NameCensus.

UK surname

Tuley

An English surname originally derived from a place name.

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Tuley surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 191, ranked #20,194, down from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mitcham, Halifax and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, Gravesham and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tuley is 216 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.7%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

191

2016, ranked #20,194

Peak year

1901

216 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tuley had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016, ranked #20,194.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 216 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Tuley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tuley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tuley 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 138 #16,365
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 163 #17,300
1901 historical 216 #14,426
1911 historical 213 #14,379
1997 modern 195 #17,912
1998 modern 202 #17,991
1999 modern 212 #17,611
2000 modern 199 #18,278
2001 modern 190 #18,520
2002 modern 189 #18,950
2003 modern 175 #19,690
2004 modern 180 #19,424
2005 modern 177 #19,598
2006 modern 180 #19,526
2007 modern 180 #19,745
2008 modern 182 #19,800
2009 modern 191 #19,592
2010 modern 190 #20,087
2011 modern 188 #20,067
2012 modern 182 #20,440
2013 modern 195 #19,857
2014 modern 195 #20,036
2015 modern 191 #20,205
2016 modern 191 #20,194

Geography

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Where Tuleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mitcham, Halifax, London parishes, Manchester and Hampsthwaite. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, Gravesham, Hambleton and Manchester. 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 Mitcham Surrey
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Hampsthwaite Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 005 Harrogate
2 Gravesham 005 Gravesham
3 Harrogate 004 Harrogate
4 Hambleton 011 Hambleton
5 Manchester 021 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tuley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tuley

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Tuley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Tuley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Tuley 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

Tuley is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tuley falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tuley

The surname TULEY originated in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "tu" meaning "two" and "leah" meaning "woodland clearing" or "meadow". This suggests the name may have referred to someone who lived near two clearings or meadows.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name TULEY appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a Richard de Tulueley. The name is also found in various medieval records and documents with spellings like Tuleye, Tulley, and Tewley.

In the 16th century, the surname TULEY was concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire. Historical records from this period show variants like Tewly, Teweley, and Towley being used.

A notable bearer of the TULEY name was Thomas Tuley (c.1420-1492), a wealthy landowner and merchant from Abingdon, Oxfordshire. He served as the town's mayor and was involved in local politics.

Another early TULEY was William Tuley (c.1530-1595), a yeoman farmer from Steventon, Berkshire. His will from 1595 provides insights into his life and possessions.

In the 17th century, the TULEY surname spread to other parts of England, including London. John Tuley (1625-1679) was a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers in London.

Edward Tuley (1637-1705) was a clergyman and author from Berkshire. He wrote several religious works and served as the vicar of Steventon for over 40 years.

During the 18th century, the TULEY name continued to be found across southern England. Notable bearers include Richard Tuley (1715-1778), a wealthy landowner and justice of the peace from Oxfordshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tuley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tuley 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 48 Tuleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.82x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 48 3.82x
Lancashire 21 1.40x
Kent 13 3.01x
Middlesex 8 0.63x
Worcestershire 8 4.83x
Staffordshire 7 1.64x
Durham 6 1.59x
Wiltshire 5 4.46x
Essex 4 1.60x
Lanarkshire 4 0.98x
Buckinghamshire 3 3.91x
Hertfordshire 1 1.14x
Monmouthshire 1 1.09x
Surrey 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 14 Tuleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 104.56x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 14 104.56x
Deptford St Paul 10 29.97x
Ardwick 8 58.95x
Bewerley 7 1346.15x
Huddersfield 7 38.25x
Wolverhampton 7 21.27x
Halifax 6 32.52x
Manchester 6 8.87x
Westoe 6 28.06x
Dodderhill 5 704.23x
Swindon 5 57.47x
Thornthwaite Cum 5 4545.45x
Markington Cum 4 2000.00x
Bradford 3 42.61x
Fenny Stratford 3 410.96x
Glasgow 3 4.12x
Rawreth 3 2142.86x
Tenbury 3 329.67x
Beswick 2 51.95x
Ealing 2 17.65x
Greenwich 2 9.91x
Islington London 2 1.63x
Leeds 2 2.82x
Liverpool 2 2.19x
St George Hanover 2 12.08x
Barony 1 0.96x
Chepstow 1 64.10x
Croydon 1 2.92x
Dacre 1 357.14x
Darenth 1 149.25x
Knaresborough 1 50.76x
North Mimms 1 181.82x
Rettendon 1 322.58x
St George Bloomsbury 1 13.76x
St Pancras London 1 0.98x
Thornton In Craven 1 99.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 6
Annie 5
Elizabeth 5
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Charlotte 1
Clare 1
Dinah 1
E. 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizbth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Frances 1
Lillian 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 12
James 7
Thomas 6
Joseph 5
George 4
Arthur 3
Alfred 2
Edwin 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Alice 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Geo.Ernest 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Louis 1
Richard 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Tuley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tuley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Tuley surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tuley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016. That gives Tuley a modern rank of #20,194.

What does the Tuley surname mean?

An English surname originally derived from a place name.

What does the Tuley map show?

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