NameCensus.

UK surname

Thurlby

A locational surname derived from places in Lincolnshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 341 people recorded with the Thurlby surname, ranking it #8,918 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 301, ranked #14,696, down from #8,918 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Coddington, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Leasingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Boston, South Kesteven and Nottingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thurlby is 389 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.7%.

1881 census count

341

Ranked #8,918

Modern count

301

2016, ranked #14,696

Peak year

1911

389 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thurlby had 341 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,918 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 301 in 2016, ranked #14,696.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 389 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Thurlby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thurlby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thurlby 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 219 #9,712
1861 historical 183 #12,903
1881 historical 341 #8,918
1891 historical 335 #10,181
1901 historical 378 #9,862
1911 historical 389 #9,470
1997 modern 319 #13,000
1998 modern 345 #12,649
1999 modern 352 #12,552
2000 modern 344 #12,722
2001 modern 342 #12,566
2002 modern 335 #13,020
2003 modern 319 #13,263
2004 modern 310 #13,589
2005 modern 313 #13,433
2006 modern 300 #13,911
2007 modern 304 #13,927
2008 modern 311 #13,800
2009 modern 322 #13,741
2010 modern 341 #13,477
2011 modern 326 #13,775
2012 modern 324 #13,751
2013 modern 325 #13,924
2014 modern 325 #14,030
2015 modern 309 #14,430
2016 modern 301 #14,696

Geography

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Where Thurlbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Coddington, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Leasingham, Sleaford, New and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Boston, South Kesteven, Nottingham and Worcester. 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 Coddington Nottinghamshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Leasingham Lincolnshire
4 Sleaford, New Lincolnshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Boston 001 Boston
2 South Kesteven 016 South Kesteven
3 South Kesteven 012 South Kesteven
4 Nottingham 005 Nottingham
5 Worcester 011 Worcester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thurlby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thurlby

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

Thurlby is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Thurlby

The surname Thurlby is of Anglo-Saxon origin and can be traced back to the medieval period in England. It is a locational name derived from the village of Thurlby, which is located in the county of Lincolnshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "thyrl," meaning a hole or aperture, and "by," meaning a village or town.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Thurlby can be found in the Domesday Book, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Thurlebi," referring to the village in Lincolnshire.

In the 13th century, a notable figure with the surname Thurlby was Sir Robert de Thurlby, a knight who served under King Edward I. He was born around 1250 and played a significant role in the Welsh wars and the Scottish Wars of Independence.

During the 16th century, a prominent individual named John Thurlby (c. 1508-1570) held the position of Bishop of Westminster and was a renowned theologian and diplomat during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable bearer of the surname was William Thurlby (1625-1678), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Master of the Temple Church in London and was renowned for his contributions to theological discourse.

In the 18th century, Thomas Thurlby (1737-1806) was a prominent architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Guildhall and the Bethlem Royal Hospital.

Moving into the 19th century, Joseph Thurlby (1814-1888) was a distinguished English architect and a pioneer in the Gothic Revival movement. He was responsible for designing several churches and public buildings throughout the United Kingdom.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the surname Thurlby throughout history, highlighting its rich heritage and significance in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thurlby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thurlby 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. Lincolnshire leads with 145 Thurlbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.26x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 145 27.26x
Nottinghamshire 52 11.60x
Leicestershire 37 10.03x
Northamptonshire 22 7.03x
Middlesex 19 0.57x
Yorkshire 15 0.46x
Warwickshire 12 1.43x
Sussex 10 1.78x
Lancashire 8 0.20x
Staffordshire 8 0.71x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.42x
Midlothian 2 0.45x
Suffolk 2 0.49x
Dorset 1 0.46x
Hampshire 1 0.15x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.51x
Norfolk 1 0.20x
Oxfordshire 1 0.49x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oundle in Northamptonshire leads with 16 Thurlbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 457.14x.

