NameCensus.

UK surname

Tansley

A locational surname indicating someone from a meadow or clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 1,111 people recorded with the Tansley surname, ranking it #3,584 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,542, ranked #4,009, down from #3,584 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Coggeshall, Great, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Erewash and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tansley is 1,735 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.8%.

1881 census count

1,111

Ranked #3,584

Modern count

1,542

2016, ranked #4,009

Peak year

2002

1,735 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tansley had 1,111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,584 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,542 in 2016, ranked #4,009.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,640 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tansley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tansley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tansley 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 657 #3,951
1861 historical 654 #4,101
1881 historical 1,111 #3,584
1891 historical 1,159 #3,687
1901 historical 1,494 #3,433
1911 historical 1,640 #2,966
1997 modern 1,650 #3,597
1998 modern 1,671 #3,688
1999 modern 1,702 #3,653
2000 modern 1,693 #3,654
2001 modern 1,662 #3,644
2002 modern 1,735 #3,590
2003 modern 1,666 #3,645
2004 modern 1,618 #3,734
2005 modern 1,579 #3,773
2006 modern 1,573 #3,787
2007 modern 1,588 #3,793
2008 modern 1,592 #3,812
2009 modern 1,636 #3,809
2010 modern 1,653 #3,852
2011 modern 1,655 #3,808
2012 modern 1,566 #3,926
2013 modern 1,595 #3,929
2014 modern 1,608 #3,922
2015 modern 1,559 #3,990
2016 modern 1,542 #4,009

Geography

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Where Tansleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Coggeshall, Great, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Nottingham St Mary and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Erewash, East Northamptonshire, Redcar and Cleveland and South Derbyshire. 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 Coggeshall, Great Essex
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 014 Barnsley
2 Erewash 010 Erewash
3 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
4 Redcar and Cleveland 016 Redcar and Cleveland
5 South Derbyshire 002 South Derbyshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tansley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tansley

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Tansley 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

Tansley 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

Tansley falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tansley

The surname Tansley is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Tansley, a village situated in Derbyshire. The name itself is believed to have originated from the Old English words "tan" meaning "twig" or "branch," and "ley" meaning "a clearing" or "a meadow."

Tansley is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Taneslege," indicating its existence as a settlement during the Norman conquest of England. This early spelling variation is a testament to the surname's longevity and connection to the local geography.

One of the earliest documented instances of the surname Tansley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1199, where a certain William de Tannesley is mentioned. This record provides evidence of the surname's use in the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various legal documents and charters. For instance, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Robert de Tansleye, while the Feet of Fines for Derbyshire in 1292 refer to a John de Tansleye.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Tansley. One such figure is Sir John Tansley (1700-1772), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire from 1741 to 1761. Another is Arthur Tansley (1871-1955), a renowned British botanist and pioneer in the field of ecology, who introduced the concept of the "ecosystem."

Other individuals with the surname Tansley include: 1. Thomas Tansley (1785-1861), an English poet and writer. 2. William Tansley (1809-1889), a British architect known for his work on churches and public buildings in the Midlands. 3. Robert Tansley (1830-1904), an English industrialist and coal mine owner. 4. Henry Tansley (1856-1932), a British journalist and newspaper editor. 5. Dorothy Tansley (1882-1953), an English writer and historian who specialized in Tudor history.

