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

Bardsley, 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 Bardsley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bardsley in America

Bardsley is the 16420th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bardsley surname appeared 1,752 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bardsley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bardsley 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 Bardsley

The surname Bardsley originates from England, specifically in the county of Lancashire. It dates back to the 13th century and is derived from the Old English words "bere" meaning barley and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a barley field or meadow.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be Bernardesleia, found in the Lancashire Pipe Rolls of 1246. This version of the name is believed to be derived from the personal name Bernard, combined with the Old English word "leah". Over time, this evolved into the more recognizable Bardsley spelling.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there is a record of a place called Bernedeslau, which is thought to be an early reference to the area that later became known as Bardsley. This further supports the connection between the name and its geographical origins.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Bardsley surname was John de Bardsley, who was recorded in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Tottington in Lancashire in 1324. Another early record is that of Richard de Bardsley, mentioned in the Lancashire Inquisitions in 1376.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Bardsley family was well-established in the area of Middleton, near Manchester. Notable individuals from this time period include James Bardsley (1583-1648), a prominent landowner and yeoman, and his son, also named James Bardsley (1617-1692), who served as a captain in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Bardsley family settled in the town of Oldham, where they became influential in the local textile industry. One of the most successful members of this branch was Samuel Bardsley (1723-1792), a renowned calico printer and entrepreneur.

Another notable figure was James Bardsley (1801-1876), a civil engineer who played a crucial role in the construction of several major railways in England, including the London and Birmingham Railway and the Great Western Railway.

Throughout history, the Bardsley surname has been documented in various forms, including Bardesly, Bardsley, and Bardisley, reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bardsley

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

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

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

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