UK surname
Derived from a place name meaning "Wulfsige's woodland clearing" in Old English.
In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Woosley surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 21, ranked #36,596, down from #29,218 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Exeter City: St Mary Arches and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woosley is 102 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.3%.
1881 census count
31
Ranked #29,218
Modern count
21
2016, ranked #36,596
Peak year
1861
102 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Woosley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Woosley surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 32 | #27,570 |
| 1861 | historical | 102 | #20,797 |
| 1881 | historical | 31 | #29,218 |
| 1891 | historical | 79 | #26,897 |
| 1901 | historical | 45 | #29,156 |
| 1911 | historical | 30 | #30,073 |
| 1997 | modern | 21 | #35,692 |
| 1998 | modern | 19 | #36,009 |
| 1999 | modern | 20 | #35,923 |
| 2000 | modern | 22 | #35,684 |
| 2001 | modern | 20 | #35,754 |
| 2002 | modern | 22 | #35,709 |
| 2003 | modern | 20 | #35,915 |
| 2004 | modern | 21 | #35,969 |
| 2005 | modern | 20 | #36,165 |
| 2006 | modern | 21 | #36,179 |
| 2007 | modern | 19 | #36,450 |
| 2008 | modern | 19 | #36,534 |
| 2009 | modern | 21 | #36,470 |
| 2010 | modern | 20 | #36,599 |
| 2011 | modern | 20 | #36,587 |
| 2012 | modern | 21 | #36,490 |
| 2013 | modern | 18 | #36,787 |
| 2014 | modern | 18 | #36,811 |
| 2015 | modern | 18 | #36,809 |
| 2016 | modern | 21 | #36,596 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Exeter City: St Mary Arches, Manchester, St Thomas the Apostle, Whitestone and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) | Devon |
| 2 | Exeter City: St Mary Arches | Devon |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | St Thomas the Apostle, Whitestone | Devon |
| 5 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Woosley surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Woosley, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Woosley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Woosley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Woosley is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Woosley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Woosley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Woosley is of English origin, derived from a place name in Derbyshire, England. The name is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century and is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "wudu," meaning wood, and "leah," meaning a clearing or meadow.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wodesleia." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
In the 13th century, there are records of a family named Wuddesleye residing in the village of Woosley, located in the parish of Hartington, Derbyshire. This village likely took its name from the same Old English roots as the surname.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Woosley. One such person was Sir John Woosley (c. 1450-1512), who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1498-1499.
Another prominent figure was Sir Edward Woosley (1557-1630), an English politician and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1625 until his death.
In the 17th century, William Woosley (1608-1676) was an English clergyman and academic who served as the Warden of New College, Oxford, from 1661 to 1676.
The 18th century saw the birth of Thomas Woosley (1738-1805), an English cleric and academic who became the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in 1790.
In more recent times, Robert Woosley (1921-2009) was a prominent American physicist and weapons designer who played a key role in the development of nuclear weapons during the Manhattan Project.
While the surname Woosley is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England and the villages of Derbyshire.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woosley surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 14 Woosleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.24x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Devon | 14 | 22.24x |
| Middlesex | 14 | 4.63x |
| Lancashire | 3 | 0.84x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 12 Woosleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.35x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| St Marylebone London | 12 | 74.35x |
| Exeter St David | 4 | 740.74x |
| Exeter St Lawrence | 4 | 8000.00x |
| Dawlish | 3 | 638.30x |
| Little Lever | 3 | 652.17x |
| Exeter St Mary Arches | 2 | 3333.33x |
| Acton | 1 | 56.50x |
| Chiswick | 1 | 60.61x |
| Exeter St Sidwell | 1 | 69.44x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Woosley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Woosley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Woosley households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 5 |
| Tailor | 2 |
| ((No Occupation)) | 1 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Butler | 1 |
| Butlers Wife | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Drapers Apprentice | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Gardener (Dom) | 1 |
| General Domestic | 1 |
| Parlormaid Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Shop Keeper | 1 |
| Smith & Gas Fitter Employing 2 Men 1 Boy | 1 |
| Teacher Of Music | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Woosley surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 21 in 2016. That gives Woosley a modern rank of #36,596.
Derived from a place name meaning "Wulfsige's woodland clearing" in Old English.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Woosley bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.