NameCensus.

UK surname

Yardley

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Yardley in England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,897 people recorded with the Yardley surname, ranking it #2,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,533, ranked #2,611, down from #2,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rowley Regis, London parishes and Oldswinford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wyre Forest, Dudley and Pather.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Yardley is 2,729 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.5%.

1881 census count

1,897

Ranked #2,296

Modern count

2,533

2016, ranked #2,611

Peak year

1998

2,729 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Yardley had 1,897 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,533 in 2016, ranked #2,611.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,499 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Yardley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Yardley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Yardley 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 1,184 #2,396
1861 historical 1,347 #2,122
1881 historical 1,897 #2,296
1891 historical 1,933 #2,385
1901 historical 2,278 #2,387
1911 historical 2,499 #2,058
1997 modern 2,636 #2,414
1998 modern 2,729 #2,426
1999 modern 2,715 #2,454
2000 modern 2,715 #2,443
2001 modern 2,637 #2,458
2002 modern 2,696 #2,458
2003 modern 2,633 #2,461
2004 modern 2,613 #2,479
2005 modern 2,567 #2,483
2006 modern 2,523 #2,528
2007 modern 2,545 #2,529
2008 modern 2,577 #2,519
2009 modern 2,610 #2,552
2010 modern 2,682 #2,536
2011 modern 2,681 #2,506
2012 modern 2,661 #2,485
2013 modern 2,633 #2,553
2014 modern 2,626 #2,567
2015 modern 2,577 #2,582
2016 modern 2,533 #2,611

Geography

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Where Yardleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rowley Regis, London parishes, Oldswinford and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wyre Forest, Dudley, Pather and Solihull. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Oldswinford Worcestershire
4 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wyre Forest 001 Wyre Forest
2 Dudley 017 Dudley
3 Pather North Lanarkshire
4 Dudley 020 Dudley
5 Solihull 008 Solihull

Forenames

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First names often paired with Yardley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Yardley

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Yardley is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Yardley 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

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

Meaning and origin of Yardley

The surname Yardley is of English origin, deriving from the place name Yardley, which can be found in various locations across England. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "gerd" meaning "yard" and "leah" meaning "meadow" or "clearing". This suggests that the name was initially used to refer to someone who lived near or owned a meadow or clearing used for a yard or pasture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Yardley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Ierdele" in reference to places in Worcestershire and Staffordshire. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the 13th century, records show the name spelled as "Yerdeley" and "Yardeley", indicating the gradual shift towards the modern spelling. During this period, the surname was particularly prevalent in the West Midlands region of England.

Notable individuals with the surname Yardley include Sir William Yardley (c. 1520-1589), an English merchant and diplomat who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1572. Another prominent figure was Thomas Yardley (1616-1693), an English immigrant to America who became the deputy governor of the English colony of Virginia in the mid-17th century.

In the 18th century, the Yardley family established themselves as prominent landowners in Staffordshire, with their ancestral home being the Yardley Manor located near the village of Yardley. One member of this family, John Yardley (1718-1784), was a notable English architect who designed several churches and country houses in the region.

The 19th century saw the emergence of William Yardley (1808-1884), an English industrialist who founded the Yardley Soap Company in Birmingham. This company went on to become a successful manufacturer of luxury toiletries and perfumes, continuing to operate under the Yardley name for over a century.

