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

Bethley, 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 Bethley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bethley in America

Bethley is the 43885th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bethley surname appeared 491 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 Bethley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bethley 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 Bethley

The surname Bethley is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "bæth" meaning "bath" and "lēah" meaning "a clearing or meadow." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a meadow or clearing where there was a bath or natural spring.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bethley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bethlege." This entry refers to a settlement in the county of Somerset, indicating that the name may have originated in that region.

During the 13th century, variations of the name began to emerge, such as "Bethlegh" and "Bethleigh." These spellings reflect the changes in pronunciation and spelling conventions that occurred over time.

In the 14th century, records show a William Bethley who was a prominent merchant in the city of Bristol. He was involved in the wool trade and played a significant role in the economic life of the city during that time.

Another notable figure with the surname Bethley was Sir John Bethley, who lived in the 15th century. He was a knight and landowner in the county of Wiltshire. Sir John Bethley's name appears in various legal documents and land records from that period.

Moving into the 16th century, there was a Richard Bethley who was a prominent clergyman and scholar. He served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in the town of Warwick and was known for his extensive knowledge of theology and classical literature.

In the 17th century, the name Bethley was associated with the Bethley family of Shropshire. This family owned significant landholdings and played an important role in the local community. One member of this family, Thomas Bethley, was a prominent lawyer and served as a member of Parliament in the late 1600s.

During the 18th century, there was a John Bethley who was a renowned architect and builder. He was responsible for designing and constructing several notable buildings in the city of London, including St. Paul's Church in Covent Garden.

These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who have borne the surname Bethley throughout the centuries. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, knights, clergymen, lawyers, and architects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bethley

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

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

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

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