NameCensus.

UK surname

Thiele

A German occupational surname referring to a plank maker or carpenter.

In the 1881 census there were 22 people recorded with the Thiele surname, ranking it #30,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, up from #30,464 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Hertfordshire, Ashford and Isle of Anglesey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thiele is 145 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 536.4%.

1881 census count

22

Ranked #30,464

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

2009

145 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thiele had 22 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,464 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 78 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Thiele surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thiele surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thiele 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 5 #32,456
1861 historical 17 #31,714
1881 historical 22 #30,464
1891 historical 34 #31,604
1901 historical 61 #27,379
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 119 #24,918
1999 modern 110 #26,315
2000 modern 124 #24,469
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 132 #23,459
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 134 #23,406
2006 modern 136 #23,378
2007 modern 141 #23,137
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 145 #23,473
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 145 #23,780
2013 modern 144 #24,323
2014 modern 145 #24,395
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Thieles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Hertfordshire, Ashford and Isle of Anglesey. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Hertfordshire 006 North Hertfordshire
2 North Hertfordshire 005 North Hertfordshire
3 North Hertfordshire 009 North Hertfordshire
4 Ashford 002 Ashford
5 Isle of Anglesey 002 Isle of Anglesey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thiele

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thiele

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Thiele, 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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Thiele surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Thiele 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Thiele is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Thiele 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

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

Meaning and origin of Thiele

The surname Thiele is of German origin, originating in the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Thiele," which means "tile" or "brick." This suggests that the name may have been given as an occupational surname to someone who worked as a tiler or bricklayer.

The name Thiele is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Germany, particularly in areas like Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein, where the use of tiles and bricks in construction was common. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 16th and 17th centuries in various German parish records and tax rolls.

One notable historical reference to the name Thiele can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis," a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, which mentions a certain "Henning Thiele" in the year 1492.

In the 17th century, the name Thiele appeared in the "Kirchenbücher" (church books) of various German regions, such as Johann Thiele, born in 1638 in Altona, and Catharina Thiele, born in 1671 in Mecklenburg.

Among the notable individuals bearing the surname Thiele throughout history are:

1. Johann Thiele (1646-1724), a German composer and organist. 2. Eduard Thiele (1812-1895), a German astronomer and mathematician. 3. Theodor Thiele (1854-1934), a Norwegian mathematician and statistician. 4. Wilhelm Thiele (1865-1945), a German architect and urban planner. 5. Rolf Thiele (1918-1994), a German film director and screenwriter.

The name Thiele has also been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Thielau, a village in Saxony, and Thielen, a municipality in North Rhine-Westphalia. These place names may have derived from the same root as the surname, suggesting a connection between the name and specific geographical locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thiele families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thiele 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. Middlesex leads with 15 Thieles recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.00x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 15 7.00x
Yorkshire 2 0.94x
Aberdeenshire 1 5.04x
Hampshire 1 2.28x
Midlothian 1 3.48x
Surrey 1 0.96x
Warwickshire 1 1.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 6 Thieles recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.76x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 6 34.76x
Westminster St James 4 181.82x
Bromley London 2 42.37x
Dewsbury 2 91.74x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 24.10x
Birmingham 1 5.55x
Lambeth 1 5.35x
North Leith 1 75.19x
Shoreditch London 1 10.75x
Southampton St Mary 1 36.23x
St George Hanover 1 35.71x
St Martin In Fields 1 78.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Lydia 2
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Florence 1
Mary 1
Matilda 1
Sophie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Victor 2
Carl 1
Charles 1
Emil 1
Francis 1
Franz 1
Hans 1
Harry 1
Leonard 1
Reinhold 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Thiele households.

FAQ

Thiele surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thiele surname in 1881?

In 1881, 22 people were recorded with the Thiele surname. That placed it at #30,464 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thiele surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Thiele a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Thiele surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a plank maker or carpenter.

What does the Thiele map show?

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