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

Breckley, 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 Breckley surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Breckley in America

Breckley is the 143847th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Breckley surname appeared 106 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Breckley.

The history of the last name Breckley

The surname Breckley is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. Its origins likely trace back to small rural communities in counties such as Essex and Suffolk, where old English and Celtic influences merged. The name is thought to be derived from a combination of the Old English words "brec," meaning break or breach, and "leah," meaning a clearing or meadow. This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have lived near a break in a forest or a meadow where trees had been cleared.

The name Breckley, like many surnames that arose during the medieval period, would have been used to describe geographic features of the land. Early records of the name can often be found in the tax rolls and local censuses of the 14th century, though specific mentions in well-known historical documents like the Domesday Book have not been conclusively identified. These early records are crucial in tracing the etymological evolution of the name, which was subject to various phonetic transformations over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname occurs in a 1377 tax roll from Suffolk, where a Thomas de Breckley is mentioned. Over the centuries, the name appears in various forms in parish records, deeds, and wills. For example, in the latter part of the 15th century, a Richard Brecklee was recorded as a landowner in Norfolk. Another notable instance includes an Elizabeth Breckley, baptized in 1583 in Saint James's parish in Bury St Edmunds.

During the 17th century, the name begins to appear more frequently, including in immigration records to the New World. An Edward Breckley is noted among early settlers in the Virginia Colony around 1620. The Beekle spelling variation also shows up in records from this period, such as in wills and government documents, suggesting the name's fluid orthography.

Significant historical figures bearing the surname include Sir John Breckley, an English knight in the late 16th century who served under Queen Elizabeth I and was notable for his military contributions during the Anglo-Spanish War. Another distinguished individual was Reverend Samuel Breckley, born in 1746, a clergyman in the Anglican Church who authored several theological pamphlets and sermons that were influential during his time.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Breckleys continued to appear in various regional records, particularly in county archives. An intriguing account involves a Jane Breckley, born in 1812, who was a noted suffragette and social reformer aiding in early women's rights movements in London.

In reviewing the etymology and historical occurrences of the surname Breckley, it becomes evident that the name has a robust connection to English geographic and social history, encapsulating the evolution of language, migration, and family lineage across centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Breckley

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Breckley 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.

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

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

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