NameCensus.

UK surname

Utley

From the Old English personal name Uhtlāg, meaning "outlaw" or "outsider," or referring to someone from Utley, West Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 496 people recorded with the Utley surname, ranking it #6,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 635, ranked #8,332, down from #6,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Silkstone, Darfield and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Sheffield and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Utley is 700 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.0%.

1881 census count

496

Ranked #6,816

Modern count

635

2016, ranked #8,332

Peak year

1999

700 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Utley had 496 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 635 in 2016, ranked #8,332.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 578 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Utley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Utley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Utley 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 489 #5,104
1861 historical 389 #6,580
1881 historical 496 #6,816
1891 historical 412 #8,653
1901 historical 563 #7,409
1911 historical 578 #7,032
1997 modern 674 #7,459
1998 modern 690 #7,565
1999 modern 700 #7,513
2000 modern 690 #7,573
2001 modern 671 #7,607
2002 modern 672 #7,760
2003 modern 634 #7,978
2004 modern 637 #7,953
2005 modern 612 #8,153
2006 modern 622 #8,073
2007 modern 624 #8,106
2008 modern 637 #8,033
2009 modern 664 #7,945
2010 modern 669 #8,068
2011 modern 666 #8,003
2012 modern 644 #8,130
2013 modern 658 #8,134
2014 modern 665 #8,106
2015 modern 644 #8,260
2016 modern 635 #8,332

Geography

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Where Utleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Silkstone, Darfield, West Derby, Sheffield and Wath-on-Dearn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Sheffield and Barnsley. 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 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Darfield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 West Derby Lancashire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Wath-on-Dearn Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 043 Wakefield
2 Wakefield 044 Wakefield
3 Sheffield 004 Sheffield
4 Barnsley 013 Barnsley
5 Barnsley 023 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Utley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Utley

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

Utley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Utley

The surname Utley is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the place name Utley, a town in West Yorkshire, England. The name itself is thought to stem from the Old English words "ut" meaning "out" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow," suggesting that the name referred to a clearing or meadow located outside of a larger settlement.

The earliest known record of the surname Utley dates back to the late 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1190. This ancient document, which recorded financial transactions and taxes, mentions an individual named Willelmus de Utlay, indicating that the name was already in use at that time.

In the 13th century, the surname Utley is found in various medieval records, including the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire from 1246, which mentions a John de Utelay. This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spellings had not yet been established.

The Utley surname has also been connected to several notable figures throughout history. One such individual was John Utley, a prosperous merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, England, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Another was Sir Thomas Utley, a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench in the late 17th century (born in 1635, died in 1706).

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Utley surname continued to appear in various records across England, particularly in the northern regions. The Hearth Tax Rolls of Yorkshire from 1672 list several individuals with the Utley surname, indicating their presence in the area.

In the 19th century, one notable figure with the Utley surname was Robert Utley, a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of steam engines and locomotives (born in 1804, died in 1887).

Another individual of note was Thomas Utley, an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the mid-19th century (born in 1832, died in 1876).

As the centuries progressed, the Utley surname spread beyond its Yorkshire origins, with individuals bearing the name found in various parts of England and, later, in other English-speaking countries such as the United States and Canada, as a result of immigration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Utley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Utley 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 351 Utleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.36x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 351 7.36x
Lancashire 67 1.17x
Hampshire 25 2.54x
Cheshire 13 1.22x
Surrey 9 0.38x
Middlesex 8 0.17x
Carmarthenshire 7 3.45x
Northamptonshire 5 1.11x
Durham 3 0.21x
Shropshire 3 0.72x
Dorset 1 0.32x
Suffolk 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wath On Dearne in Yorkshire leads with 44 Utleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 462.67x.

