Essey
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Elizabeth or Esther.
Name Census estimates that about 31 living Americans carry the first name Essey. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Essey today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Essey births was 2012 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Essey. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Essey with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Essey. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
31
~ 1 in 11,056,592 Americans
Peak year
2012
7 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#11,301
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Essey: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Essey from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 19 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Essey remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Essey 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 Essey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Essey
The name Essey is believed to have originated from the Middle English word "esse," which means "to be" or "to exist." This name likely emerged during the Late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century, in regions where Middle English was spoken, primarily in England.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Essey can be found in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from the Paston family in Norfolk, England, dating back to the 15th century. In one of the letters, a person named Essey is mentioned, suggesting the name's existence during that time period.
Essey is also believed to have roots in the Old French word "essai," which means "trial" or "attempt." This connection could indicate that the name was associated with perseverance, determination, or a sense of exploration in its early usage.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Essey. One of the earliest recorded was Essey de Montfort, a 13th-century English nobleman and military commander who fought in the Barons' War against King Henry III.
Another prominent figure was Essey Hawkins, an English naval commander and explorer who lived from 1570 to 1622. He is known for his voyages to the West Indies and his involvement in the early English colonization efforts in the Americas.
In the realm of literature, Essey Philips was an English poet and essayist who lived from 1631 to 1696. His work, which included poems and essays on various subjects, contributed to the literary landscape of the 17th century.
Moving forward in time, Essey Wilkins was a British artist and engraver who lived from 1790 to 1863. He is renowned for his intricate engravings and illustrations, which captured the landscapes and architectural wonders of his time.
Lastly, Essey Thornton was an American educator and civil rights activist who lived from 1899 to 1987. She played a significant role in desegregating schools in the state of Arkansas and was a prominent figure in the fight for equal educational opportunities for African Americans.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Essey throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence and the varied backgrounds of those who have borne this name.
People
Essey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Essey 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
Essey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Essey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 31 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Essey 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 11,056,592 US residents.
Is Essey a common name?
We classify Essey as "Very Rare". It ranks above 47% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 31 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Essey most popular?
The single biggest year for Essey was 2012, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Essey is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Essey in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Essey a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Essey in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Essey still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Essey in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Essey can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Essey as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Essey on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.