NameCensus.

UK surname

Tetley

A surname originating from the place name Tetley in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,206 people recorded with the Tetley surname, ranking it #3,343 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,180, ranked #5,036, down from #3,343 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Birstall, Bradford and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Blaenau Gwent and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tetley is 1,314 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.2%.

1881 census count

1,206

Ranked #3,343

Modern count

1,180

2016, ranked #5,036

Peak year

1911

1,314 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tetley had 1,206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,343 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,180 in 2016, ranked #5,036.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,314 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tetley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tetley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tetley 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 751 #3,535
1861 historical 407 #6,306
1881 historical 1,206 #3,343
1891 historical 965 #4,284
1901 historical 1,281 #3,883
1911 historical 1,314 #3,630
1997 modern 1,139 #4,926
1998 modern 1,135 #5,113
1999 modern 1,153 #5,101
2000 modern 1,163 #5,032
2001 modern 1,143 #5,016
2002 modern 1,165 #5,032
2003 modern 1,150 #4,991
2004 modern 1,145 #5,017
2005 modern 1,123 #5,050
2006 modern 1,146 #4,947
2007 modern 1,162 #4,941
2008 modern 1,182 #4,890
2009 modern 1,198 #4,945
2010 modern 1,211 #5,003
2011 modern 1,210 #4,931
2012 modern 1,196 #4,928
2013 modern 1,212 #4,943
2014 modern 1,223 #4,938
2015 modern 1,175 #5,067
2016 modern 1,180 #5,036

Geography

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Where Tetleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Birstall, Bradford, Halifax and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Blaenau Gwent and Doncaster. 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 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 015 Bradford
2 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
3 Doncaster 018 Doncaster
4 Bradford 055 Bradford
5 Bradford 057 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tetley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tetley

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Tetley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Tetley 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

Tetley falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tetley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Tetley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tetley

The surname Tetley is of English origin, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the place name Tetley, a township in the parish of Bradford, West Yorkshire. This place name itself is thought to be derived from the Old English words "tata" meaning projecting and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, suggesting that the name may have referred to a meadow or clearing with a projecting or prominent feature.

Variations of the name can be found in historical records as early as the 13th century, with spellings such as "de Tettelay" and "Tetteley" appearing in Yorkshire county records. The earliest known bearer of the name is documented as John de Tettelay, who was mentioned in the Wakefield Court Rolls of 1275.

The Tetley surname is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded was William Tetley, a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who lived in the late 15th century. In the 16th century, Richard Tetley, born in 1532, was a prominent clergyman and scholar, serving as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, East Yorkshire.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a notable figure named John Tetley, born in 1610, was a staunch Royalist and fought for King Charles I. He was knighted for his loyalty and bravery on the battlefield.

In the 18th century, Samuel Tetley, born in 1738, was a successful industrialist and entrepreneur who established the Tetley Tea Company, which became one of the largest tea producers in the world. His business acumen and innovative marketing strategies helped popularize the Tetley name globally.

Another prominent individual was Sir Charles Tetley, born in 1845, who was a prominent politician and served as the Lord Mayor of Bradford from 1903 to 1904. He played a significant role in the development and modernization of the city during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the Tetley surname has its origins in Yorkshire, it has spread throughout England and beyond, with many bearers of the name making significant contributions in various fields, including business, politics, academia, and religion.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tetley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tetley 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 861 Tetleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.40x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 861 7.40x
Lancashire 68 0.49x
Warwickshire 44 1.49x
Derbyshire 36 1.96x
Nottinghamshire 30 1.90x
Cheshire 28 1.08x
Staffordshire 25 0.63x
Middlesex 16 0.14x
Kent 14 0.35x
Leicestershire 14 1.08x
Somerset 9 0.48x
Surrey 8 0.14x
Gloucestershire 7 0.30x
Northamptonshire 6 0.54x
Oxfordshire 5 0.69x
Worcestershire 5 0.33x
Devon 4 0.16x
Northumberland 4 0.23x
Essex 3 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.27x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.40x
Denbighshire 2 0.45x
Durham 2 0.06x
Hampshire 2 0.08x
Norfolk 2 0.11x
Suffolk 2 0.14x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.21x
Sussex 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. Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 111 Tetleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.43x.

