NameCensus.

UK surname

Weekley

Derived from a nickname referring to a person with a cheerful or lively disposition.

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Weekley surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, down from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Greenwich and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochford, Wiltshire and Jedburgh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Weekley is 257 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.8%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

1901

257 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Weekley had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 257 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Weekley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Weekley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Weekley 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 116 #15,545
1861 historical 105 #20,298
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 181 #16,065
1901 historical 257 #12,898
1911 historical 256 #12,688
1997 modern 193 #18,035
1998 modern 196 #18,342
1999 modern 183 #19,248
2000 modern 180 #19,425
2001 modern 173 #19,635
2002 modern 183 #19,354
2003 modern 182 #19,215
2004 modern 178 #19,603
2005 modern 169 #20,153
2006 modern 158 #21,229
2007 modern 148 #22,406
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 145 #23,473
2010 modern 154 #23,082
2011 modern 154 #22,886
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 155 #23,333
2015 modern 157 #22,997
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

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Where Weekleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Greenwich, London parishes, St Pancras and Hammersmith. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochford, Wiltshire, Jedburgh and Southend-on-Sea. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Greenwich London (South Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Hammersmith London (West Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochford 001 Rochford
2 Wiltshire 008 Wiltshire
3 Jedburgh Scottish Borders
4 Southend-on-Sea 004 Southend-on-Sea
5 Southend-on-Sea 015 Southend-on-Sea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Weekley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Weekley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Weekley is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Weekley is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Weekley falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Weekley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Weekley

The surname Weekley is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "wic" and "leah," meaning a village or settlement in a clearing or meadow. This name originated in the medieval period, likely around the 11th or 12th century.

The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, where there are several places with similar names, such as Wickham and Wyken. The earliest recorded instance of the name Weekley is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Wichelai" in Hertfordshire.

One notable early bearer of the name was Robert de Wikeley, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire in 1195. Another was John Wikeley, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1327.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various records with different spellings, including Wekeley, Wekelay, and Weekelie. One notable bearer from this period was Thomas Weekeley, a merchant from London who was born around 1520 and is mentioned in records from the Court of Chancery.

During the 17th century, the name was commonly spelled as Weekley or Weekley. A prominent individual with this surname was Sir Erasmus Weekley (1611-1681), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire.

In the 18th century, the name continued to be associated with the counties of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. One notable bearer was William Weekley (1738-1812), a farmer and landowner from the village of Tring in Hertfordshire.

In the 19th century, the name spread more widely across England, and some bearers of the name emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly North America and Australia. One notable individual from this period was Ernest Weekley (1865-1954), an English philologist and author who is best known for his works on the etymology of English words.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Weekley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Weekley 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. Middlesex leads with 34 Weekleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 34 2.37x
Northamptonshire 33 24.47x
Kent 20 4.09x
Lincolnshire 15 6.54x
Surrey 11 1.57x
Monmouthshire 7 6.75x
Sussex 5 2.07x
Cambridgeshire 4 4.40x
Nottinghamshire 4 2.07x
Hertfordshire 3 3.04x
Lancashire 3 0.18x
Glamorgan 2 0.80x
Somerset 2 0.87x
Berkshire 1 0.93x
Suffolk 1 0.57x
Warwickshire 1 0.28x
Yorkshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Greenwich in Kent leads with 12 Weekleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.56x.

Place Total Index
Greenwich 12 52.56x
Ringstead 10 2127.66x
Margate St John Baptist 8 89.29x
Aberystruth 7 76.59x
Croydon 7 18.05x
Hampstead London 7 31.35x
Hammersmith London 6 16.99x
St Luke London 6 26.09x
Wyberton 6 1875.00x
Boston 5 71.84x
Peterborough 5 51.23x
Rottingdean 5 602.41x
Nuthall 4 555.56x
Wellingborough 4 59.00x
Accrington 3 19.39x
Harringworth 3 1666.67x
Northampton St Sepulchre 3 43.73x
Southwark Christchurch 3 44.64x
St Albans St Peter 3 90.09x
St Marylebone London 3 3.92x
St Marythe Great 3 1034.48x
St Pancras London 3 2.60x
Warmington 3 882.35x
Deeping St Nicholas 2 298.51x
Great Grimsby 2 13.75x
Northampton All Sts 2 43.67x
Paddington London 2 3.79x
Poplar London 2 7.39x
St Anne Soho London 2 24.42x
Swansea Town 2 9.77x
Twywell 2 800.00x
Aston 1 1.00x
Banwell 1 119.05x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 21.46x
Cheddar 1 86.21x
Clewer 1 22.68x
Lambeth 1 0.80x
Leeds 1 1.25x
Ratcliffe London 1 12.63x
Raunds 1 72.99x
St Andrewthe Less 1 9.63x
St Giles In Fields 1 20.20x
Uxbridge 1 60.98x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 10
Charles 8
George 6
James 3
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Henry 2
Lot 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Bruce 1
Edmund 1
Ezra 1
Fisher 1
Forsgate 1
Fred 1
Harry 1
Herman 1
Horace 1
Montague 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Roland 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Weekley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Weekley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Weekley surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Weekley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Weekley a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Weekley surname mean?

Derived from a nickname referring to a person with a cheerful or lively disposition.

What does the Weekley map show?

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