NameCensus.

UK surname

Turley

Derived from a place name meaning "dry wood" or "turf clearing" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 1,617 people recorded with the Turley surname, ranking it #2,639 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,223, ranked #2,111, up from #2,639 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Sedgley and Tipton otherwise Tibington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Turley is 3,280 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 99.3%.

1881 census count

1,617

Ranked #2,639

Modern count

3,223

2016, ranked #2,111

Peak year

2010

3,280 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Turley had 1,617 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,639 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,223 in 2016, ranked #2,111.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,383 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Turley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Turley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Turley 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 955 #2,906
1861 historical 878 #3,161
1881 historical 1,617 #2,639
1891 historical 1,636 #2,736
1901 historical 2,242 #2,414
1911 historical 2,383 #2,151
1997 modern 3,024 #2,132
1998 modern 3,125 #2,147
1999 modern 3,168 #2,134
2000 modern 3,144 #2,141
2001 modern 3,087 #2,128
2002 modern 3,226 #2,082
2003 modern 3,155 #2,081
2004 modern 3,149 #2,086
2005 modern 3,096 #2,085
2006 modern 3,081 #2,100
2007 modern 3,160 #2,074
2008 modern 3,151 #2,092
2009 modern 3,221 #2,103
2010 modern 3,280 #2,114
2011 modern 3,258 #2,102
2012 modern 3,212 #2,099
2013 modern 3,262 #2,103
2014 modern 3,277 #2,106
2015 modern 3,242 #2,110
2016 modern 3,223 #2,111

Geography

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Where Turleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean and Dudley. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
4 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
5 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 009 Forest of Dean
2 Forest of Dean 004 Forest of Dean
3 Forest of Dean 008 Forest of Dean
4 Dudley 010 Dudley
5 Dudley 005 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Turley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Turley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Turley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Turley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Turley 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

Turley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Turley falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Turley

The surname Turley is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "tur" meaning a tower or fortified building, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, likely referring to someone who resided near a fortified tower or in a clearing surrounded by woods.

One of the earliest known records of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Turlai" in the county of Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, variations of the name included spellings such as Turley, Turlay, and Turleigh. These variations often reflected regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.

A notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Turley, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III at the Battle of Crécy in 1346 during the Hundred Years' War. Records also show a William Turley who was a member of the Guild of Weavers in the city of London in the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name Turley appears to have been particularly concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, with several references to place names such as Turley's Green and Turley's Farm.

One of the most prominent figures in history with the surname Turley was Sir Richard Turley (1532-1593), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was known for his role in negotiations with Spain and the Netherlands.

Another notable Turley was William Turley (1684-1746), a renowned English architect who designed several churches and country houses in the Baroque style, including St. John's Church in Leeds and Turley Manor in Oxfordshire.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Turley family continued to maintain a presence in various parts of England, with several members achieving recognition in fields such as academia, law, and the military. For instance, John Turley (1769-1842) was a respected scholar and author of several works on classical literature, while Henry Turley (1802-1879) served as a distinguished officer in the British Army and participated in the Napoleonic Wars.

As the centuries progressed, the Turley name spread beyond England, with many members of the family emigrating to other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Nonetheless, the surname retains its English origins and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Turley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Turley 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 494 Turleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.29x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 494 9.29x
Worcestershire 174 8.46x
Gloucestershire 151 4.89x
Lancashire 144 0.77x
Kent 107 1.99x
Warwickshire 90 2.27x
Middlesex 85 0.54x
Yorkshire 83 0.53x
Durham 48 1.02x
Lanarkshire 42 0.82x
Surrey 34 0.44x
Shropshire 32 2.35x
Sussex 14 0.53x
Renfrewshire 12 0.98x
Derbyshire 10 0.41x
Monmouthshire 10 0.88x
Cheshire 9 0.26x
Herefordshire 8 1.24x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.38x
Carmarthenshire 7 1.05x
Stirlingshire 7 1.20x
Norfolk 6 0.25x
Wigtownshire 6 2.87x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.53x
Hampshire 5 0.15x
Leicestershire 5 0.29x
Cumberland 4 0.29x
West Lothian 4 1.69x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.20x
Denbighshire 2 0.34x
Angus 1 0.07x
Devon 1 0.03x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.09x
Northumberland 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.53x
Somerset 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sedgley in Staffordshire leads with 136 Turleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.85x.

