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

Alvey, 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 Alvey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Alvey in America

Alvey is the 6502nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alvey surname appeared 5,220 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Alvey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Alvey 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 Alvey

The surname Alvey originates from England and is thought to have first appeared in the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Norman French place name 'Alvey' or 'Alveley', which may refer to several locations across England, including villages in Shropshire and Essex.

The name itself is thought to be derived from the Old English words 'ælf' meaning 'elf' or 'supernatural being', and 'leah' meaning 'woodland clearing' or 'meadow'. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place inhabited by elves or fairies, according to folklore.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alvey can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1198, where a Robert de Alveleye is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also record a Henry de Alvytheleye, further indicating the name's early presence in England.

In the 13th century, the Alvey surname appeared in various spellings such as Alveleye, Alvelea, and Alveley, reflecting the evolution of the name over time. The village of Alveley in Shropshire is believed to be one of the potential places of origin for those bearing the Alvey surname.

Notable individuals with the Alvey surname include John Alvey (1615-1672), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Another notable figure was Sir Richard Alvey (1826-1892), a British lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Bahamas.

Other individuals bearing the Alvey name include Thomas Alvey (1775-1839), an English farmer and landowner in Lincolnshire, and William Alvey (1846-1919), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

The Alvey surname has also been found in various parts of the United States, likely stemming from English immigrants who brought the name with them. One notable American with the surname was Alma Alvey (1893-1983), a singer and vaudeville performer who was active in the early 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Alvey

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

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 Alvey 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 Alvey 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 Alvey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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