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

Beesley, 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 Beesley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beesley in America

Beesley is the 10790th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beesley surname appeared 2,956 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 Beesley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beesley 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 Beesley

The Beesley surname has its origins in England, specifically in the counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. It is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century, derived from the Old English words "beo" meaning bee and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing. This suggests that the name was likely initially used to refer to someone who lived near or worked with bees in a meadow or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Beesley name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from the year 1212, where a William de Beuedeshale is mentioned. The name evolved over time, with variations such as Beuedeshal, Beuedeshole, and eventually Beesley becoming more common.

In the 14th century, the Beesley surname appears in the Wigan Court Leet Rolls, which were local administrative records for the town of Wigan in Lancashire. The name is also found in the Lancashire Inquests from the same period, suggesting that the Beesley family was well-established in the region during the Middle Ages.

One notable bearer of the Beesley name was Sir John Beesley (1556-1638), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wigan in 1597 and 1601. He was also the High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1607.

Another prominent figure was George Beesley (1760-1841), an English engraver and painter who was best known for his mezzotint engravings of portraits and landscapes. He was born in Wolverhampton and was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1818.

In the 19th century, Alfred Beesley (1800-1847) was a British painter and illustrator who specialized in depicting scenes of rural life and landscapes. He was born in London and exhibited his works at the Royal Academy and the British Institution.

The Beesley surname has also been connected to several place names in England, such as Beesley Green in Staffordshire and Beesley Brook in Lancashire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, further reinforcing the connection between the Beesley family and the areas where they lived and worked.

Throughout history, the Beesley surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, artists, and landowners. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the meadows and clearings of medieval England, where the early Beesleys likely lived and worked with bees.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beesley

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

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

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

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