 7.89x
Middlesex 32 1.03x
Durham 15 1.63x
Herefordshire 7 5.52x
Hertfordshire 5 2.35x
Surrey 5 0.33x
Lancashire 3 0.08x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.07x
Argyllshire 1 1.16x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Essex 1 0.16x
Hampshire 1 0.16x
Kent 1 0.09x
Norfolk 1 0.21x
Oxfordshire 1 0.52x
Royal Navy 1 2.71x
Rutland 1 4.41x
Sussex 1 0.19x
Warwickshire 1 0.13x
Wiltshire 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Yaxley in Huntingdonshire leads with 35 Speechleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2430.56x.

Place Total Index
Yaxley 35 2430.56x
Whittlesey St Mary St 29 423.98x
Peterborough 19 90.22x
Crowland 16 516.13x
Stockton On Tees 14 31.57x
St Andrewthe Less 10 44.68x
Wadenhoe 10 4000.00x
Eston 9 134.93x
Newborough 9 1216.22x
Newington 9 106.64x
Leeds 8 4.62x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 7 81.97x
Great Grimsby 7 22.31x
Hereford St Owen 7 167.06x
Islington London 7 2.34x
Brightside Bierlow 6 9.98x
Chelsea London 6 6.44x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 40.54x
Bishop Stortford 5 70.22x
Eltisley 5 1020.41x
Skelton In Guisbrough 5 60.31x
Folksworth 4 1904.76x
Glaphorn 4 1025.64x
Halifax 4 8.89x
Paddington London 4 3.52x
St Nicholas Lincoln 4 84.57x
St Pancras London 4 1.61x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 57.55x
Everton 3 2.57x
Kensington London 3 1.75x
Lambeth 3 1.11x
Peterborough Minster Close 3 1034.48x
Sutton St Mary 3 64.10x
Edlington 2 869.57x
Great Raveley 2 952.38x
Hackney London 2 1.15x
Ramsey 2 40.65x
Sculcoates 2 4.12x
St Andrew Holborn 2 19.08x
St Marythe Less 2 168.07x
Wooburn 2 77.52x
Barnes 1 15.70x
Barton 1 294.12x
Birmingham 1 0.38x
Campbeltown 1 9.63x
Clifton Hampden 1 270.27x
Cottesmore 1 232.56x
Godmanchester 1 43.10x
Havant 1 31.15x
Kimbolton 1 77.52x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 7.01x
Lee 1 6.53x
Lower Bebington 1 24.63x
Marlborough St Peter St 1 70.92x
Middlesbrough 1 2.51x
North Bierley 1 6.05x
Norton 1 29.59x
Norwood 1 14.14x
Preston 1 10.99x
Royal Navy 1 3.17x
Sawtry All Sts 1 138.89x
Spalding 1 10.19x
St Martin In Fields 1 5.40x
St Marylebone London 1 0.61x
St Peterin Eastgate 1 65.36x
Sutton St Edmunds 1 142.86x
Wath On Dearne 1 16.37x
West Thurrock 1 49.26x
Westminster St John 1 2.66x
Woking 1 11.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 15
Sarah 10
Emma 5
Ada 4
Lucy 4
Margaret 4
Annie 3
Charlotte 3
Helen 3
Minnie 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Constance 2
Dorothy 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Jane 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lizzie 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Susanna 2
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Eliz.A. 1
Eliz.Kate 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Georgina 1
Isobel 1
Janet 1
June 1
Katie 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Margarett 1
Maria 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 17
George 12
James 10
Thomas 9
Joseph 7
Herbert 6
Arthur 5
Charles 4
Henry 4
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Alfred 3
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Jonathan 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Stamford 2
Andrew 1
Ansthem 1
Claude 1
Cornielias 1
David 1
Earl 1
Edmd. 1
Frank 1
Guy 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Jonathon 1
Josephus 1
Loomes 1
Mathew 1
Mayjor 1
Philip 1
R...ies 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Siany 1
Sidney 1
Theophilus 1
Thos. 1
Titus 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Speechley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Speechley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 316 people were recorded with the Speechley surname. That placed it at #9,375 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Speechley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016. That gives Speechley a modern rank of #13,492.

What does the Speechley surname mean?

A nickname for someone who spoke little or was taciturn.

What does the Speechley map show?

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