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

Betterley, 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 Betterley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Betterley in America

Betterley is the 74826th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Betterley surname appeared 258 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 Betterley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Betterley 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 Betterley

The surname Betterley is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from a location in England. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is thought to be a habitational name, referring to someone who hailed from a place called Betterley or a similar-sounding name.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Betterley can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire, dated 1195. These rolls were financial records kept by the English Exchequer, and they mention a person named William de Betterleye. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 12th century.

The name Betterley is believed to be derived from the Old English words "betere" meaning "better" and "leah" meaning "a clearing in a forest." This combination likely referred to a superior or more productive clearing or settlement in a wooded area. The name may have originated from a specific place called Betterley in Staffordshire or a similar location.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Betterlye, Betterleigh, and Betterleye. These variations reflect the spelling changes and regional differences in pronunciation over time. One notable early bearer of the name was John de Betterleye, who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272.

During the 14th century, the surname Betterley spread to other parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties like Warwickshire and Worcestershire. One prominent figure from this period was William Betterley, a landowner who lived in Warwickshire and was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

In the 15th century, the Betterley family continued to establish themselves in various parts of England. A notable individual from this time was Robert Betterley, a merchant from London who was mentioned in the City of London Records in 1465.

As the centuries passed, the Betterley name continued to be represented in various historical records and documents across England. Some other notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Thomas Betterley (c. 1550-1620), a prominent landowner and farmer in Staffordshire.
2. Elizabeth Betterley (1625-1692), a Puritan writer and poet from Worcestershire.
3. John Betterley (1745-1812), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Warwickshire.
4. William Betterley (1785-1865), a renowned architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.
5. Mary Betterley (1819-1892), a renowned educator and advocate for women's education in the Victorian era.

While the Betterley surname has its roots in medieval England, it eventually spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as English settlers emigrated over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Betterley

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

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

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

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