NameCensus.

UK surname

Varley

Derived from a place name meaning "fern clearing" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 4,091 people recorded with the Varley surname, ranking it #1,107 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,728, ranked #1,439, down from #1,107 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bradford, Whalley and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby, Wakefield and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Varley is 5,284 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.6%.

1881 census count

4,091

Ranked #1,107

Modern count

4,728

2016, ranked #1,439

Peak year

1911

5,284 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Varley had 4,091 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,107 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,728 in 2016, ranked #1,439.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,284 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Varley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Varley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Varley 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 2,551 #1,159
1861 historical 2,218 #1,329
1881 historical 4,091 #1,107
1891 historical 4,176 #1,152
1901 historical 5,018 #1,119
1911 historical 5,284 #993
1997 modern 4,811 #1,364
1998 modern 4,944 #1,379
1999 modern 4,984 #1,379
2000 modern 4,947 #1,380
2001 modern 4,880 #1,365
2002 modern 4,941 #1,376
2003 modern 4,716 #1,402
2004 modern 4,711 #1,404
2005 modern 4,655 #1,402
2006 modern 4,646 #1,406
2007 modern 4,689 #1,405
2008 modern 4,683 #1,417
2009 modern 4,760 #1,431
2010 modern 4,903 #1,419
2011 modern 4,793 #1,436
2012 modern 4,676 #1,438
2013 modern 4,773 #1,435
2014 modern 4,812 #1,431
2015 modern 4,749 #1,434
2016 modern 4,728 #1,439

Geography

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Where Varleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bradford, Whalley, Halifax and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby, Wakefield, Leeds, Craven and Calderdale. 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 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Whalley Lancashire
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 004 Selby
2 Wakefield 002 Wakefield
3 Leeds 060 Leeds
4 Craven 007 Craven
5 Calderdale 018 Calderdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Varley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Varley

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Varley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Varley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Varley 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

Varley is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Varley 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 Varley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Varley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Varley

The surname Varley has its origins in England and is derived from a place name referring to a geographical location. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "fearn" meaning fern or bracken, and the word "leah" meaning a clearing or meadow. Thus, the name Varley likely referred to a fern-covered clearing or meadow.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early recorded instances found in Yorkshire and Lancashire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Ricardus de Farnley, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1230. The name was also recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Fernleia" and "Fernlei."

Over time, the name evolved and took on various spellings, such as Fernley, Farnley, Ferneley, and Verneley, before settling on the modern spelling of Varley. The different spellings were often influenced by regional dialects and variations in pronunciation.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Varley family became well-established in Yorkshire, particularly in the areas around Leeds and Bradford. Notable individuals from this period include John Varley (1553-1623), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Leeds, and Thomas Varley (1628-1701), a prominent clergyman and author born in Bradford.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Varley name gained prominence in the arts and sciences. John Varley (1778-1842) was a renowned English landscape painter and astrologer, known for his depictions of the English countryside and celestial scenes. His son, John Varley Jr. (1805-1855), followed in his footsteps and became a successful painter in his own right.

Another notable figure was Cornelius Varley (1781-1873), a British artist and inventor who is credited with developing the Graphic Telescope and the Illustrative Warning Parallelogram, used in perspective drawing.

In the field of science, Frederick Wollaston Varley (1835-1913) was a pioneering British chemist and physicist who made significant contributions to the study of molecular structure and the properties of gases.

The Varley name has also been associated with engineering and industry. Samuel Varley (1828-1909) was a prominent English civil engineer who played a key role in the construction of several important railway lines in England and Wales.