Place Total Index
Sedgley 136 68.85x
Wolverhampton 74 18.10x
Westbury On Severn East 73 104.51x
West Bromwich 58 19.05x
Birmingham 54 4.08x
Harborne 45 26.40x
West Dean 41 81.69x
Tipton 39 23.95x
Dudley 38 15.19x
Aston 27 2.47x
Wolverley 26 143.96x
Wednesbury 25 18.81x
Islington London 23 1.51x
Liverpool 23 2.03x
Awre 22 345.91x
Preston 21 4.20x
Speldhurst 21 76.73x
Rowley Regis 20 13.50x
Tonbridge 20 10.32x
Kingswinford 19 9.84x
Worcester St John 17 69.19x
Bishopwearmouth 16 3.98x
Glasgow 16 1.77x
Manchester 16 1.90x
Walsall Foreign 16 5.82x
Kidderminster Borough 13 10.80x
Leeds 13 1.47x
Wednesfield 13 16.61x
Camberwell 12 1.19x
Cheetham 12 8.61x
Clifford Cum Boston 12 85.47x
Linthorpe 12 12.88x
Shifnal 12 32.48x
Alfrick 11 452.67x
Claines 11 19.48x
St Benet Fink London 11 1617.65x
Toxteth Park 11 1.74x
East Greenock 10 8.67x
East Hoathly 9 194.81x
Heeley 9 18.97x
Moss Side 9 9.15x
Brightside Bierlow 8 2.61x
Conside Knitsley 8 21.95x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 2.52x
Edgbaston 8 6.49x
Everton 8 1.34x
Kinver 8 52.19x
Maidstone 8 5.00x
Ryhope 8 24.59x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 2.52x
Stranton 8 5.07x
Altofts 7 40.63x
Bradford 7 1.85x
Darlaston 7 9.53x
Kensington London 7 0.80x
Kilsyth 7 18.89x
Llandilo Fawr 7 23.65x
Northfield 7 17.93x
Northfleet 7 14.78x
Paddington London 7 1.21x
St Pancras London 7 0.55x
Benfieldside 6 19.47x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 2.02x
Cradley 6 32.26x
Hawkhurst 6 35.91x
Lambeth 6 0.44x
Lesmahagow 6 11.14x
Mile End Old Town 6 2.41x
Mochrum 6 48.04x
Radford 6 5.56x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 1.06x
Thorpe Next Norwich 6 23.37x
Warrington 6 2.71x
Westminster St 6 10.33x
Willenhall 6 6.02x
Birkenhead 5 1.80x
Chepstow St Arvans 5 185.87x
Elvaston 5 165.02x
Martley 5 84.89x
St George Hanover 5 2.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 85
Elizabeth 72
Sarah 51
Emma 35
Ann 32
Annie 30
Eliza 27
Ellen 24
Hannah 24
Alice 22
Jane 22
Margaret 18
Louisa 16
Harriet 12
Martha 12
Anne 11
Charlotte 10
Harriett 10
Kate 10
Agnes 9
Emily 9
Maria 9
Catherine 8
Caroline 7
Edith 7
Fanny 7
Frances 7
Rose 7
Lucy 6
Rebecca 6
Ada 5
Amelia 5
Matilda 5
Elizth. 4
Gertrude 4
Eleanor 3
Florence 3
Isabella 3
Julia 3
Lilly 3
Lizzie 3
Sophia 3
Susan 3
Susannah 3
Clara 2
Comfort 2
Ethel 2
Lily 2
Lydia 2
Madelina 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 81
John 67
Thomas 64
James 59
George 55
Joseph 43
Alfred 24
Henry 24
Edward 22
Charles 21
Richard 20
Samuel 20
Arthur 15
Albert 14
Robert 14
Frank 11
Frederick 11
Walter 10
David 9
Enoch 9
Harry 9
Patrick 7
Edwin 6
Daniel 5
Elijah 5
Ernest 5
Francis 5
Geo. 5
Herbert 5
Isaac 5
Abraham 4
Benjamin 4
Chas. 4
Fredrick 4
Josiah 4
Michael 4
Peter 4
Saml. 4
Stephen 4
Wm. 4
Hugh 3
Percy 3
Thos. 3
Amos 2
Armel 2
Edmund 2
Levi 2
Louis 2
Luke 2
Moses 2

FAQ

Turley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Turley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,617 people were recorded with the Turley surname. That placed it at #2,639 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Turley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,223 in 2016. That gives Turley a modern rank of #2,111.

What does the Turley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "dry wood" or "turf clearing" in Old English.

What does the Turley map show?

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