Find out how popular the last name Alay is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Alay.

Alay, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Alay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alay in America

Alay is the 89403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alay surname appeared 207 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Alay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alay to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Alay

The surname ALAY is believed to have originated in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period. It is derived from the Spanish word "alajar," which means "to decorate" or "to embellish." The name may have been given to individuals who were skilled in the art of decorating or embellishing objects, such as artisans or craftsmen.

The earliest known record of the surname ALAY can be traced back to the late 16th century, when the Spanish colonizers began documenting the names of the indigenous population. In the book "Memoria de las Encomiendas" (Record of the Encomiendas) published in 1591, there are mentions of individuals with the surname ALAY living in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname ALAY was Juan ALAY, who lived in the town of Malolos, Bulacan, in the early 17th century. He was a respected member of the community and served as a local leader during the Spanish colonial era.

Another notable historical figure with the surname ALAY was Josefa ALAY, born in 1768 in the town of Guagua, Pampanga. She was a skilled weaver and is credited with creating intricate designs and patterns that were highly sought after during that time.

In the 19th century, the surname ALAY gained prominence with the birth of Mariano ALAY, a Filipino revolutionary and patriot who fought against the Spanish colonial rule. He was born in 1845 in the town of Santa Rita, Pampanga, and played a significant role in the Philippine Revolution of 1896.

During the American colonial period, the surname ALAY continued to be prominent, with individuals like Antonio ALAY, born in 1872 in the town of Malolos, Bulacan. He was a respected educator and writer who contributed to the preservation of Filipino culture and literature.

Other notable individuals with the surname ALAY include Francisco ALAY, a prominent businessman and landowner in the early 20th century, and Josefa ALAY, a celebrated painter and artist who lived in the town of Guagua, Pampanga, in the mid-20th century.

While the surname ALAY may have originated from a specific occupation or skill, it has since become a common surname in the Philippines, particularly in the regions of Bulacan and Pampanga, where it has a rich historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alay

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Alay.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Alay was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Alay has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Alay was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Alay, please contact us.

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