NameCensus.

UK surname

Tunley

An English habitational surname derived from a place in Yorkshire, originally meaning "hill with a tunnel running through it."

In the 1881 census there were 256 people recorded with the Tunley surname, ranking it #10,885 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 468, ranked #10,507, up from #10,885 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Burton-on-Trent and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Wyre Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tunley is 496 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.8%.

1881 census count

256

Ranked #10,885

Modern count

468

2016, ranked #10,507

Peak year

2014

496 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tunley had 256 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,885 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 468 in 2016, ranked #10,507.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 398 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tunley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tunley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tunley 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 177 #11,441
1861 historical 184 #12,856
1881 historical 256 #10,885
1891 historical 306 #10,945
1901 historical 330 #10,899
1911 historical 398 #9,321
1997 modern 449 #10,094
1998 modern 478 #9,940
1999 modern 479 #9,987
2000 modern 478 #9,969
2001 modern 471 #9,895
2002 modern 459 #10,264
2003 modern 447 #10,343
2004 modern 453 #10,251
2005 modern 443 #10,331
2006 modern 453 #10,194
2007 modern 446 #10,409
2008 modern 449 #10,447
2009 modern 461 #10,462
2010 modern 479 #10,370
2011 modern 472 #10,400
2012 modern 469 #10,348
2013 modern 483 #10,287
2014 modern 496 #10,124
2015 modern 474 #10,418
2016 modern 468 #10,507

Geography

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Where Tunleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Burton-on-Trent, London parishes, Swindon, Lyddington and Nantmel, Church, Llandewy-Ystradenny (Mystyrrhoes-llowdy). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Wyre Forest, Powys and Swindon. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
5 Nantmel, Church, Llandewy-Ystradenny (Mystyrrhoes-llowdy) Radnorshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 007 Blaenau Gwent
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 014 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Wyre Forest 013 Wyre Forest
4 Powys 015 Powys
5 Swindon 008 Swindon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tunley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tunley

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Tunley 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

Tunley is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tunley falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tunley

The surname "TUNLEY" is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "tun" meaning an enclosure or village, and "leah" meaning a woodland clearing or meadow. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived in or near a village surrounded by woodland clearings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Tunleia". This reference suggests that the surname was already established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the 13th century, the name was often spelled as "Tunley" or "Tunleye", reflecting the evolution of the English language over time. In the 14th century, records show variations such as "Tunleigh" and "Tunleigh".

The surname "TUNLEY" is also associated with several place names in England, particularly in the counties of Staffordshire and Derbyshire, where villages called Tunley or Tunley Hill existed. This further reinforces the connection between the surname and its geographic origins.

One notable individual with this surname was Sir Thomas Tunley (c. 1530 - 1597), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another historical figure was John Tunley (c. 1560 - 1620), an English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal under King James I.

In the 18th century, the name appears in the records of the Reverend Richard Tunley (1708 - 1786), an English clergyman and author who published several theological works.

Moving into the 19th century, we find Thomas Tunley (1820 - 1892), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel.

Finally, one of the more recent individuals with this surname was Alfred Tunley (1888 - 1972), a British illustrator and author who was known for his children's books and nature illustrations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tunley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tunley 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. Staffordshire leads with 60 Tunleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.12x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 60 7.12x
Middlesex 26 1.04x
Shropshire 26 12.05x
Yorkshire 18 0.73x
Radnorshire 17 84.37x
Lancashire 11 0.37x
Monmouthshire 11 6.09x
Cheshire 10 1.81x
Montgomeryshire 9 15.73x
Lincolnshire 8 2.00x
Derbyshire 7 1.79x
Gloucestershire 7 1.43x
Wiltshire 7 3.17x
Buckinghamshire 5 3.31x
Denbighshire 5 5.30x
Herefordshire 5 4.88x
Warwickshire 5 0.79x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.19x
Surrey 4 0.33x
Worcestershire 4 1.23x
Hampshire 3 0.59x
Glamorgan 2 0.46x
Brecknockshire 1 2.00x
Leicestershire 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 23 Tunleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.49x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 23 35.49x
Hammersmith London 18 29.26x
Burton Upon Trent 16 81.14x
Oswestry Rural 12 362.54x
Bedwellty 11 34.52x
Llanyblodwell 9 1125.00x
Everton 8 8.47x
Gainsborough 8 85.02x
Guilsfield 8 384.62x
Bushbury 7 463.58x
Highworth 7 248.23x
Killamarsh 7 288.07x
Kingswinford 7 22.87x
Leeds 7 5.01x
Hampstead London 6 15.43x
Nantmel 6 571.43x
Tranmere 6 29.62x
Brymbo 5 152.44x
Old Radnor Evenjobb 5 1851.85x
Titley 5 1470.59x
Aston 4 2.31x
Bradwell 4 187.79x
Goostrey Cum Barnshaw 4 1290.32x
Linthorpe 4 27.08x
Radford 4 23.39x
Yardley 4 47.96x
Alrewas 3 365.85x
Bilston 3 18.36x
Kingstanley 3 165.75x
Mirfield 3 22.08x
Portsea 3 2.99x
Wroxeter 3 714.29x
Cardiff St Mary 2 8.35x
Egham 2 26.77x
Holy Trinity 2 3.36x
Llanbister 2 285.71x
Llandewy Ystradenny 2 392.16x
Minchinhampton 2 51.28x
Spotland 2 6.07x
Bettws Disserth 1 1111.11x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 11.82x
Camberwell 1 0.63x
Deythur 1 263.16x
Glascomb 1 294.12x
Horninglow 1 25.19x
Ibstock 1 49.75x
Kensington London 1 0.72x
Lechlade 1 99.01x
Liverpool 1 0.56x
Llanynys 1 909.09x
Ludlow St Lawrence 1 23.31x
Milverton 1 54.05x
Nether Hallam 1 2.99x
Newport Pagnell 1 31.65x
Oswestry Town 1 14.47x
Painswick 1 28.90x
Reigate Foreign 1 7.59x
St Luke London 1 2.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 12
Ann 7
Annie 7
Eliza 5
Ellen 5
Jane 5
Margaret 5
Sarah 5
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Martha 4
Alice 3
Charlotte 3
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Hester 2
Kate 2
Laurie 2
Lilian 2
Louisa 2
Matilda 2
Ada 1
Amy 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
Florence 1
Ida 1
Janett 1
Jennet 1
Lavina 1
Lenora 1
Lillian 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Michal 1
Mirriam 1
Nellie 1
Olive 1
Patience 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Rosanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
John 19
Richard 10
George 6
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
Arthur 4
James 4
Charles 3
Edgar 3
Samuel 3
David 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Nathan 2
Walter 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Benj. 1
Blodley 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Godfrey 1
Henrery 1
Jabez 1
Mark 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Price 1
Rich 1
Robert 1
T. 1
Thos. 1
W. 1
Wilson 1

FAQ

Tunley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tunley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 256 people were recorded with the Tunley surname. That placed it at #10,885 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tunley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 468 in 2016. That gives Tunley a modern rank of #10,507.

What does the Tunley surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place in Yorkshire, originally meaning "hill with a tunnel running through it."

What does the Tunley map show?

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