Riley Name Meaning: An Anglo-Saxon name meaning 'rye field', 'rye meadow' or 'rye clearing'.
An occupational surname which would be given to anyone associated with the clearing of rye, also an adaptation of the Irish name 'Reilly' which is a shortening of an old Irish name.
Discover how your Riley ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.| Bedfordshire | 11 |
| Buckinghamshire | 11 |
| Berkshire | 0 |
| Cambridgeshire | 22 |
| Channel Islands | 12 |
| Cheshire | 438 |
| Cornwall | 5 |
| Cumberland | 76 |
| Derbyshire | 393 |
| Devon | 24 |
| Dorset | 2 |
| Durham | 136 |
| Essex | 196 |
| Gloucestershire | 48 |
| Hampshire | 90 |
| Herefordshire | 6 |
| Hertfordshire | 16 |
| Huntingdonshire (and Rutland) | 16 |
| Isle of Man | 8 |
| Kent | 59 |
| Lancashire | 4,661 |
| Leicestershire | 302 |
| Lincolnshire | 97 |
| London | 1,108 |
| Middlesex | 45 |
| Northumberland | 84 |
| Norfolk | 14 |
| Northamptonshire | 7 |
| Nottinghamshire | 438 |
| Oxfordshire | 38 |
| Rutland (and Huntingdonshire) | 16 |
| Shropshire | 25 |
| Suffolk | 18 |
| Somerset | 18 |
| Surrey | 21 |
| Sussex | 27 |
| Staffordshire | 1,086 |
| Warwickshire | 457 |
| Westmorland | 25 |
| Wiltshire | 6 |
| Worcestershire | 36 |
| Yorkshire | 2,783 |
| Anglesey | 0 |
| Brecknockshire | 0 |
| Cardiganshire | 0 |
| Carnarvonshire | 2 |
| Carmarthenshire | 0 |
| Denbighshire | 8 |
| Flintshire | 9 |
| Glamorgan | 6 |
| Merionethshire | 0 |
| Montgomeryshire | 0 |
| Monmouthshire | 11 |
| Pembrokeshire | 1 |
| Radnorshire | 0 |
| Profession | Census Frequency |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 1,510 |
| Labourer | 269 |
| At Home | 202 |
| House Servant | 194 |
| Agricultural Labourer | 168 |
| Servant | 121 |
| Coal Miner | 112 |
| Power Loom Weaver | 102 |
| Dress Maker | 90 |
| Wool Comber | 87 |
| Cotton Weaver | 81 |
| House Keeper | 80 |
| Hand Loom Weaver | 76 |
| Weaver | 74 |
| Farm Labourer | 71 |
| Tailor | 68 |
| Power Loom Weaver Cotton | 59 |
| General Servant | 52 |
| Stone Mason | 49 |
| Shoe Maker | 48 |
| Hawker | 43 |
| Errand Boy | 42 |
| Laundress | 41 |
| Cotton Spinner | 41 |
| Frame Work Knitter | 37 |
| Name | Census Frequency |
|---|---|
| Mary Riley | 12,554 |
| John Riley | 11,391 |
| William Riley | 8,715 |
| James Riley | 7,015 |
| Thomas Riley | 6,534 |
| Elizabeth Riley | 6,036 |
| Sarah Riley | 5,593 |
| Ann Riley | 3,848 |
| George Riley | 3,809 |
| Joseph Riley | 3,522 |
| Margaret Riley | 2,911 |
| Ellen Riley | 2,801 |
| Jane Riley | 2,688 |
| Alice Riley | 2,472 |
| Hannah Riley | 2,214 |
| Annie Riley | 2,211 |
| Henry Riley | 2,061 |
| Charles Riley | 1,970 |
| Edward Riley | 1,759 |
| Catherine Riley | 1,672 |
| Robert Riley | 1,644 |
| Martha Riley | 1,587 |
| Emma Riley | 1,530 |
| Samuel Riley | 1,488 |
| Richard Riley | 1,460 |
| Rank | Surname | Match | Census Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riley | 100% | 156,045 |
| 2 | Ryley | 80% | 6,380 |
| 3 | Early | 20% | 5,857 |
| 4 | Earley | 50% | 5,690 |
| 5 | Raley | 80% | 2,333 |
| 6 | Reley | 80% | 2,140 |
| 7 | Reily | 60% | 1,679 |
| 8 | Reiley | 83% | 1,675 |
| 9 | Rilley | 83% | 1,218 |
| 10 | Riely | 60% | 1,076 |
| 11 | Railey | 83% | 1,047 |
| 12 | Rily | 80% | 763 |
| 13 | Reeley | 67% | 689 |
| 14 | Orley | 60% | 639 |
| 15 | Roley | 80% | 578 |
| 16 | Realey | 67% | 498 |
| 17 | Airley | 67% | 488 |
| 18 | Rilay | 80% | 407 |
| 19 | Reely | 40% | 381 |
| 20 | Oarley | 50% | 316 |
| 21 | Ruley | 80% | 285 |
| 22 | Rouley | 67% | 284 |
| 23 | Rieley | 83% | 273 |
| 24 | Rooley | 67% | 272 |
| 25 | Relay | 60% | 255 |
| 26 | Arley | 60% | 234 |
| 27 | Realy | 40% | 157 |
| 28 | Erley | 60% | 147 |
| 29 | Raly | 60% | 137 |
| 30 | Raily | 60% | 119 |
The surname Riley is the most popular version of all its varients