NameCensus.

UK surname

Tilney

An English habitational surname derived from any of several places named Tilney.

In the 1881 census there were 225 people recorded with the Tilney surname, ranking it #11,931 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 314, ranked #14,291, down from #11,931 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Brancepeth, Sheffield and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Norwich and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tilney is 379 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.6%.

1881 census count

225

Ranked #11,931

Modern count

314

2016, ranked #14,291

Peak year

2001

379 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tilney had 225 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,931 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 314 in 2016, ranked #14,291.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 342 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tilney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tilney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tilney 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 149 #12,967
1861 historical 173 #13,553
1881 historical 225 #11,931
1891 historical 253 #12,645
1901 historical 295 #11,783
1911 historical 342 #10,445
1997 modern 349 #12,197
1998 modern 355 #12,418
1999 modern 368 #12,182
2000 modern 376 #11,928
2001 modern 379 #11,676
2002 modern 369 #12,144
2003 modern 341 #12,655
2004 modern 341 #12,673
2005 modern 331 #12,913
2006 modern 322 #13,234
2007 modern 334 #13,036
2008 modern 331 #13,237
2009 modern 353 #12,894
2010 modern 355 #13,099
2011 modern 339 #13,404
2012 modern 322 #13,799
2013 modern 335 #13,604
2014 modern 328 #13,951
2015 modern 326 #13,898
2016 modern 314 #14,291

Geography

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Where Tilneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Brancepeth, Sheffield, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos, Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Norwich, Fenland and Broadland. 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 Brancepeth Durham
2 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
4 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 012 County Durham
2 Norwich 004 Norwich
3 Fenland 004 Fenland
4 Broadland 014 Broadland
5 County Durham 010 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tilney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tilney

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Tilney is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tilney is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tilney falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tilney

The surname Tilney originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "til" meaning "pleasant" and "ey" meaning "island or watery place." The name likely refers to a pleasant island or area near water, suggesting the name's bearers may have hailed from such a location.

One of the earliest mentions of the Tilney surname is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which records a landholder named Ralph de Tilney in Norfolk. This suggests the name's roots may lie in the village of Tilney in Norfolk, which was once an island in the marshes.

In the 13th century, a Sir Philip de Tilney was a prominent figure in Norfolk, serving as a knight and landowner. His descendants continued to hold lands and titles in the area for several centuries.

Notable individuals with the Tilney surname include Edmund Tilney (c.1535-1610), an English courtier and Master of the Revels to Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the regulation and censorship of plays during the Elizabethan era.

Another famous bearer of the name was Agnes Tilney (c.1477-1545), who served as a lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon and later became a nun. She was a notable figure in the court of Henry VIII and witnessed the tumultuous events surrounding his various marriages.

In the 17th century, Sir Ralph Tilney (c.1625-1678) was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bury St Edmunds. He was also a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War.

Charles Tilney (1701-1786) was an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Master of St John's College, Cambridge. He was renowned for his work in classical literature and his contributions to the study of ancient Greek and Roman texts.

Another notable figure was Frederick Tilney (1815-1890), a British military officer who served in the Crimean War and later became a major-general in the British Army. He was awarded several military honors for his service and leadership.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tilney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tilney 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. Norfolk leads with 97 Tilneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.27x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 97 29.27x
Middlesex 29 1.35x
Yorkshire 26 1.22x
Suffolk 20 7.62x
Monmouthshire 15 9.63x
Lancashire 12 0.47x
Somerset 5 1.44x
Surrey 5 0.48x
Essex 3 0.71x
Northumberland 3 0.94x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.77x
Gloucestershire 1 0.24x
Kent 1 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.34x
Staffordshire 1 0.14x
Sussex 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberystruth in Monmouthshire leads with 10 Tilneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.78x.

Place Total Index
Aberystruth 10 72.78x
Mattishall 10 1515.15x
Yaxham 10 2777.78x
Brandon 9 505.62x
Norwich St Clement 9 234.38x
Liverpool 8 5.15x
Sheffield 8 11.76x
Sprowston 8 547.95x
Walsoken 8 402.01x
Boughton 7 4117.65x
Islington London 7 3.35x
Tittleshall 7 1842.11x
Halesworth 6 322.58x
Holy Trinity 6 11.68x
Mettingham 6 2222.22x
Norwich St Augustine 6 447.76x
Beccles 5 118.20x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 5 168.35x
Allerton Bywater 4 344.83x
Camberwell 4 2.90x
Mile End New Town 4 136.05x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 4 186.05x
Norwich St Lawrence 4 888.89x
St Luke London 4 11.57x
Bethnal Green London 3 3.20x
Lakenham 3 63.69x
Leeds 3 2.49x
Little Ilford 3 405.41x
Wallbottle 3 441.18x
Bathwick 2 52.08x
Benhall 2 434.78x
Bishops Lydeard 2 224.72x
Heaton Norris 2 13.74x
Heigham 2 11.24x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 2 120.48x
Ovington 2 952.38x
Potter Newton 2 53.05x
St Martin In Fields 2 15.49x
Westminster St John 2 7.62x
Astley 1 50.76x
Brighton 1 1.36x
Eastington 1 71.43x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.30x
Eton 1 33.90x
Gate Fulford 1 20.04x
Hendon 1 12.89x
Kensington London 1 0.83x
Kirby Cane 1 322.58x
Laxton 1 555.56x
Lee 1 9.36x
Litcham 1 169.49x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.94x
Norwich St George Tombland 1 172.41x
Norwich St Margaret 1 192.31x
Norwich St Mary In Marsh 1 270.27x
Radford 1 6.78x
Ringsfield 1 476.19x
Shernborne 1 833.33x
Spitalfields London 1 6.17x
St Anne Soho London 1 8.12x
St George Hanover 1 3.55x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.30x
Toxteth Park 1 1.15x
Walton In Gordano 1 270.27x
Westminster St James 1 4.51x
Windlesham 1 50.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 13
Henry 9
James 8
Robert 8
Charles 5
George 5
Harry 5
John 5
Arthur 4
Frederick 4
Samuel 4
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Fredk. 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Barnabas 1
Barnabus 1
Bertie 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Geo.Wm. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
Maxmillian 1
Norman 1
Rober 1
Stanley 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Tilney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tilney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 225 people were recorded with the Tilney surname. That placed it at #11,931 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tilney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 314 in 2016. That gives Tilney a modern rank of #14,291.

What does the Tilney surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from any of several places named Tilney.

What does the Tilney map show?

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