NameCensus.

UK surname

Sulley

A surname likely derived from an English place name or occupational term relating to soil or swamps.

In the 1881 census there were 264 people recorded with the Sulley surname, ranking it #10,655 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 467, ranked #10,522, up from #10,655 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary and Cardiff St John and St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gedling and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sulley is 492 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.9%.

1881 census count

264

Ranked #10,655

Modern count

467

2016, ranked #10,522

Peak year

2010

492 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sulley had 264 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,655 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 467 in 2016, ranked #10,522.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 466 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sulley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sulley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sulley 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 230 #9,368
1861 historical 248 #9,947
1881 historical 264 #10,655
1891 historical 348 #9,873
1901 historical 360 #10,212
1911 historical 466 #8,281
1997 modern 410 #10,800
1998 modern 434 #10,694
1999 modern 444 #10,555
2000 modern 444 #10,559
2001 modern 424 #10,740
2002 modern 439 #10,656
2003 modern 432 #10,635
2004 modern 427 #10,749
2005 modern 423 #10,713
2006 modern 424 #10,748
2007 modern 424 #10,867
2008 modern 444 #10,535
2009 modern 465 #10,393
2010 modern 492 #10,178
2011 modern 485 #10,180
2012 modern 472 #10,295
2013 modern 476 #10,385
2014 modern 480 #10,405
2015 modern 483 #10,264
2016 modern 467 #10,522

Geography

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Where Sulleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary, Cardiff St John and St Mary, Arnold and Crich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gedling and North Somerset. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
3 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
4 Arnold Nottinghamshire
5 Crich Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gedling 004 Gedling
2 Gedling 005 Gedling
3 Gedling 006 Gedling
4 Gedling 014 Gedling
5 North Somerset 007 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sulley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sulley

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Sulley is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sulley is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Sulley

The surname Sulley is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called Solley or Sulley, possibly in Yorkshire or Derbyshire. The name may have its roots in the Old English words "sol" meaning muddy or "solog" meaning muddy place.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a Richard de Solleye from Derbyshire. The Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327 also reference a John de Sulley. These early records suggest the name was well-established in various parts of England by the 13th and 14th centuries.

In the 16th century, the Sulley surname appeared in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1524, where a Thomas Sulley is recorded. During this period, variations in spelling were common, and the name was sometimes written as Solley, Sully, or Sullie.

One notable individual with the Sulley surname was Sir Thomas Sulley (1585-1667), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1645. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers and played a significant role in the English Civil War, supporting the Parliamentarian cause.

Another prominent figure was Henry Sulley (1678-1736), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge from 1720 until his death. He was known for his contributions to the field of mathematics and published several works on the subject.

In the 19th century, John Sulley (1814-1890) was a notable English architect who designed many buildings in the Gothic Revival style, including churches and country houses. Some of his notable works include St. Peter's Church in Prestbury, Cheshire, and Leek Wootton Hall in Warwickshire.

William Sulley (1848-1923) was a prominent English businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the coal mining industry. He was known for his charitable work and donated significant funds to educational institutions and other causes in his hometown of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Finally, Frederick Sulley (1893-1970) was a British army officer who served in both World War I and World War II. He received the Military Cross for his bravery during the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915 and later attained the rank of Brigadier in World War II.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sulley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sulley 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 109 Sulleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.29x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 109 31.29x
Middlesex 36 1.39x
Warwickshire 22 3.37x
Devon 19 3.53x
Somerset 17 4.09x
Gloucestershire 12 2.37x
Surrey 10 0.79x
Lancashire 9 0.29x
Kent 6 0.68x
Derbyshire 5 1.24x
Northumberland 5 1.30x
Staffordshire 5 0.57x
Wiltshire 4 1.75x
Glamorgan 3 0.67x
Cheshire 1 0.18x
Durham 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 3.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Arnold in Nottinghamshire leads with 41 Sulleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 805.50x.

Place Total Index
Arnold 41 805.50x
Nottingham St Mary 27 29.96x
Aston 17 9.47x
Snenton 15 109.57x
Islington London 10 3.99x
Basford 8 49.81x
Clerkenwell London 8 13.11x
Mansfield 8 66.34x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 19.30x
Weston In Gordano 8 5000.00x
Lambeth 7 3.11x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 12.57x
Dartford 6 66.52x
Uplowman 6 1714.29x
Birmingham 5 2.30x
Bristol Temple 5 149.70x
Mile End Old Town 5 12.25x
Tynemouth 5 24.27x
Bedminster 4 10.23x
Crich 4 151.52x
Fisherton Anger 4 94.56x
Kirkby In Ashfield 4 107.24x
North Meols 4 13.32x
Radford 4 22.60x
Bury 3 8.56x
Lyncombe Widcombe 3 27.55x
Morebath 3 769.23x
Rowley Regis 3 12.34x
Bow London 2 6.08x
Camberwell 2 1.21x
Cardiff St John 2 13.61x
Hammersmith London 2 3.14x
Hampstead London 2 4.97x
Hendon 2 21.51x
Tiverton 2 21.58x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.89x
Cheltenham 1 2.56x
Denston 1 256.41x
Dukinfield 1 3.79x
Hackney London 1 0.69x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.31x
Pleasley 1 98.04x
Portishead 1 32.36x
Radford Lenton 1 114.94x
Rainhill 1 50.76x
Royal Navy 1 3.80x
St Marylebone London 1 0.72x
St Pancras London 1 0.48x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.08x
Sunderland 1 7.36x
Taunton St Mary 1 13.09x
West Derby 1 1.11x
Westminster St 1 10.49x
Whitchurch 1 41.15x
Woodhouse Hall 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 16
George 12
Henry 9
Thomas 9
James 8
Edward 5
Richard 5
Robert 4
Charles 3
Joseph 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Nathan 2
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Charls 1
Chas 1
Earnest 1
Elijah 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fred.Chas. 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Leonard 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Wallice 1
Willm.J. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Sulley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sulley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 264 people were recorded with the Sulley surname. That placed it at #10,655 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sulley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 467 in 2016. That gives Sulley a modern rank of #10,522.

What does the Sulley surname mean?

A surname likely derived from an English place name or occupational term relating to soil or swamps.

What does the Sulley map show?

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