NameCensus.

UK surname

Whyley

In the 1881 census there were 116 people recorded with the Whyley surname, ranking it #18,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 316, ranked #14,227, up from #18,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rowley Regis, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashfield, Sandwell and Gedling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whyley is 356 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 172.4%.

1881 census count

116

Ranked #18,126

Modern count

316

2016, ranked #14,227

Peak year

1998

356 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whyley had 116 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 316 in 2016, ranked #14,227.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 175 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Whyley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whyley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whyley 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 84 #19,067
1861 historical 83 #23,189
1881 historical 116 #18,126
1891 historical 128 #20,393
1901 historical 175 #16,469
1911 historical 170 #16,510
1997 modern 349 #12,197
1998 modern 356 #12,399
1999 modern 340 #12,870
2000 modern 341 #12,801
2001 modern 326 #13,006
2002 modern 327 #13,217
2003 modern 316 #13,355
2004 modern 317 #13,400
2005 modern 319 #13,275
2006 modern 315 #13,440
2007 modern 316 #13,566
2008 modern 312 #13,764
2009 modern 335 #13,381
2010 modern 341 #13,477
2011 modern 337 #13,463
2012 modern 334 #13,443
2013 modern 330 #13,777
2014 modern 331 #13,851
2015 modern 329 #13,800
2016 modern 316 #14,227

Geography

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Where Whyleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rowley Regis, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary, Stamford St George, Stamford St Michael and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashfield, Sandwell and Gedling. 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 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Stamford St George, Stamford St Michael Lincolnshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashfield 014 Ashfield
2 Sandwell 035 Sandwell
3 Ashfield 016 Ashfield
4 Ashfield 015 Ashfield
5 Gedling 012 Gedling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whyley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whyley

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Whyley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Whyley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Whyley 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.

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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

Whyley is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Whyley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whyley 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. Lincolnshire leads with 36 Whyleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.90x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 36 19.90x
Staffordshire 14 3.67x
Warwickshire 14 4.91x
Nottinghamshire 12 7.87x
Leicestershire 11 8.77x
Hampshire 7 3.02x
Surrey 6 1.09x
Gloucestershire 4 1.80x
Bedfordshire 3 5.12x
Worcestershire 3 2.03x
Northamptonshire 2 1.88x
Glamorgan 1 0.51x
Lancashire 1 0.07x
Middlesex 1 0.09x
Suffolk 1 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 12 Whyleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.89x.

Place Total Index
West Bromwich 12 54.89x
Stamford St George 11 1358.02x
Aston 10 12.73x
Manthorpe Cum Little 9 652.17x
Foston 8 5714.29x
Leicester St Margaret 8 26.15x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 26.35x
Whippingham 6 340.91x
Nottingham St Mary 5 12.67x
Birmingham 4 4.21x
Claypole 4 1538.46x
Newark Upon Trent 4 72.99x
Bedford St Paul 3 74.63x
Clifton 3 26.74x
Dudley 3 16.70x
Basford 2 28.45x
Grantham 2 84.75x
Great Easton 2 952.38x
Peterborough 2 25.97x
Stamford St Michael 2 392.16x
Walsall Foreign 2 10.14x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 13.51x
Buckminster 1 1000.00x
Christchurch 1 19.88x
East Retford 1 75.76x
Gorleston 1 28.57x
Hulme 1 3.57x
Shoreditch London 1 2.04x
Swansea Town 1 6.19x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Whyley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whyley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 116 people were recorded with the Whyley surname. That placed it at #18,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whyley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 316 in 2016. That gives Whyley a modern rank of #14,227.

What does the Whyley map show?

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