NameCensus.

UK surname

Standley

A habitational surname derived from places in England meaning "stone clearing" or "stony wood."

In the 1881 census there were 508 people recorded with the Standley surname, ranking it #6,704 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 987, ranked #5,863, up from #6,704 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, London parishes and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, New Forest and Weymouth and Portland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Standley is 1,031 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 94.3%.

1881 census count

508

Ranked #6,704

Modern count

987

2016, ranked #5,863

Peak year

2014

1,031 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Standley had 508 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,704 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 987 in 2016, ranked #5,863.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 762 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Standley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Standley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Standley 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 762 #3,497
1861 historical 751 #3,643
1881 historical 508 #6,704
1891 historical 603 #6,360
1901 historical 643 #6,698
1911 historical 757 #5,705
1997 modern 955 #5,694
1998 modern 998 #5,682
1999 modern 1,013 #5,656
2000 modern 1,007 #5,660
2001 modern 994 #5,602
2002 modern 1,004 #5,666
2003 modern 991 #5,635
2004 modern 984 #5,669
2005 modern 967 #5,685
2006 modern 972 #5,679
2007 modern 972 #5,737
2008 modern 980 #5,743
2009 modern 1,000 #5,768
2010 modern 1,006 #5,852
2011 modern 1,009 #5,776
2012 modern 988 #5,801
2013 modern 1,024 #5,718
2014 modern 1,031 #5,716
2015 modern 997 #5,818
2016 modern 987 #5,863

Geography

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Where Standleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, London parishes, Birmingham Town: Birmingham, Birmingham Town: Aston and West Bromwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, New Forest, Weymouth and Portland and County Durham. 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 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
2 London parishes London 2
3 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 West Bromwich Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 005 South Norfolk
2 South Norfolk 007 South Norfolk
3 New Forest 023 New Forest
4 Weymouth and Portland 002 Weymouth and Portland
5 County Durham 013 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Standley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Standley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Standley, 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 Standley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Standley 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Standley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Standley is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Standley falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Standley

The surname Standley is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "stan" meaning stone and "leah" meaning a clearing or meadow. It emerged in the 12th century as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a stony meadow or clearing.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Standley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "Stanlei". This version of the name was a reference to a place in Derbyshire, known as Stanley or Stanlee.

During the Middle Ages, the name underwent various spelling variations such as Standley, Stanlee, Standleigh, and Standly. These variations were common due to inconsistent spelling practices and regional dialects of the time.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir William Standley, who lived in the 15th century and served as the Lord of the Manor of Standish. He was a prominent figure in Lancashire and played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses.

Another historical figure was Thomas Standley, born in 1625, who was a Puritan minister and one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut. He was a prominent figure in the early colonial days of New England.

In the 18th century, John Standley, born in 1743, was a notable English inventor and engineer. He is credited with developing several improvements to the steam engine and other industrial machinery.

The name Standley has also been associated with certain place names in England, such as Standley Bridge in Gloucestershire and Standley Abbey in Wiltshire. These places likely derived their names from the surname or vice versa.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Standley include Henry Standley (1812-1892), a British politician and Member of Parliament, and Charles Standley (1857-1932), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Standley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Standley 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. Warwickshire leads with 80 Standleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.39x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 80 6.39x
Norfolk 65 8.51x
Staffordshire 64 3.82x
Leicestershire 53 9.63x
Middlesex 45 0.91x
Worcestershire 35 5.40x
Yorkshire 31 0.63x
Northamptonshire 30 6.42x
Lancashire 21 0.36x
Essex 19 1.94x
Surrey 12 0.50x
Nottinghamshire 11 1.64x
Lincolnshire 8 1.01x
Kent 7 0.41x
Dorset 6 1.84x
Hampshire 6 0.59x
Cheshire 4 0.36x
Derbyshire 4 0.51x
Suffolk 3 0.50x
Hertfordshire 2 0.58x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.91x
Gloucestershire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 1.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 41 Standleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.82x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 41 9.82x
Wymondham 38 486.56x
Aston 24 6.96x
West Bromwich 24 25.01x
Leeds 14 5.04x
Narborough 14 927.15x
Oldbury 13 40.75x
Bow London 11 17.40x
Leicester St Mary 11 24.73x
Lichfield St Mary 11 227.74x
Mile End Old Town 11 14.03x
Duston 10 235.85x
Leicester St Margaret 10 7.45x
Cosby 9 526.32x
Kings Norton 9 15.48x
St Pancras London 9 2.25x
Warwick St Nicholas 9 98.04x
West Ham 9 4.16x
Finedon 8 195.60x
Alvechurch 7 253.62x
Ashton In Makerfield 7 41.72x
Bermondsey 7 4.74x
Besthorpe 7 843.37x
Cole Orton 7 686.27x
Kettering 7 37.06x
Potter Newton 7 80.65x
Ratcliffe London 7 25.53x
Dedham 6 202.02x
Deptford St Paul 6 4.59x
Oldham 6 3.16x
Sedgley 6 9.64x
Darlaston 5 21.59x
Higham Ferrers 5 196.85x
Hucknall Torkard 5 29.46x
Whiston 5 210.97x
East Wretham 4 1379.31x
Hethersett 4 207.25x
Lambeth 4 0.92x
Leamington Hastings 4 512.82x
Louth 4 21.99x
Nottingham St Mary 4 2.31x
Romford 4 25.82x
Sturminster 4 126.58x
Thetford St Cuthbert 4 144.93x
Yardley 4 24.11x
Aldershot 3 8.80x
Allington 3 535.71x
Blackburn 3 1.91x
Burton Upon Trent 3 7.65x
Handsworth 3 7.26x
Ipswich St Helen 3 41.84x
Kingswinford 3 4.93x
Measham 3 104.90x
Norwich St Peter Hungate 3 454.55x
Watton 3 125.00x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.93x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 2.00x
Hackney London 2 0.72x
Hertford All Saints 2 104.71x
Islington London 2 0.42x
Kinver 2 41.41x
Overbury 2 175.44x
Rockland St Peter 2 465.12x
Stone 2 9.33x
Tilston 2 322.58x
Annan 1 10.62x
Beswick 1 6.64x
Cheltenham 1 1.33x
Chester St John Baptist 1 5.08x
Doncaster 1 2.78x
Glentworth 1 158.73x
Habergham Eaves 1 1.86x
Hulme 1 0.81x
Leamington 1 12.05x
Marton 1 156.25x
Sheffield 1 0.64x
Shenstone 1 23.47x
Tipton 1 1.95x
Tottenham 1 1.26x
Wednesfield 1 4.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 43
John 39
George 21
Thomas 20
Henry 17
Joseph 17
Charles 15
James 15
Alfred 10
Arthur 8
Richard 7
Samuel 7
Harry 6
Frederick 5
Robert 4
Fred 3
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Herbert 2
Walter 2
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edwa. 1
Edward 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Esau 1
Francis 1
Gorge 1
Isiah 1
Jacob 1
Job 1
Lewis 1
Lionel 1
Lovell 1
Miles 1
Philip 1
Reuben 1
Saml. 1
Sampson 1
Sydney 1
Theophilus 1
Tom 1
Ton 1
Vernon 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Standley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Standley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 508 people were recorded with the Standley surname. That placed it at #6,704 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Standley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 987 in 2016. That gives Standley a modern rank of #5,863.

What does the Standley surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from places in England meaning "stone clearing" or "stony wood."

What does the Standley map show?

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