Place Total Index
Bradford 111 39.43x
Horton In Bradford 46 25.33x
Leeds 46 7.01x
Manningham 45 31.41x
Gomersal 34 62.64x
Tong 32 142.48x
Wilsden 32 268.01x
Heaton 31 248.20x
Aston 30 3.68x
Halifax 30 17.57x
Headingley Cum Burley 30 40.07x
Bowling 29 25.18x
Northowram 26 31.89x
Hunslet 25 13.79x
Armley 24 46.79x
Morley 21 34.73x
Huddersfield 20 11.81x
Bingley 18 24.30x
Derby St Werburgh 17 16.03x
North Bierley 17 27.07x
Nottingham St Mary 15 3.67x
Doncaster 13 15.30x
Claughton With Grange 12 101.69x
Derby St Peter 12 20.51x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 12 28.89x
Wortley In Bramley 12 13.03x
Ardwick 11 8.76x
Ashby De La Zouch 11 36.47x
Birmingham 11 1.12x
Pudsey 11 17.70x
Shelf 11 99.01x
Allerton 10 67.48x
Bridge Hewick 9 3103.45x
Morton In Keighley 9 98.58x
Pendleton In Salford 9 5.43x
York St Mary 9 18.69x
Brightside Bierlow 8 3.51x
Otley 8 28.33x
Taunton St Mary 8 23.07x
Bradford Girlington 7 134.62x
Great Crosby 7 18.44x
Keighley 7 5.65x
Northallerton 7 47.17x
Ovenden 7 13.52x
Potter Newton 7 34.13x
West Derby 7 1.72x
Basford 6 8.23x
Batley 6 5.43x
Everton 6 1.35x
Paddington London 6 1.39x
Plumstead 6 4.50x
Rastrick 6 18.58x
Steeton Cum Eastburn 6 150.00x
Thornton In Bradford 6 15.50x
Wolverhampton 6 1.97x
Blackburn 5 1.35x
Bury 5 3.14x
Calverley Cum Farsley 5 15.14x
Huntwick Cum Nostell 5 216.45x
Ilkley 5 26.32x
Kings Norton 5 3.64x
Lassington 5 310.56x
Lofthouse 5 28.80x
Newborough 5 190.84x
Thorp Arch 5 316.46x
W Adderbury 5 279.33x
West Bromwich 5 2.20x
Camberwell 4 0.53x
Dukinfield 4 3.34x
Higher Bebington 4 24.13x
Lenton 4 10.74x
Lewisham 4 1.87x
Liversedge 4 7.73x
Mansfield 4 7.31x
Moss Side 4 5.46x
Peckforton 4 476.19x
Repton 4 57.55x
Shipley 4 6.63x
Dawlish 3 16.47x
Lapley 3 100.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 68
Sarah 51
Elizabeth 38
Martha 26
Alice 25
Emma 23
Annie 22
Ann 21
Jane 19
Hannah 15
Eliza 14
Harriet 13
Edith 12
Ellen 12
Emily 11
Catherine 10
Fanny 9
Maria 9
Ada 8
Florence 8
Louisa 8
Charlotte 7
Rebecca 7
Clara 6
Lydia 6
Ruth 6
Susan 6
Susannah 6
Caroline 5
Ethel 5
Gertrude 5
Isabella 5
Amy 4
Anne 4
Frances 4
Kate 4
Lilly 4
Lucy 4
Margaret 4
Maud 4
Rose 4
Beatrice 3
Elizth. 3
Emmeline 3
Julia 3
Lily 3
Matilda 3
Nanny 3
Amelia 2
Mabel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 60
John 54
James 42
George 36
Joseph 33
Thomas 23
Charles 21
Alfred 17
Samuel 16
Albert 13
Arthur 13
Edward 13
Henry 13
Walter 11
Harry 10
Frank 9
Richard 8
Robert 8
Benjamin 7
Fred 7
Ernest 6
Mark 6
Wm. 6
Abraham 5
Frederick 5
Herbert 5
Joshua 5
Sam 5
Edwin 4
Geo. 4
Isaac 3
Tom 3
Dyson 2
Edmund 2
Emanuel 2
Fredrick 2
Joe 2
Josiah 2
Levi 2
Luke 2
Peter 2
Thos. 2
Alonzo 1
Ben 1
Benj. 1
Daniel 1
Darcey 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Wm.P. 1

FAQ

Tetley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tetley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,206 people were recorded with the Tetley surname. That placed it at #3,343 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tetley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,180 in 2016. That gives Tetley a modern rank of #5,036.

What does the Tetley surname mean?

A surname originating from the place name Tetley in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Tetley map show?

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