While the Varley surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration. However, the name's origins and early history remain firmly rooted in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it first emerged as a place name referring to a fern-covered clearing or meadow.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Varley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Varley 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 2,099 Varleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.28x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 2,099 5.28x
Lancashire 1,059 2.22x
Middlesex 178 0.44x
Nottinghamshire 132 2.44x
Derbyshire 118 1.88x
Norfolk 60 0.97x
Surrey 57 0.29x
Durham 47 0.39x
Staffordshire 46 0.34x
Northumberland 40 0.67x
Kent 28 0.20x
Warwickshire 28 0.28x
Buckinghamshire 21 0.87x
Cheshire 21 0.24x
Isle of Man 20 2.68x
Essex 18 0.23x
Hertfordshire 13 0.47x
Shropshire 13 0.37x
Westmorland 12 1.36x
Hampshire 11 0.13x
Sussex 10 0.15x
Worcestershire 9 0.17x
Oxfordshire 8 0.32x
Suffolk 8 0.16x
Devon 7 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 7 0.76x
Dorset 6 0.23x
Glamorgan 6 0.09x
Channel Islands 5 0.42x
Bedfordshire 4 0.19x
Cumberland 3 0.09x
Leicestershire 3 0.07x
Stirlingshire 3 0.20x
Berkshire 2 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.08x
Flintshire 2 0.19x
Lincolnshire 2 0.03x
Royal Navy 2 0.42x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.03x
Anglesey 1 0.14x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.06x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Northamptonshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 148 Varleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.59x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 148 6.59x
Great Little Marsden 77 35.29x
Habergham Eaves 71 16.31x
Ovenden 71 40.11x
Burnley 62 15.46x
Bradford 59 6.13x
Huddersfield 53 9.15x
Hunslet 52 8.38x
Horton In Bradford 48 7.73x
Skipton 48 38.34x
Spotland 47 8.88x
Blackburn 46 3.63x
Wilsden 45 110.16x
Colne 43 30.30x
Manningham 43 8.77x
Bramley In Bramley 42 27.58x
Preston 40 3.14x
Sheffield 40 3.16x
Accrington 39 9.01x
Hulme 38 3.82x
Radford 34 12.37x
Wadsworth 33 50.97x
Slaithwaite 32 77.28x
Thornton In Bradford 32 24.17x
Castleford 31 21.40x
Headingley Cum Burley 30 11.72x
Pudsey 30 14.11x
Clitheroe 29 20.68x
Halifax 29 4.97x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 28 19.38x
Chorlton On Medlock 28 3.70x
Holy Trinity 28 2.93x
Salford 28 2.00x
Almondbury 26 13.52x
Morley 26 12.57x
St Pancras London 25 0.77x
Bowling 24 6.09x
Yeadon 24 26.72x
Birmingham 23 0.68x
Manchester 23 1.07x
Holbeck 22 8.35x
Shipley 22 10.66x
Todmorden Walsden 22 17.24x
Ashton Under Lyne 21 2.02x
Heptonstall 21 37.63x
Padiham 21 18.25x
York St Mary 21 12.75x
Chelsea London 20 1.65x
Oldham 20 1.30x
Wycombe 20 11.06x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 19 119.72x
Sculcoates 19 3.01x
Alfreton 18 9.43x
Selby 18 21.65x
St Marylebone London 18 0.84x
Westgate 18 4.87x
Bradford Girlington 17 95.61x
Dewsbury 17 4.17x
Great Bolton 17 2.69x
Great Little Preston 17 149.12x
Kensington London 17 0.76x
Paddington London 17 1.15x
Rothwell 17 21.16x
Armley 16 9.12x
Barrowford Booth 16 30.35x
Bingley 16 6.32x
Doncaster 16 5.51x
Greasley 16 13.11x
Lingards 16 133.22x
Newchurch 16 4.11x
Northowram 16 5.74x
Stansfield 16 10.93x
Cleckheaton 15 10.24x
Farnley In Bramley 15 30.21x
Stafford St Mary 15 7.82x
Wednesbury 15 4.43x
Aberford 14 156.08x
Golcar 14 13.31x
Liversedge 14 7.91x
Soyland 14 29.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 319
Sarah 191
Elizabeth 161
Ann 95
Jane 75
Alice 72
Hannah 65
Emma 61
Martha 58
Annie 55
Ellen 51
Margaret 50
Eliza 43
Emily 37
Harriet 31
Ada 30
Louisa 26
Clara 25
Maria 23
Edith 19
Florence 19
Isabella 18
Ruth 17
Catherine 14
Kate 14
Betty 13
Esther 12
Fanny 12
Grace 11
Selina 11
Sophia 11
Anne 10
Caroline 10
Charlotte 10
Nancy 10
Agnes 9
Amy 9
Eleanor 9
Ethel 9
Rebecca 9
Bridget 8
Elizth. 8
Frances 8
Susan 8
Susannah 8
Betsy 7
Harriett 7
Minnie 7
Rachel 7
Margret 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 281
William 213
James 164
Thomas 123
George 115
Joseph 68
Henry 66
Charles 54
Richard 49
Arthur 41
Robert 41
Samuel 40
Alfred 39
Herbert 28
Walter 27
Harry 22
Edward 21
Thos. 21
Wm. 20
Albert 18
David 18
Fred 18
Tom 17
Frank 16
Frederick 15
Christopher 14
Benjamin 12
Abraham 11
Edwin 11
Francis 11
Joe 8
Patrick 8
Ernest 7
Harold 7
Jesse 7
Joshua 7
Martin 7
Sam 7
Willie 7
Jno. 6
Luke 6
Edmund 5
Edgar 4
Geo. 4
Isaac 4
Matthew 4
Owen 4
Sidney 4
Stephen 4
Wilfred 4

FAQ

Varley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Varley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,091 people were recorded with the Varley surname. That placed it at #1,107 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Varley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,728 in 2016. That gives Varley a modern rank of #1,439.

What does the Varley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "fern clearing" in Old English.

What does the Varley map show?

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