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

Battles, 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 Battles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Battles in America

Battles is the 4606th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Battles surname appeared 7,702 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Battles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Battles 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 Battles

The surname Battles is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from various place names across the country, such as Battle in Sussex or Batley in Yorkshire. The name itself is thought to come from the Old English word "bataile," meaning battle or battlefield.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Battles surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Batalia in Wiltshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name began to appear in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed a Robert de Batayle in Oxfordshire, and the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield from 1275, which mentioned a Johannes del Bateley.

Notable individuals with the Battles surname throughout history include Sir William Battell (c.1545-1615), an English navigator and explorer who is credited with being one of the first Europeans to establish trade relations with the Mughal Empire in India. Another prominent figure was Thomas Battell (c.1572-1637), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I.

In the 18th century, John Battely (1647-1708) was an English antiquarian and clergyman who wrote several works on the history of Canterbury and the surrounding areas. Around the same time, Nathaniel Battely (1648-1704) was an English author and editor who published a collection of ancient liturgical works.

Moving into the 19th century, John Battles (1789-1860) was an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Virginia. He was also a prominent figure in the Whig Party during that era.

Throughout its history, the Battles surname has been associated with various occupations and fields, from explorers and politicians to scholars and clergymen. While the name has evolved over time, its origins can be traced back to the battlefields and settlements of medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Battles

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

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

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

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