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

Axley, 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 Axley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Axley in America

Axley is the 35993rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Axley surname appeared 623 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 Axley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Axley 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 Axley

The surname Axley has its origins in England, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "æx" (axe) and "leah" (woodland clearing), suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived or worked in a clearing in a wooded area.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Acslea" in the county of Lincolnshire. This spelling variation reflects the influence of the Norman conquest on English place names and surnames.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Axelay" in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating the continued evolution of the spelling over time. During this period, the name was also associated with various place names, such as Axley in Lincolnshire and Axley Green in Cheshire.

Among the notable individuals bearing the surname Axley throughout history are:

1. Sir William Axley (1540-1612), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Warwickshire in the late 16th century.

2. John Axley (1688-1756), a prominent merchant and shipowner in the city of Bristol, known for his involvement in the trans-Atlantic trade during the 18th century.

3. Elizabeth Axley (1710-1784), an English botanist and naturalist who contributed significantly to the study of plants native to the British Isles.

4. James Axley (1776-1838), an American Methodist circuit rider and preacher who played a crucial role in the Second Great Awakening in the early 19th century.

5. William Axley (1829-1901), a Scottish inventor and engineer who patented several innovations in the field of textile machinery, including the Axley Power Loom.

While the surname Axley has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has persisted across various regions of England and, later, in parts of North America, where it was carried by English settlers and immigrants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Axley

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

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

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

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