While the surname Tansley may have evolved in its spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the medieval English village, reflecting the rich tapestry of England's linguistic and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tansley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tansley 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. Staffordshire leads with 137 Tansleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.75x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 137 3.75x
Nottinghamshire 125 8.57x
Bedfordshire 94 16.78x
Essex 86 4.03x
Middlesex 85 0.79x
Northamptonshire 67 6.58x
Leicestershire 65 5.42x
Warwickshire 65 2.38x
Hertfordshire 56 7.51x
Surrey 48 0.91x
Yorkshire 45 0.42x
Lancashire 30 0.23x
Cambridgeshire 28 4.09x
Lincolnshire 27 1.56x
Derbyshire 22 1.30x
Sussex 22 1.21x
Buckinghamshire 20 3.06x
Kent 19 0.51x
Suffolk 17 1.29x
Cheshire 9 0.38x
Worcestershire 8 0.57x
Durham 7 0.22x
Lanarkshire 6 0.17x
Oxfordshire 5 0.75x
Wigtownshire 4 2.78x
Westmorland 3 1.26x
Devon 2 0.09x
Northumberland 2 0.12x
Berkshire 1 0.12x
Flintshire 1 0.34x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Hampshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 46 Tansleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.20x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 46 12.20x
Rotherhithe 34 25.44x
Great Coggeshall 30 270.03x
Leicester St Margaret 29 9.91x
Wisbech St Peter 26 75.67x
Crowland 21 193.55x
Hitchin 21 62.39x
Cottingham 20 569.80x
Aspley Guise 19 354.48x
West Ham 19 4.03x
Trentham 18 57.95x
Bedford St Paul 17 44.25x
Coventry Holy Trinity 16 19.64x
Coventry St Michael 15 17.12x
Loughborough 15 27.56x
Kettering 14 34.01x
Lenton 14 40.76x
Newcastle Under Lyme 14 21.67x
St George Hanover 14 9.91x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 3.36x
Stotfold 13 121.27x
West Bromwich 13 6.22x
Welwyn 12 185.76x
Wolstanton 12 10.82x
Chelsea London 11 3.37x
Lowestoft 11 17.67x
Salt Enson 11 696.20x
St Pancras London 11 1.26x
Basford 10 14.88x
Stanghow 10 230.95x
Wavendon 10 275.48x
Aston 9 1.20x
Islington London 9 0.86x
Mansfield 9 17.84x
Prestwold Hoton 9 789.47x
Salford 9 1097.56x
Skegby 9 100.78x
Bedworth 8 40.18x
Brighton 8 2.17x
Burton Upon Trent 8 9.36x
Chelmsford 8 21.83x
Edgbaston 8 9.46x
Hove 8 10.00x
Walsall Foreign 8 4.24x
Battersea 7 1.76x
Birmingham 7 0.77x
Blackwell 7 84.13x
Burslem 7 6.69x
Lidlington 7 286.89x
Oundle 7 61.51x
Plumstead 7 5.69x
Romford 7 20.73x
Seighford 7 240.55x
St George In East 7 9.51x
Standon 7 526.32x
Ampthill 6 71.77x
Beeston 6 35.82x
Etchingham 6 178.04x
Govan 6 0.69x
Graveley 6 425.53x
Great Warley 6 123.97x
Hampstead London 6 3.56x
Heckmondwike 6 17.40x
Ipswich St Helen 6 38.41x
Little Warley 6 201.34x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 11.59x
Nottingham St Nicholas 6 30.21x
Redditch 6 20.95x
Skelton In Guisbrough 6 20.69x
Thornby 6 759.49x
Wakefield 6 7.29x
Windle 6 8.31x
Bow Brickhill 5 294.12x
Brockton 5 602.41x
Langford 5 108.70x
Liverpool 5 0.64x
Oxford St Clement 5 29.66x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 18.20x
St Albans St Peter 5 19.87x
St Marylebone London 5 0.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 88
John 55
George 49
Thomas 44
Charles 27
James 27
Arthur 24
Henry 24
Joseph 17
Alfred 16
Robert 13
Frederick 11
Samuel 10
Harry 9
Albert 7
David 7
Herbert 7
Edward 6
Ernest 6
Frank 6
Walter 6
Wm. 5
Jonathan 4
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Fredrick 3
Chas. 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Isaiah 2
Mark 2
Reuben 2
Richard 2
Abel 1
Ambrose 1
Benjiman 1
Bertie 1
Bryan 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Emley 1
Ephraim 1
Georg. 1
Gershom 1
Harold 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Tansley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tansley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,111 people were recorded with the Tansley surname. That placed it at #3,584 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tansley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,542 in 2016. That gives Tansley a modern rank of #4,009.

What does the Tansley surname mean?

A locational surname indicating someone from a meadow or clearing.

What does the Tansley map show?

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