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

Beisley, 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 Beisley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Beisley in America

Beisley is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Beisley surname appeared 108 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 Beisley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Beisley 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 Beisley

The surname Beisley is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a now-lost place name in England, potentially in the county of Derbyshire or Yorkshire.

One theory suggests that the name Beisley may have originated from the Old English words "beo" meaning bee, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, indicating a connection to a place where bees were kept or a bee-friendly meadow. Another possibility is that it derives from "bæc" meaning a stream or brook, and "leah," implying a meadow near a stream.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Beisley appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 13th century, where a John de Beyesleye is mentioned. This suggests that the name was initially spelled with variations such as Beyesleye, Bayseley, or Baizeley before evolving into its modern form.

In the 14th century, the Poll Tax returns of Yorkshire from 1379 list a Thomas de Beyseley, indicating the continued presence of the name in that region. The Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire from 1327 also record a Richard de Beisley, further establishing the name's ties to these northern counties.

One notable historical figure with the surname Beisley was Robert Beisley (1628-1704), an English Quaker minister and writer from Yorkshire. He authored several religious works and was a prominent figure within the Society of Friends during his lifetime.

Another individual of note was John Beisley (1625-1686), a Puritan minister and author from Gloucestershire. He served as the vicar of Swinbrook and wrote extensively on religious topics, including a work titled "The Christian's Warfare" published in 1679.

In the 18th century, William Beisley (1730-1798) was a successful businessman and merchant based in London. He amassed a considerable fortune through his trading ventures and was known for his philanthropic efforts, supporting various charitable causes during his lifetime.

Moving into the 19th century, Sir Samuel Beisley (1818-1892) was a British naval officer and explorer. He served in the Royal Navy and participated in several Arctic expeditions, contributing to the mapping and exploration of the region.

Another notable figure from this period was Mary Beisley (1829-1907), a renowned English botanist and illustrator. She specialized in the study and illustration of fungi, and her detailed drawings were highly regarded in scientific circles of the time.

While the surname Beisley may have originated from a specific location in England, it has since spread and become established in various parts of the country, as well as in other English-speaking nations through migration and diaspora.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Beisley

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

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

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

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