NameCensus.

UK surname

Sunley

A surname derived from a location name containing the Old English words 'sun' meaning son and 'leah' meaning woodland or meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 403 people recorded with the Sunley surname, ranking it #7,933 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 694, ranked #7,758, up from #7,933 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hovingham, Darlington and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale, Redcar and Cleveland and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sunley is 768 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.2%.

1881 census count

403

Ranked #7,933

Modern count

694

2016, ranked #7,758

Peak year

1998

768 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sunley had 403 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,933 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 694 in 2016, ranked #7,758.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 677 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Sunley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sunley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sunley 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 209 #10,066
1861 historical 274 #9,111
1881 historical 403 #7,933
1891 historical 477 #7,705
1901 historical 491 #8,160
1911 historical 677 #6,239
1997 modern 730 #7,011
1998 modern 768 #6,981
1999 modern 757 #7,098
2000 modern 754 #7,071
2001 modern 742 #7,036
2002 modern 749 #7,118
2003 modern 721 #7,211
2004 modern 714 #7,273
2005 modern 681 #7,508
2006 modern 677 #7,565
2007 modern 683 #7,579
2008 modern 681 #7,644
2009 modern 710 #7,556
2010 modern 707 #7,724
2011 modern 705 #7,661
2012 modern 697 #7,631
2013 modern 710 #7,647
2014 modern 712 #7,670
2015 modern 693 #7,783
2016 modern 694 #7,758

Geography

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Where Sunleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hovingham, Darlington, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles, Helmsley and Scarborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale, Redcar and Cleveland, East Riding of Yorkshire and Sunderland. 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 Hovingham Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Darlington Durham
3 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Helmsley Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 001 Ryedale
2 Redcar and Cleveland 022 Redcar and Cleveland
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 002 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Redcar and Cleveland 018 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Sunderland 033 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sunley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sunley

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Sunley is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sunley is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Sunley falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sunley

The surname Sunley is of English origin, originating in the northern counties of England during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English words "sunne" meaning sun and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, suggesting that the name referred to someone who lived in a sunny meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sunley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Sunleia" in reference to a place name. This suggests that the surname may have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who hailed from a particular sunny meadow or clearing.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "Sunlegh" and "Sunlye" appearing in various parts of northern England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lancashire. These early spellings reflect the regional dialects and pronunciations of the time.

Notable individuals with the surname Sunley include Sir William Sunley (1558-1635), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who served as Lord Mayor of York in 1619. Another notable bearer of the name was John Sunley (1720-1798), a renowned clockmaker from Lancashire, whose intricate timepieces were highly prized in the 18th century.

In the 19th century, the Sunley family made their mark in the industrial revolution, with Thomas Sunley (1810-1887) establishing a successful textile mill in Lancashire. His son, James Sunley (1842-1916), continued to expand the family business and was known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local schools and hospitals.

Moving into the 20th century, one of the most prominent figures with the Sunley surname was Sir John Sunley (1918-2002), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Sunley Group, a prominent construction and property development company. He was knighted in 1981 for his contributions to the industry and his charitable work.

Throughout its history, the surname Sunley has maintained a strong presence in northern England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where its origins can be traced back to the medieval period. While the name has evolved over time, its connection to the concept of a sunny meadow or clearing remains a fascinating aspect of its etymology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sunley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sunley 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 314 Sunleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.12x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 314 8.12x
Durham 26 2.24x
Middlesex 21 0.54x
Essex 10 1.30x
Lancashire 10 0.22x
Lincolnshire 6 0.96x
Surrey 6 0.32x
Gloucestershire 5 0.65x
Kent 1 0.08x
Warwickshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Darlington in Durham leads with 20 Sunleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.62x.

