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

Beckley, 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 Beckley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beckley in America

Beckley is the 6291st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beckley surname appeared 5,429 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 Beckley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beckley 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 Beckley

The surname Beckley is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a place name, with the earliest known records dating back to the 11th century.

One of the earliest references to the name can be found in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Beccelei" in Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name originated from a locality or settlement bearing a similar name, possibly derived from the Old English words "becca" meaning brook or stream, and "leah" meaning woodland or clearing.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including "Beckele," "Beckeleg," and "Beckelegh," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.

Historically, the Beckley surname has been associated with several notable individuals, such as Sir John Beckley (1536-1612), an English merchant and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another noteworthy figure was William Beckley (1759-1828), an American politician who served as the first Librarian of Congress and as the second Clerk of the United States House of Representatives.

The name also appeared in various records and documents throughout the centuries, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1310, which mentions a "William de Beckele," and the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, listing a "John de Beckeley."

In the 16th century, the surname was found in various parts of England, with records indicating families bearing the name in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Sussex, among other regions.

Among other notable individuals with the Beckley surname were Robert Beckley (1685-1743), an English clergyman and author, and John Beckley (1757-1807), an American politician who served as the first Clerk of the United States House of Representatives and as the second Librarian of Congress.

Throughout its history, the Beckley surname has maintained its connection to its English origins, reflecting the rich tapestry of place names and local settlements that contributed to the development of surnames in the medieval period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beckley

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

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

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

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