Place Total Index
Wath On Dearne 44 462.67x
Wombwell 30 215.83x
Barnsley 21 42.72x
Horton In Bradford 18 24.19x
Keighley 18 35.43x
Greasbrough 16 254.37x
Habergham Eaves 15 28.76x
Kimberworth 15 56.71x
Sheffield 15 9.89x
Bingley 12 39.54x
Halifax 12 17.15x
Mexborough 12 126.85x
Langfield 11 131.89x
Bradford 10 8.67x
Chalton 9 2647.06x
Wetherby 9 290.32x
Brampton Bierlow 8 131.15x
Idsworth 8 1230.77x
Leyland 8 80.56x
Monk Bretton 8 165.63x
Padiham 8 58.01x
Camberwell 7 2.28x
Haworth 7 61.78x
Pembrey 7 75.11x
Pendleton In Salford 7 10.30x
West Scrafton 7 4117.65x
York St John Delpike 7 1346.15x
Bollin Fee 6 127.39x
Burnley 6 12.48x
Heaton Norris 6 18.47x
Stockport 6 10.98x
West Derby 6 3.59x
Batley 5 11.04x
Leeds 5 1.86x
Preston 5 3.27x
St Botolph Aldgate 5 76.10x
Swinton In Rotherham 5 39.68x
Tadcaster West 5 132.63x
Thornton In Craven 5 130.89x
Wilsden 5 102.25x
Barnoldswick 4 60.15x
Ecclesfield 4 11.45x
Havant 4 80.16x
Hunslet 4 5.38x
York St Cuthbert 4 91.74x
Auckland St Andrew 3 79.37x
Northampton St Giles 3 17.41x
Oswestry Town 3 22.56x
Warmsworth 3 434.78x
Widley 3 170.45x
Blackburn 2 1.32x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 2.06x
Embsay Cum Eastby 2 103.63x
Northampton Priory St 2 7.37x
Rawmarsh 2 11.88x
Shipley 2 8.09x
Wardleworth 2 6.13x
York All Sts North 2 84.75x
Beccles 1 10.60x
Blendworth 1 204.08x
Bridlington 1 9.17x
Bromley London 1 0.95x
Cleckheaton 1 5.69x
Conisbrough 1 22.37x
Cowling 1 32.36x
Doncaster 1 2.87x
Elland Cum Greetland 1 4.66x
Lambeth 1 0.24x
Morden 1 74.63x
Newington 1 0.56x
Newton Kyme Cum 1 384.62x
Ovenden 1 4.71x
Rishworth 1 54.64x
Rotherham 1 3.72x
Roundhay 1 74.63x
Sale 1 7.68x
Skipton 1 6.67x
St Martin In Fields 1 3.47x
Toxteth Park 1 0.52x
Westminster St James 1 2.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Ann 17
Sarah 17
Elizabeth 15
Alice 9
Harriet 9
Jane 9
Ada 8
Eliza 6
Emma 6
Martha 6
Hannah 5
Kate 5
Margaret 5
Annie 4
Clara 4
Edith 4
Frances 4
Lucy 4
Charlotte 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Esther 3
Florence 3
Susannah 3
Betsy 2
Betty 2
Elizth. 2
Eva 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Judith 2
Lavinia 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Angelina 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
E. 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Helena 1
Jastina 1
Josh. 1
Julie 1
Kathleen 1
Leah 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
William 23
George 21
Charles 16
James 14
Thomas 12
Arthur 10
Joseph 9
Walter 8
Albert 6
Henry 6
Fred 5
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
David 3
Harry 3
Samuel 3
Willie 3
Allen 2
Fred. 2
Richd. 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Dawson 1
Denis 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ellis 1
Ernest 1
Ezekiel 1
Francis 1
Francks 1
Frederic 1
Isack 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Joe 1
Julius 1
Laurence 1
Lawrence 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Neamiah 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Utley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Utley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 496 people were recorded with the Utley surname. That placed it at #6,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Utley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 635 in 2016. That gives Utley a modern rank of #8,332.

What does the Utley surname mean?

From the Old English personal name Uhtlāg, meaning "outlaw" or "outsider," or referring to someone from Utley, West Yorkshire.

What does the Utley map show?

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