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

Basley, 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 Basley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Basley in America

Basley is the 49177th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Basley surname appeared 428 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 Basley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Basley 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 Basley

The surname Basley is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the medieval English personal name 'Barsley', which was derived from the Old English words 'bær' meaning 'bear' and 'leah' meaning 'meadow' or 'clearing'. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a bear-inhabited meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Basley can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1327, where it appears as 'Barseleye'. This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, with the 'Barseleye' form likely being closer to the original pronunciation.

In the 15th century, the Basley surname appeared in various historical records, including the Hearth Tax Rolls of 1665, where it was listed as 'Baseley'. This form may have been influenced by the place name 'Baxterley', a village in Warwickshire, suggesting a potential connection between the surname and this location.

Notable individuals with the Basley surname include John Basley (1554-1628), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire. Another prominent figure was Thomas Basley (1675-1743), a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Southwark from 1715 to 1722.

In the 18th century, the Basley surname was found in various parish records across England. One such example is William Basley (1712-1784), a farmer from Yorkshire, whose family lineage can be traced back to the village of Baxterley.

Another notable individual was Elizabeth Basley (1798-1872), a renowned author and poet from Gloucestershire, who published several works during the Victorian era, including "Poems of Nature and Life" in 1856.

While the Basley surname may have evolved over time and taken on various spellings, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in England, reflecting a connection to a particular geographic location and potentially referencing the presence of bears in that area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Basley

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

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

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

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