Emsley
Habitational name for someone from a place called Emsley.
Name Census estimates that about 750 living Americans carry the first name Emsley. It is a predominantly female name (98.7% of registrations). The average person named Emsley today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Emsley births was 2015 (70 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Emsley. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
750
~ 1 in 457,006 Americans
Peak year
2015
70 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
1924 SSA rank
#3,285
Tracked since 1916
Gender
Gender distribution for Emsley
Emsley leans heavily female at 98.7% of total registrations, but 10 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Emsley as a male name
- Ranked #4,548 in 1924
- 5 male births in 1924
- Peak: 1916 (5 births)
Emsley as a female name
- Ranked #3,285 in 2024
- 48 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2015 (70 births)
Popularity
Emsley: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Emsley from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 537 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Emsley remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Emsley by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Emsley during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Emsleys live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. Texas, North Carolina, California recorded the most babies named Emsley, while South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Emsley
The given name Emsley has its origins traced back to the Old English language, with roots dating back to the 7th century AD. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "emel" and "leah," which collectively translate to "flat meadow" or "open land." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals residing in or near such landscapes.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Emsley can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land holdings and property ownership compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. This ancient document lists several individuals bearing variations of the name, such as Emelslei and Emelslea, indicating the name's longstanding presence in English history.
Throughout the medieval period, the name Emsley appeared sporadically in various historical records and chronicles. One notable bearer of the name was Emsley de Rye, a prominent landowner and knight who lived during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century. Records indicate that Emsley de Rye participated in several military campaigns and was granted lands in recognition of his service.
As time progressed, the name Emsley continued to be used, albeit with varying degrees of popularity. In the 16th century, Emsley Croft, a renowned scholar and theologian, made significant contributions to the study of religious texts and scriptural interpretations. His works were widely circulated among academic circles during the Renaissance period.
Another noteworthy figure bearing the name Emsley was Sir Emsley Carr, a prominent British politician and statesman who lived in the 18th century. He served as a member of parliament and played a pivotal role in shaping several legislative policies during his tenure.
Moving into the 19th century, Emsley Woodhouse gained recognition as a pioneering inventor and engineer. His innovations in the field of steam engine technology greatly influenced the industrial revolution and paved the way for more efficient manufacturing processes.
While the name Emsley has experienced periods of relative obscurity throughout history, it has endured as a distinct and meaningful moniker, carrying with it a rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance.
People
Emsley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Emsley as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Emsley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Emsley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 750 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Emsley going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 457,006 US residents.
Is Emsley a common name?
We classify Emsley as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 765 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Emsley most popular?
The single biggest year for Emsley was 2015, when 70 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Emsley is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Emsley a female name?
Yes, 98.7% of people registered as Emsley in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.