Place Total Index
Darlington 20 44.62x
Bridlington 19 214.69x
Helmsley 15 724.64x
Hovingham 15 1875.00x
Cold Kirby 12 5454.55x
Whitby 12 92.10x
York St Mary 12 74.95x
Flamborough 11 588.24x
Leeds 11 5.04x
Mile End Old Town 11 17.86x
Holy Trinity 10 10.75x
Ilkley 10 158.23x
Leyton 10 75.36x
Guisbrough 9 106.51x
Oswaldkirk 9 3461.54x
Clifton In York 8 98.89x
Hinderwell 8 242.42x
Hutton Le Hole 8 2222.22x
Kilburn 8 1538.46x
Marske In Guisbrough 7 101.89x
Stutton Cum Hazelwood 7 1521.74x
Wortley In Bramley 7 22.86x
Barton St Mary St Peter 6 517.24x
Bilsdale Midcable 6 666.67x
Nawton 6 1276.60x
Ruswarp 6 139.53x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 5 35.71x
New Malton 5 108.23x
Newholme Cum Dunsley 5 943.40x
Armley 4 23.46x
Boltby 4 975.61x
Clerkenwell London 4 4.34x
East Molesey 4 90.70x
Hawnby 4 1290.32x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 16.07x
Old Malton 4 164.61x
Skelton In Guisbrough 4 38.24x
Bowling 3 7.83x
Escomb 3 56.29x
Holbeck 3 11.71x
Hulme 3 3.10x
Kirkby Moorside 3 121.95x
Lancaster 3 10.89x
Little Langton 3 2307.69x
Northowram 3 11.07x
Norton In Malton 3 63.97x
Scarborough 3 8.54x
Seacroft 3 163.93x
Thirsk Sand Hutton 3 714.29x
West Ness 3 3750.00x
Almondbury 2 10.70x
Bishopwearmouth 2 2.01x
Camberwell 2 0.80x
Easington In Guisbrough 2 232.56x
Islington London 2 0.53x
Pontefract 2 24.01x
Selby 2 24.75x
Sowerby In Thirsk 2 85.84x
St Luke London 2 3.20x
Thirsk 2 44.84x
Wavertree 2 13.50x
Withernwick 2 333.33x
York Holy Trinity 2 59.88x
Adel Cum Eccup 1 62.50x
Cottingham 1 12.00x
East Ness 1 2000.00x
Frindsbury 1 19.92x
Great Habton Little 1 344.83x
Hackney London 1 0.46x
Harome 1 169.49x
Holtby 1 555.56x
Lissett 1 833.33x
Normanby In Helmsley 1 416.67x
South Shields 1 9.67x
Stokesley 1 41.49x
Tadcaster West 1 32.68x
Terrington With 1 133.33x
Wakefield 1 3.37x
Westminster St 1 6.95x
Wilsthorpe 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 21
Hannah 13
Ann 12
Jane 11
Margaret 7
Sarah 7
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Martha 6
Annie 5
Emily 5
Ada 4
Charlotte 4
Florence 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Arabella 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Louisa 2
Rose 2
Anna 1
Bessey 1
Betsy 1
Blanch 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Cecilia 1
Clara 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Ethell 1
Flora 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hagar 1
Harriet 1
Janett 1
Lillie 1
Lucy 1
Lylias 1
Maria 1
Millicent 1
Minnie 1
Myra 1
Priscilla 1
Tamer 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 54
William 28
Thomas 16
George 13
James 12
Joseph 10
Harry 5
Henry 5
Ernest 4
Fred 4
Richard 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Frederick 3
Mark 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Christopher 2
Edwin 2
(Mr) 1
Able 1
Basil 1
Chris.Thos. 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Foster 1
Garbutt 1
Gilbert 1
Hardwick 1
Hubert 1
Jas. 1
Jessee 1
Jonathon 1
Leonard 1
Martin 1
Nicholas 1
Noah 1
Richd. 1
Simpson 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Sunley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sunley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 403 people were recorded with the Sunley surname. That placed it at #7,933 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sunley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 694 in 2016. That gives Sunley a modern rank of #7,758.

What does the Sunley surname mean?

A surname derived from a location name containing the Old English words 'sun' meaning son and 'leah' meaning woodland or meadow.

What does the Sunley map show?

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