Place Total Index
Oundle 16 457.14x
Aston 12 5.20x
Newark Upon Trent 12 74.49x
Snenton 10 56.75x
Ancaster 9 1216.22x
New Sealford 9 825.69x
Denton 8 1290.32x
Ewerby 8 1568.63x
Frampton 8 792.08x
Mayfield 8 567.38x
Trowell 8 1666.67x
Upton 8 2962.96x
Ardingly 7 393.26x
Belvoir 7 4375.00x
Claypole 7 909.09x
Marton 7 1400.00x
Nottingham St Mary 7 6.04x
Otley 7 87.50x
Uffington 7 1346.15x
Clerkenwell London 6 7.64x
Coddington 6 1016.95x
Leasingham 6 1428.57x
Leicester St Margaret 6 6.67x
Northampton St Giles 6 50.34x
Central Wingland 5 1851.85x
Leicester All Sts 5 69.06x
Gorton 4 10.78x
Heckington 4 198.02x
Islington London 4 1.24x
Leicester St Mary 4 13.42x
Melton Mowbray 4 60.33x
North Rauceby 4 1290.32x
Oldham 4 3.14x
Saltby 4 1290.32x
St Marylebone London 4 2.25x
Waltham On The Wolds 4 588.24x
Aslackby 3 576.92x
Baston 3 340.91x
Caythorpe 3 294.12x
East Grinstead 3 37.78x
Fenton 3 750.00x
Grantham 3 43.29x
Hough On Hill 3 681.82x
Marske In Guisbrough 3 51.28x
Morton In Bourn 3 277.78x
Tydd St Giles 3 300.00x
Bicker 2 243.90x
Brightside Bierlow 2 3.09x
Colsterworth 2 178.57x
Cropwell Bishop 2 277.78x
Cropwell Butler 2 327.87x
Deeping St James 2 106.38x
Dunston 2 224.72x
Edinburgh Canongate 2 17.64x
Gorleston 2 19.44x
Kensington London 2 1.08x
New Sleaford 2 58.65x
Nottingham St Nicholas 2 32.73x
Partney 2 400.00x
Spittlegate 2 27.17x
St Andrew Holborn 2 17.73x
St Peterat Arches 2 327.87x
Tallington 2 714.29x
Barrowby 1 108.70x
Croxton Keyrial 1 161.29x
Fakenham 1 39.68x
Farnsfield 1 84.03x
Great Gidding 1 181.82x
Great Hale 1 123.46x
Hackney London 1 0.54x
Hubberston 1 64.52x
Laughton In Gainsborough 1 294.12x
North Forty Foot Bank 1 434.78x
Osbournby 1 178.57x
Redmile 1 178.57x
Skidbrook 1 212.77x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 13.37x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 11.96x
Wakefield 1 3.95x
Worksop 1 7.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 15
Sarah 13
Emma 9
Alice 8
Kate 7
Ada 5
Eliza 5
Ann 4
Anne 4
Annie 4
Jane 4
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Emily 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Louisa 3
Amy 2
Betsy 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Augusta 1
Belinda 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Constance 1
Edna 1
Eleaner 1
Eliz. 1
Elizl. 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Eve 1
Eveline 1
Fannie 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Hetty 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Leah 1
Mabel 1
Meryer 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
William 22
George 12
Thomas 11
Charles 8
Edward 7
Frederick 7
Henry 7
Joseph 7
Alfred 5
Robert 5
Arthur 4
Jesse 4
Tom 4
Ernest 3
James 3
Lewis 3
Harry 2
Horace 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Cecil 1
David 1
Ephraim 1
Foster 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Geo.F. 1
Harris 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Jane 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Maurice 1
Michael 1
Oscar 1
Richd. 1
Wille 1

FAQ

Thurlby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thurlby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 341 people were recorded with the Thurlby surname. That placed it at #8,918 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thurlby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 301 in 2016. That gives Thurlby a modern rank of #14,696.

What does the Thurlby surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places in Lincolnshire, England.

What does the Thurlby map show?

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