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

Belfry, 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 Belfry surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Belfry in America

Belfry is the 157234th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Belfry surname appeared 103 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 Belfry.

We can also compare 2010 data for Belfry 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 Belfry

The surname Belfry is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "bell" and "fry" meaning "bell tower" or "belfry". It is believed that the name was originally an occupational surname given to those who were responsible for ringing the bells in church towers or belfries.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Belfry can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Belfri". This suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records with different spellings such as "Belfray", "Belfrey", and "Belfree". These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling at the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John de Belfry, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292. Another notable individual was William Belfry, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

During the Middle Ages, the Belfry family was particularly prominent in the county of Somerset, where they held lands and estates. Several place names in the region, such as Belfry Farm and Belfry Hill, are believed to be derived from the family's presence there.

In the 16th century, the surname gained further recognition with the birth of Richard Belfry (1516-1585), an English merchant and landowner who served as the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1571.

Another notable figure was Sir Edward Belfry (1590-1660), a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as the Solicitor General during the reign of King Charles I. He played a significant role in the English Civil War and was knighted for his services in 1628.

During the 17th century, the Belfry family continued to hold positions of influence and authority in various parts of England. One such individual was Sir William Belfry (1624-1698), who was appointed as the Lord Mayor of London in 1688.

In the 18th century, the surname spread across the British Isles, with various branches of the Belfry family establishing themselves in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. One notable Scottish bearer was Robert Belfry (1740-1820), a prominent merchant and philanthropist in Glasgow.

As the centuries passed, the Belfry surname continued to be found throughout various regions of the United Kingdom and beyond, with some members of the family emigrating to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Belfry

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

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

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

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