While the surname Yardley has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to emigration and migration patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English words that described the physical characteristics of the places where the earliest bearers of the name lived.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Yardley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Yardley 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. Warwickshire leads with 407 Yardleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.70x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 407 8.70x
Staffordshire 351 5.61x
Lancashire 194 0.88x
Worcestershire 161 6.65x
Yorkshire 151 0.82x
Middlesex 133 0.72x
Surrey 78 0.86x
Shropshire 70 4.37x
Cheshire 46 1.12x
Leicestershire 41 1.99x
Kent 33 0.52x
Devon 21 0.54x
Essex 21 0.57x
Berkshire 19 1.37x
Derbyshire 15 0.52x
Durham 15 0.27x
Hertfordshire 14 1.10x
Gloucestershire 13 0.36x
Hampshire 12 0.32x
Lincolnshire 12 0.40x
Monmouthshire 12 0.90x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.48x
Northumberland 11 0.40x
East Lothian 10 4.07x
Cornwall 7 0.33x
Ayrshire 5 0.36x
Denbighshire 5 0.71x
Renfrewshire 5 0.35x
Bedfordshire 3 0.31x
Isle of Man 3 0.87x
Oxfordshire 3 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.18x
Herefordshire 2 0.26x
Midlothian 2 0.08x
Northamptonshire 2 0.11x
Sussex 2 0.06x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.13x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.24x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 0.45x
Suffolk 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 108 Yardleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.93x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 108 6.93x
Coventry St Michael 105 69.90x
Aston 79 6.13x
Coventry Holy Trinity 49 35.09x
Wolverhampton 44 9.14x
Oldham 40 5.63x
Handsworth 36 23.33x
Rowley Regis 35 20.06x
Walsall Foreign 32 9.90x
Kingswinford 28 12.32x
Upperswinford 28 136.65x
Stourbridge 25 40.12x
Darlaston 24 27.74x
Farnworth 21 15.93x
Bethnal Green London 20 2.48x
Kings Norton 18 8.29x
Oldbury 18 15.11x
Over 18 43.27x
Warwick St Mary 18 44.34x
Darton 17 90.33x
Lambeth 17 1.05x
Leicester St Margaret 17 3.39x
Bermondsey 16 2.90x
Clewer 16 28.06x
Seighford 15 301.20x
Hulme 14 3.05x
St Pancras London 14 0.94x
Wombridge 13 65.72x
Cradley 12 54.79x
Hoyland Swaine 12 252.10x
Portskewett 12 384.62x
Rushton Spencer 12 555.56x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 1.81x
Chetton 11 348.10x
Leeds 11 1.06x
Barnsley 10 5.28x
Chagford 10 108.23x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 2.86x
Islington London 10 0.56x
Tottenham 10 3.39x
Tranent 10 30.13x
Yardley 10 16.14x
Alveley 9 141.73x
Astley Abbotts 9 227.85x
Bishop Stortford 9 21.08x
Brayton 9 267.86x
Broughton In Salford 9 4.47x
Chadderton 9 8.37x
Clerkenwell London 9 2.06x
Edgmond 9 51.05x
Exeter St Mary Major 9 38.68x
Gnosall 9 59.56x
Portsea 9 1.21x
Preston 9 1.53x
Wollescote 9 46.13x
Burnham 8 59.17x
Burntwood Edial 8 20.01x
Burton Dassett 8 193.24x
Greenwich 8 2.71x
Kinver 8 44.32x
Leicester St Mary 8 4.82x
Liverpool 8 0.60x
Radford 8 6.30x
Saddleworth 8 5.64x
Tettenhall 8 20.90x
Toxteth Park 8 1.07x
Wednesbury 8 5.11x
Bodmin 7 20.16x
Edgbaston 7 4.83x
Emley 7 85.26x
Kensington London 7 0.68x
Linton 7 91.62x
Lye 7 17.37x
Paddington London 7 1.03x
St George In East 7 5.55x
Stoke Newington London 7 4.85x
Streatham 7 5.09x
Stretford 7 5.78x
Wandsworth 7 3.92x
Warley Wigorn 7 90.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 124
Sarah 69
Elizabeth 68
Ann 37
Emma 34
Alice 32
Ellen 30
Hannah 28
Eliza 26
Annie 24
Emily 23
Jane 23
Maria 19
Martha 18
Ada 15
Louisa 15
Catherine 14
Fanny 13
Florence 12
Caroline 11
Margaret 11
Clara 9
Harriet 9
Rose 9
Anne 8
Edith 8
Frances 8
Lucy 8
Kate 7
Selina 7
Julia 6
Minnie 6
Amelia 5
Ethel 5
Harriett 5
Lizzie 5
Rebecca 5
Charlotte 4
Francis 4
Laura 4
Lydia 4
Matilda 4
Ruth 4
Susanna 4
Agnes 3
Elizth. 3
Georgina 3
Isabella 3
Jessie 3
Rhoda 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 119
John 102
Thomas 70
George 63
James 56
Charles 42
Henry 42
Joseph 42
Samuel 30
Alfred 28
Walter 20
Edward 18
Arthur 17
Richard 17
Frederick 16
Frank 15
Harry 14
Albert 11
David 11
Herbert 11
Ernest 9
Benjamin 8
Wm. 8
Francis 7
Daniel 6
Edwin 6
Robert 6
Fred 5
Edmund 4
Job 4
Philip 4
Thos. 4
Amos 3
Andrew 3
Elijah 3
Enoch 3
Sidney 3
Willm. 3
Elias 2
Emmanuel 2
Geo. 2
Geo.W. 2
Jobey 2
Joshua 2
Josiah 2
Leonard 2
Lewis 2
Matthew 2
T. 2
Vincent 2

FAQ

Yardley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Yardley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,897 people were recorded with the Yardley surname. That placed it at #2,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Yardley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,533 in 2016. That gives Yardley a modern rank of #2,611.

What does the Yardley surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Yardley in England.

What does the Yardley map show?

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